Urbanization

1. What is Urbanization?

Urbanization is the growth of cities, which at this time, mostly took place in the regions of the Northeast and Midwest.

2. For what reasons did a number of Americans move from the country to the cities?

Many rural people moved to cities to find whatever work they could. Around 200,000 African Americans moved from the country to the cities between 1890 and 1910 in an effort to escape racial violence, economic hardship, and political oppression.

3. What were the housing problems that many poor city dwellers faced?

Many poor city dwellers were faced with atrocious living conditions. They had the choice to either buy a house on the outskirts of town where they would be faced with transportation problems, or they could rent cramped rooms in a boardinghouse in the central city. These rooms were EXTREMELY cramped, having sometimes 3 families in a house meant for 1 family.