1. The Challenges of Urbanization
Housing, Sanitation,
Transportation, Water, Crime, Fire

2. Immigrant Populations
Rapid urbanization occurred in late 19th century in Northeast and Midwest. Immigrants settled in cities because of available jobs and affordable housing. By 1910, immigrants made up more than half the population of 18 major American cities

3. Migration from Country to City
Rapid improvements in farm technology made farming more efficient and required less labor.
Many rural people left for cities to find work – including almost a quarter of a million African Americans.
Discrimination and segregation were often the reality for African Americans who migrated north

4. Urban Problems
Problems in American cities in the late 19th & early 20th centuries included:
Housing: Overcrowded tenements (multi-family apartments) were un-healthy places to live.
Sanitation: Garbage often was not collected and polluted the air.
Famous photographer Jacob Riis captured the struggle of living in crowded tenements

5. Transportation: Cities struggled to provide adequate transit systems.
Water: Without safe drinking water cholera and typhoid fever were common
Crime: As populations increased thieves flourished.
Fire: Limited water, wooden structures, and the use of candles led to many major urban fires.
Harper’s Weekly image of Chicagoans fleeing the fire over the Randolph Street bridge in 1871
Major fires: Chicago 1871 and San Francisco 1906

6. Photographer Jacob Riis Captured Images of the City

15. Reformers Mobilize
The Social Gospel Movement preached salvation through service to the poor. Some reformers established Settlement Houses. These houses provided a place to stay, classes, health care and other social services.
Jane Addams, who founded Hull House in Chicago, was the most famous social worker involved with the settlement community.

16. Urban Politics

17. Tammany Hall
Political Machine: an organization linked to a political party that controlled city government
Party Boss: the person that controlled a political machine
Graft: getting money through dishonest or questionable means.
Many machine politicians grew rich as a result of fraud or graft (taking bribes, kickbacks, etc.)
Tammany Hall, the NYC Democratic political machine, was run by the famously corrupt “Boss” Tweed in the 1860’s to 1870’s. That political system provided essential city services in return for political power