Lesson 12: Urbanization and Social Issues
Urbanization is the shifting of people from rural areas into the cities. The picture above is an urban area. With industries growing, jobs were available in the cities. People didn't have to live on farms to survive if they weren't rich anymore. There were many effects of this movement to the cities. The following ideas may seem a little disjointed, but they all are effects of urbanization.
Read the following article about Urbanization. Only read the sections titled "People Urbanization of America" and "Growth of Cities". http://www.theusaonline.com/people/urbanization.htm
There were some benefits to moving from a rural farm to the cities. There were sewage systems and electricity. Schools were nearer to homes. There were many places to get food, clothing, and other materials. There were some bad things that came to cities as well. Crime increased in cities. Slums were created, where the extreme poor lived. Cities became overcrowded. Garbage was everywhere.
The growth of cities came due to industrialization, but immigration also played a part. Between 1865 and 1900, 60 million people left Europe. Of the 60 million, half of them immigrated to the United States. Most of these immigrants were Russian Jews, Greeks, Italians and Poles. Most of these would move into the cities. The United States had many immigrants before 1865, but most of them came from Western Europe (England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, France, etc.). The difference between past immigrants and these new immigrants from Eastern Europe is that they looked different than the Western European immigrants. Most of them came not knowing how to speak English and they did not have the same beliefs as previous immigrants. This led to the nativist movement. A nativist is someone who is only for native people. They were anti immigrants, Catholicism, Jewish, and Greek Orthodox. They believed only Arians should be able to live in America (which is ironic since they were also against the real native people of the Americas - the Native Americans).
Read the following article about Urbanization. Only read the sections titled "People Urbanization of America" and "Growth of Cities". http://www.theusaonline.com/people/urbanization.htm
There were some benefits to moving from a rural farm to the cities. There were sewage systems and electricity. Schools were nearer to homes. There were many places to get food, clothing, and other materials. There were some bad things that came to cities as well. Crime increased in cities. Slums were created, where the extreme poor lived. Cities became overcrowded. Garbage was everywhere.
The growth of cities came due to industrialization, but immigration also played a part. Between 1865 and 1900, 60 million people left Europe. Of the 60 million, half of them immigrated to the United States. Most of these immigrants were Russian Jews, Greeks, Italians and Poles. Most of these would move into the cities. The United States had many immigrants before 1865, but most of them came from Western Europe (England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, France, etc.). The difference between past immigrants and these new immigrants from Eastern Europe is that they looked different than the Western European immigrants. Most of them came not knowing how to speak English and they did not have the same beliefs as previous immigrants. This led to the nativist movement. A nativist is someone who is only for native people. They were anti immigrants, Catholicism, Jewish, and Greek Orthodox. They believed only Arians should be able to live in America (which is ironic since they were also against the real native people of the Americas - the Native Americans).
Assignment #12
1. What is a tenement?
2. Prior to urbanization, where did the rich live?
3. Between 1830 and 1890, where did urbanization most commonly occur?
4. If a city was growing, what happened to the murder rate?
5. What is a nativist?
6. What made it so that the poor and rich did not live in the same neighborhoods?
7. Imagine you live in a tenement. Write a letter to a "pen pal" (who lives on a farm) explaining what life is like for you. The letter should be at least 1 full paragraph.
2. Prior to urbanization, where did the rich live?
3. Between 1830 and 1890, where did urbanization most commonly occur?
4. If a city was growing, what happened to the murder rate?
5. What is a nativist?
6. What made it so that the poor and rich did not live in the same neighborhoods?
7. Imagine you live in a tenement. Write a letter to a "pen pal" (who lives on a farm) explaining what life is like for you. The letter should be at least 1 full paragraph.