Urbanization and Culture of the 1800s
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Urbanization and Culture
Skyscrapers:
Skyscrapers are tall steel framed building
Cities had to build up, not out because they were running out of room.
Manhattan soon had the most skyscrapers of anywhere in the world
The Home Insurance Building was the first skyscraper. It had 10 stories and was built in Chicago in 1885
Population growth and demand of housing raised the price of land creating an incentive to build upwards rather than outwards
Louis Sullivan
“Form should follow function”
Father of skyscrapers
New designs featuring simple lines and spacious windows using new, durable plate glass
“What people are within the buildings express without”
Contributed to the design of skyscrapers more than anyone else of his time
Social Class
Urban Poverty: could not afford homes; slept in the streets; built shacks in back alleys
Working Class: lived in tenements usually the size of a single room apartment; no servants; husbands and wives had to work and sometime children; average yearly income $445
The Family Economy: a division of the working class; white native born men earned higher wages and their families made up the family economy; women worked in domestic services; no workers compensation; elderly people lived with their family usually grown children; 64% of families relied on more than one wage earner
Middle Class: owned their own homes and quality clothing; included doctors, lawyers, engineers, architects, and teachers; women rarely worked; womens clubs were very popular; most families had 1 live-in servant; they lived away from the city to escape crime and pollution
High Society: could afford elaborate mansions and servants; clothing was elaborate and expensive; women never worked; men owned or managed large companies
Urbanization
America grew from 10 million citizens to 30 million citizens in 1870s
Cities offered more and better paying jobs
Cities also offered bright lights, running water, modern plumbing, and attractions (such as theaters, libraries, and museums)
In 1873 San Francisco became the first city with public transportation with cable cars
In 1887 Richmond, Virginia offered a more efficient means of mass transportation