19th Century Cities - Industrialization Essay Example
Austin Storhaug
AP American History
2/7/2005
19th Century Cities In 1880, a national census determined that the United States had grown to a population of 50,100,000. 6,600,000 of those who helped account for the population growth of cities were immigrants arriving from around the world. Also, many rural Americans became attracted to the lure of the big city. This incredible condensation into the big cities led to many problems including crime. Overall, the lure of the city, the abundance of workers, and the corruption created developed a new city experience in the late 19th century.
An American city seemed extremely attractive from afar. Big city pleasures such as electricity, indoor plumbing, and telephones created jealousy from the rural farmers, who did not possess such things. Also, cities lured many people with architectural marvels such as the skyscrapers with their fancy elevators. Rural farmers started to think their lives as dull when compared to the late night glitter of the cities. Jobs were also another lure of the big city. Industrial jobs presented jobs for both men and women. Not only did these jobs provide an income in which the employee could spend at city department stores (such as New York's Macy's) but also the income provided greater equality for many minorities as well as women. Theodore Dreiser's further encouraged the glamorous city life belief when he wrote Sister Carrie (1990).
The lure of the city had one drawback, it attracted so many people that soon the cities became vastly overcrowded. Southern and eastern Europeans poured into the country looking for jobs. They came with a history of little self government, and many were illiterate and impoverished. Soon, this diversity began to show as "little Italy's" and "little Poland's" became apparent in the big cities. Immigrants gave employers an opportunity to pay such low wages that organizations such as the Knights of Labor and the AF of L were created to create a better
AP American History
2/7/2005
19th Century Cities In 1880, a national census determined that the United States had grown to a population of 50,100,000. 6,600,000 of those who helped account for the population growth of cities were immigrants arriving from around the world. Also, many rural Americans became attracted to the lure of the big city. This incredible condensation into the big cities led to many problems including crime. Overall, the lure of the city, the abundance of workers, and the corruption created developed a new city experience in the late 19th century.
An American city seemed extremely attractive from afar. Big city pleasures such as electricity, indoor plumbing, and telephones created jealousy from the rural farmers, who did not possess such things. Also, cities lured many people with architectural marvels such as the skyscrapers with their fancy elevators. Rural farmers started to think their lives as dull when compared to the late night glitter of the cities. Jobs were also another lure of the big city. Industrial jobs presented jobs for both men and women. Not only did these jobs provide an income in which the employee could spend at city department stores (such as New York's Macy's) but also the income provided greater equality for many minorities as well as women. Theodore Dreiser's further encouraged the glamorous city life belief when he wrote Sister Carrie (1990).
The lure of the city had one drawback, it attracted so many people that soon the cities became vastly overcrowded. Southern and eastern Europeans poured into the country looking for jobs. They came with a history of little self government, and many were illiterate and impoverished. Soon, this diversity began to show as "little Italy's" and "little Poland's" became apparent in the big cities. Immigrants gave employers an opportunity to pay such low wages that organizations such as the Knights of Labor and the AF of L were created to create a better