Before the middle of the 19th century it was quite fashionable to live in the big city. People of the Upper class, for instance; lawyers, merchants, and manufacturers built lavish townhouses in the center of the city within walking distance of their various jobs. Middle class workers tended to live further away from the center of the city in places such as suburbs. Whereas the lower class workers lived in the back alleys and courtyards of the central city. Because of the need to be close to work was so extreme and dier, and that cities were so densely populated, it called for narrow streets just wide enough to accommodate pedestrians and wagons. When the U.S. entered the mid 19th century it also submerge into The Industrial …show more content…
During this time period working conditions where very hazardous to workers health and safety. Textile factories, for example, were very dangerous and you would mostly see women with their ability to sew and children because of their size working in them. The workplaces were very hot, and steam engines contributed further to the heat and machinery was not always fenced off and workers were exposed to the moving parts. Children were often employed to move between these dangerous machines as they were small enough to fit between tightly packed machinery, and where often hurt and sometimes killed performing these tacks. Workers were also forced to work long and excruciating hours which little to no breaks and low …show more content…
The local government also failed to distribute clean water, induced garbage collection and sewage systems into the poorer areas of the city, so conditions in cities deteriorated.
Because cities were large, crowded, and were devoted to making money, corruption was rampant in the construction industry, among landlords and employes, city government, and city services damaged the economic growth. The Progressive movement succeeded in reducing some of the corruption and in establishing housing codes, civil service examinations in city governments, and public health measures.
The 19th century thru the early 20th century was a time huge change for the U.S. both positive and negative. It strived in the advancement of new and advance technology and transportation with many inventions such as the railroad, steam engine, telegraph, and sewing machine. It failed in the areas of living, law and corruption, and health conditions as well as the unjust expectations of the workers. The many job openings offered a lot of opportunities to people, which caused a great domino effect, good and bad, in the process of urbanizing America and making it thrive into the greatness it possesses