6.1.3 - Urbanization / 6.1.4 - Population Changes
Urbanization is a word for becoming more like a city. When populations of people grow, the population of a place may spill over from city to nearby areas. Many immigrants flooded into major cities (urban areas) throughout the United States during this ERA. Also, many people were leaving rural areas in our country for jobs in the city. The cities began to become way too overcrowded. Tenements were created to house the new inhabitants. These tenements were collections of small, dirty, crowded, and unsafe houses. These houses often lacked windows, fire escapes or ventilation. Disease easily spread in these places. Due to the lack of ventilation and sewer back-ups, tuberculosis and other diseases spread rather quickly. Another side-effect of the poorly constructed houses was the topic of fires. Due to the tenements being made of flammable materials and the lack of any skilled firefighters, tenements burned down. With no building codes or sprinklers, there was never anything there to stop the fires.
Due to the mass movement to urban areas, these areas suffered. These areas were
not equipped for the number of people and clearly showed with the condition of the houses
and the well-being of the people that moved there.
Due to the mass movement to urban areas, these areas suffered. These areas were
not equipped for the number of people and clearly showed with the condition of the houses
and the well-being of the people that moved there.
Below, you will see a tenement. A tenement is a room or a set of rooms
forming a separate residence within a house or block of apartments. This is where
people lived in the overcrowded cities.
forming a separate residence within a house or block of apartments. This is where
people lived in the overcrowded cities.