Rapid industrialization led to significant urbanization as factories required large numbers of workers, drawing people from rural areas and other countries into cities seeking employment opportunities. The need for housing and infrastructure increased, resulting in the construction of apartment buildings, roads, and stores to accommodate the growing population. Additionally, industrial activities contributed to environmental changes, as pollution from factories and inadequate sanitation systems contaminated air and water resources, further complicating urban living conditions.
Population Growth
In the late nineteenth century, American cities exploded in population. Urbanization refers to the process by which cities develop, including increased population, business, and structures. Urbanization in the United States occurred rapidly in the second half of the 1800s for a number of reasons. The new technologies of the time led to a great leap in industrialization, requiring large numbers of workers. New electric lights and powerful machinery allowed factories to run 24 hours a day, 6 days a week (most were closed on Sunday). Workers were forced into demanding 12-hour shifts, requiring them to live close to the factories While factory work was dangerous and difficult, many Americans were willing to leave farming life behind in hopes of better wages in industrial labor.
Population Growth and the Environment
While urbanization and population growth brought many opportunities for work and education, it also had an intense effect on the environment. When a population grows, the physical environment changes. A flow of people from rural areas as well as those from other countries quickly changed the environment. More people meant more housing. People needed transportation to and from work. Apartment buildings were built to house the newcomers. Streets were built so people could get around by cart or carriage. New stores opened to sell goods to the new population. Forests and fields were cleared for building. Animals were displaced. As the cities grew, so did the need for sanitation and water. Sanitation was poor, and trash and waste products often polluted rivers, lakes, and streams. Factories were built to manufacture new goods. Once built, some factories emitted polluting smoke from enormous chimneys. Some factories emptied wastewater with chemicals into local waterways. People didn’t quite understand the lasting effects of air, water, and ground pollution at the time. They were concerned with making a living and providing for their families.
Explain at least three ways that rapid industrialization affected the growth of cities.
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