Urbanization of America

Late 1800’s & Early 1900’s

Swelling Urban Populations

• Most immigrants didn’t have much starting-out money– Couldn’t buy farm land– Had to live in city apartments

• Many farmers moved to the cities– More jobs (factories)– Better paying jobs

Urban Advancements

• Demand for land in the city was increasing• What happens to the price of something if

demand goes up?• The price goes up!

– Land owners began to build upward• What were they building?– Skyscrapers!

Skyscraper Video

• America: Story of Us– 4 minutes

Urban Advancements

• Large populations combined with large cities created a need for large amounts of people to get around quickly– How did they solve this problem?– Mass transit• Trolleys• Subways• Elevated trains

Urban Social Class Separation

• As city populations grew, the wealthy and middle class sought to separate themselves from the working class– Led to social class neighborhoods• The “good” part of town (wealthy class)• The “bad” part of town (working class)

– Do we see this in Indianapolis? Columbus?

Quick Review1. Why were immigrants settling in the cities?

2. Why were people moving to cities from the rural areas (like farms)?

3. What two advancements did cities begin to use to adapt to the growing populations?

4. How were social classes effected by the growing urban populations?

No money for farm land

Better jobs

Skyscrapers and mass transit

Began to be divided into different parts of the cities

Social Class Division Discussion

2 minute discussion with your neighbors:What problems might exist when social classes divide themselves in cities creating “poor” areas and “wealthy” areas of towns?

Gentrification

Definition:Changes that result from wealthy people moving to areas of low-income (the “bad” parts of town)

Effects:Housing & land prices go upTurns it into a “good” part of town