Chapter 21, Section 2: An Age of Cities Main Idea: Vast numbers of people migrated to cities, changing urban landscapes and creating new problems.

A.City Populations Boom  In 1860, less than 20% of Americans lived in a city. By 1890, 33%. By 1920, over 50%.  Causes of City Growth (Urbanization) Industrialization = factory jobs to attract workers Immigration Lack of available land (settling of West completed) & farming became less popular (too difficult) * African Americans moved to northern cities in large numbers to escape segregation/Jim Crow in the South.

B. City Life  Most cities were set up with poor crowded into the center, middle-class surrounding them, and the rich farthest out: Poor: lived in crowded slums called tenements, with no windows, heat or indoor bathrooms. Disease spread rapidly due to crowded conditions. Middle-class: doctors, lawyers, office workers, etc. Neat houses on nice streets, belonged to clubs & organizations. Rich: lived in mansions on estates, traveled to Europe, threw lavish parties, bought art, attended opera, etc.

C. Cleaning Up the Cities  Overcrowding led to other problems such as fires, garbage, pollution, crime, etc.  Reformers pushed for improvements: Building codes (fire escapes, plumbing, etc.) Garbage collection, street cleaning, etc. Zoning laws (keep factories out of neighborhoods) Professional fire companies & police forces Street lights, public transportation, water & sewage systems

Typical tenement fire-escape serving as an extension of the flat New buildings were required to have fire escapes and plumbing.

Street cleaning, Fourth Street Garbage collection and street cleaning began regularly.

Separate residential and industrial zones were developed.

D. Help for the Poor  Catholic Church – Mother Cabrini  Salvation Army – food & shelter for poor  YMCA/YWCA – activities for young people to briefly escape slum life  Settlement Houses – community center that offers services to poor (Hull House in Chicago by Jane Addams was most famous)Hull House

YMCA, YWCA Basketball was invented in 1891 at a YMCA The YWCA offered physical & educational programs during lunch breaks to female factory workers.

Hull-House Nursery, ca. 1890s