Shift from Rural to Urban Areas

The shift from rural to urban areas, or urbanization was brought upon by two main factors. The first, Industrialization, contributed by the transformation of small farms into large corporate farms centered in urban areas, along with agriculture creating a demand for more machinery located in urban centers. Many people couldn’t make a living without the urban atmosphere after these new industries arose. The second main factor was immigration. 4 million Americans came to the states along with western Europeans and Christians in the late 1700s. In the 1800s came Chinese laborers and now today Asians, Cubans and Mexicans These immigrants moved to the cities and worked the cheap labor jobs that helped the urban areas grow. (“PowerPoint”)

The rapid growing of urbanization created slums, which gave the cities a negative view. The growing dislike of cities created the first developed suburbs in the United States. People wanted to get away from the cities problems and the overcrowded towns. The rich moved out of the cities but although many moved to the suburbs the less wealthy still occupied the city keeping the population steady. Suburbs created a city and country feel that the urban areas couldn’t provide alone. “Suburbs were known to be communities of detached dwellings with sylvan surroundings yet supplied with a considerable share of urban convenience”… “Trees and hedgerows between the houses gave each a feeling of isolation with nature. (“Romantic Suburbs” John Archer) This ideal atmosphere had suburbians finding ways to “Have their urban amenities without the urban problems” (Kenneth pg.136 (Weiss, Nicolaides)). This all came about in the Romantic era in 1815-1918. The suburbs in this era had winding graceful roads and rivers and they made people feel like they could have a happy life of leisure if they moved out of the city. “Romantic suburbs were a retreat for a man to exercise his own rights and privileges and allowed citizens to do business in the city and yet wishing accessible, retired and healthy homes in the country” (“Teaford pg.6”)

As technology advanced America moved from the Romantic era to the Automobile era. Technology advanced by gradually increasing speed to make transportation from the suburbs to the city quick and easy. The first commuter suburb was Brooklyn, New York, due to its improved ferry systems. After the ferry system came the Omnibuses, which allowed people to be a distance from work but not have to walk. After the Omnibuses were the cable cars, the first mass transit system pulled by moving cables that ran for miles. “The growth of the omnibus, cable car and ferryboat all facilitated development of a third planning type, the metropolitan commuter suburb” (“Romantic Suburbs” John Archer) Streetcar electric trolleys were later introduced which tripled the radius of cities and caused an increasing rate of suburban development. “Street cars formed the skeleton