AP US History in 1 Minute Daily: Urbanization (Day 192/309)

Hey APUSHers, let’s chat about urbanization as part of my series- APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!

The Explosive Growth of American Cities, Lumen Learning

Spurred by new economic opportunities due to industrialization, there was a mass migration of people to cities, including New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago, in the late 19th century.

Map of the Borough of Manhattan and part of the Bronx, New York Public Library

New immigrants contributed significantly to urban growth. They often settled in ethnic neighborhoods which made it easier to preserve their languages and customs and access markets and places of worship.

Side Sectional View of Tenement House, 38 Cherry Street, N.Y, Wikimedia Commons

To accommodate this rapid influx of population, tenements developed. This inner city housing often had small, windowless rooms and were severely overcrowded with more than 4,000 people in one city block at times.

Children in “sleeping quarters,” Library of Congress

In filthy conditions, the spread of deadly diseases, such as cholera and tuberculosis proliferated. Additionally, with high rates of poverty, crime became more closely associated with both immigrants and the city itself.

During the late 19th century, a period of rapid urbanization occurred. Cities struggled to adjust to the huge increase in population and overcrowding, poverty, disease, and crime escalated.

Join me tomorrow as I explain immigration policies in the next APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!