Chapter 7, section 2

When immigrants came, they tended to live in the cities Why were our cities growing?

Because farming was becoming more efficient, we didn’t need as many. Many former farmers moved to the city to find a job. Why con’t

Black people moved to the cities to get away from racial discrimination, political oppression, and poverty Why con’t

Urban Promblems

Tenements – like an apartment within a house Usually had 2-3 families in a single-family residence Housing options and problems

Minimum standards for plumbing and ventilation were passed Each tenement had to have a window and an air shaft for each room -( But people dumped garbage into the shafts and it started to stink) -( To keep out the stench, people started nailing the windows shut) Housing con’t

San Francisco and Richmond built trolleys Boston and New York built subways Chicago built the “el” or elevated train Transportation

The problem came from trying to repair old systems and built new ones fast enough to meet the growing demand Transportation con’t

Most homes didn’t have indoor plumbing There were faucets on the street that people will use to fill up buckets Diseases like cholera and typhoid fever spread They started filtering the water and chlorine Water

Horse manure piled up on the streets Sewage was in open gutters There wasn’t regular garbage pick-up so people threw it in the street By 1900 most cities had sewage lines and created sanitation departments Sanitation

Biggest problem was pickpockets and thieves Crime

Causes - lack of water - buildings made of wood - using candles and kerosene heaters Solutions - professional fire departments - automatic sprinklers - buildings made of brick, stone, or concrete Fire

Burned for about 36 hours Estimated 300 people died 100,000 people were left homeless More than 3 sq. miles of the city, including 17,500 buildings were destroyed Property loss was estimated to be $200 million Great Chicago Fire, 1871

Lasted 28 seconds, but fires burnt for 4 days Estimated 1000 people died 200,000 people were left homeless 5 sq miles, including 28,000 building were destroyed Property damage estimated at $500 million San Francisco Earthquake, 1906