Life in Changing Cities

Life in the Changing Cities Chapter 21, Section 3 How did the building boom affect city life? Why were sports so popular? What forms of entertainment did city dwellers enjoy?

A building boom changed American cities Using new technology, builders designed skyscrapers—tall buildings with many floors supported by a lightweight steel frame. The new electric elevators carried people to the upper floors Home Insurance Building, Chicago 1885

Traffic Skyscrapers crowded more people into the downtown. Streetcars, or trolleys, moved people around town quickly and cleanly. Trolley lines could carry people from the city to its outskirts, which contributed to the creation of the suburbs. A suburb is a residential area on or near the outskirts of a city.

Some cities built steam-driven passenger trains on elevated tracks. Boston built the first American subway. New York City, 1885 Boston Subway, 1897)

Some cities needed ways to move people across rivers or bays. James B. Eads built a three-arched bridge across the Mississippi River at St. Louis. The Brooklyn Bridge linked Manhattan Island and Brooklyn.

Parks Some city planners believed that open land would calm busy city dwellers. Frederick Law Olmsted planned Central Park in New York City. Other cities followed and set aside land for parks and zoos.

Shopping In the past, people had bought different items in different stores. The new department stores sold all kinds of goods in different departments of the same store. R. H. Macy opened a nine-story department store in New York in 1902.

Factory work offered little chance to socialize on the job Factory work offered little chance to socialize on the job. Sports provided an escape from the pressures of work. Baseball Baseball was the most popular sport. By the 1870s, several cities had professional baseball teams and the first professional league was organized.  At first, African Americans played professional baseball. In time, the major leagues barred black players. Basketball and football were minor sports

Entertainment in the City Music and other kinds of entertainment brought Americans together. Many cities organized symphony orchestras and opera companies. Many people enjoyed vaudeville, a variety show that included comedians, song-and-dance routines, and acrobats. Many of America’s best-loved entertainers performed in vaudeville—George M. Cohan, the Marx Brothers, and Will Rogers.

Popular music Thomas Edison’s phonograph sparked a new industry. Ragtime was a new kind of music with a lively, rhythmic sound. Pianist and composer Scott Joplin helped make ragtime popular. Marching bands were popular. They played the military music of John Philip Sousa, who composed “The Stars and Stripes Forever.”