1. Urbanization

2. Migration to the cities
After the Civil War the urban population grew from 10 million in 1870 to more than 30 million by 1900
Most immigrants who came in the late 1800s did not have the money to buy farms and settled in the growing cities
Many rural Americans moved to the cities where they could make more money than farming could offer

3. Changing scenery
As populations grew in the cities, the price of land increased dramatically
This created an incentive to build upward rather than outward
Skyscrapers, tall steel framed buildings began to appear

4. Home Insurance Building – Built in Chicago in 1885

5. Separation by Class

6. High Society
In the late 1800s, the wealthiest families established fashionable districts in major cities
Homes were built to resemble castles, French chateaus, Tuscan villas, and Persian pavilions
A great deal of money was spent on social events

8. Middle-Class American industrialization expanded the middle class
Included: doctors, lawyers, engineers, managers, social workers, architects, and teachers
Many in the middle class moved away from the center of the cities to avoid the pollution
Most middle class household had at least one live-in servant
Women joined “Women’s Clubs” to participate in social and charitable activities

9. The Working Class
Few families in the Working Class could afford a home
Most lived in tenements, or apartment buildings
The average salary for an industrial worker was $445 in 1900

10. The Family Economy
In % of working class families relied on more than one wage earner
It was common for everyone in a household to work, even the children
Dangerous working conditions and lack of schooling for the children alarmed many law makers
More women worked outside of the home during this period than ever before
Most women found jobs as domestic servants

11. Urban Problems

12. Crime and Pollution
Minor crime, such as pickpocketing, flourished in crowded cities
Major crime also increased
The murder rate in America quadrupled from 1880 to
Alcohol contributed heavily to crime both inside and outside of homes
Pollution and Disease also increased heavily with the increase in city living
Improper sewage disposal contributed to several epidemics at the time

13. Politics
Graft and Fraud were rampant in the late 1800s and early s
Political party bosses gained great power and took advantage of it in many major cities
Tammany Hall – New York City Democratic political machine
William “Boss” Tweed led corruption in NY during the s and 1870s
The political machine ran most city services including the police department
Tweed was eventually arrested for corruptions and sentenced to prison in 1874