rough draft
Throughout history, man has always had a need for social interaction. With the birth of the modern city, not only has he gained that interaction, cities have now become the capitals for economic and political development. With the birth of the Industrial Revolution the urbanization of civilization is nearly at it’s peak. Within the next brief paragraphs, the change from rural to urban areas will be discussed.
As shown in the attached graph, for the first 50 years after the census was first taken the percentage of the population of the US in urban areas didn’t see much growth. From about 1850 until 1930 the percentage took a drastic increase, which peaked about the time that the Great Depression started. Then from about 1950 on, the percentage has increased gradually, telling us that we are catching up to today’s technology. As you can see, the Northeastern part of the US grew the fastest only to be beaten by the Western region at around 1960. The Southern region of the US was the slowest to catch up to the national average, doing so around the turn of the century. For about 35 years now the percentage of the population in urban areas has been relatively similar across the US.
The population made a great migration to the urbanized areas during the 1850’s all the way up until the 1930’s. The sudden increase in growth can only be explained by the Industrial Revolution. In a Geographical Review article by Allen Pred, he states that “The phenomena that led to the concurrent emergence of the modern American metropolis and large-scale manufacturing are dynamically involuted and nearly always inseparable” (Pred pg. 1). Because of the Industrial Revolution, more people could move into urbanized areas and become apart of the urban economic and social system.
During the 1930’s, there was a leveling of growth in urban areas. Around that same time was the Great Depression. During the Depression, many people became poverty stricken, “and at the depth (1932-33) of the depression, there were 16 million unemployed-about one third of the available labor force” (Great Depression). This would account for the leveling off of growth in urbanized areas, as there was a lack of employment, particularly in city settings. With the loss of economic growth, the urban areas suffered a loss of population growth. This proves that urban areas are completely reliant upon the pillars of economic foundation.
After the Depression, World War II started abruptly for the US with the bombing of Pearl Harbor. As the war went on, the growth in urban areas started to increase again, as war helped to lift America out of the 10 year Depression. People were now moving to cities to become apart of the American Armed Work Force, by helping to manufacture various weapons to support the war effort. After WWII there came a series of technological advances that helped to promote urban living styles. Since the end of WWII the growth of population in these areas has increased steadily, due to economic stability and the desire for and easier way of life, compared to rural areas.
As the data obviously shows us, the growth of urban areas has been on a steady increase since the dawn of the industrial age. Through though times, like the Great Depression and WWII, to times of peace and prosperity, like the roaring 20’s and 1980 until 2000, the great migration from rural to urban areas has been a steady growth and will continue to grow into the future.
Works Cited
Pred, Allen. "Industrialization, Initial Advantage, and American Metropolitan Growth." Geographical Review 55.2 (1965): 158-185.
"Great Depression." Columbia Encyclopedia. 6th ed. 2005. www.encyclopedia.com
As shown in the attached graph, for the first 50 years after the census was first taken the percentage of the population of the US in urban areas didn’t see much growth. From about 1850 until 1930 the percentage took a drastic increase, which peaked about the time that the Great Depression started. Then from about 1950 on, the percentage has increased gradually, telling us that we are catching up to today’s technology. As you can see, the Northeastern part of the US grew the fastest only to be beaten by the Western region at around 1960. The Southern region of the US was the slowest to catch up to the national average, doing so around the turn of the century. For about 35 years now the percentage of the population in urban areas has been relatively similar across the US.
The population made a great migration to the urbanized areas during the 1850’s all the way up until the 1930’s. The sudden increase in growth can only be explained by the Industrial Revolution. In a Geographical Review article by Allen Pred, he states that “The phenomena that led to the concurrent emergence of the modern American metropolis and large-scale manufacturing are dynamically involuted and nearly always inseparable” (Pred pg. 1). Because of the Industrial Revolution, more people could move into urbanized areas and become apart of the urban economic and social system.
During the 1930’s, there was a leveling of growth in urban areas. Around that same time was the Great Depression. During the Depression, many people became poverty stricken, “and at the depth (1932-33) of the depression, there were 16 million unemployed-about one third of the available labor force” (Great Depression). This would account for the leveling off of growth in urbanized areas, as there was a lack of employment, particularly in city settings. With the loss of economic growth, the urban areas suffered a loss of population growth. This proves that urban areas are completely reliant upon the pillars of economic foundation.
After the Depression, World War II started abruptly for the US with the bombing of Pearl Harbor. As the war went on, the growth in urban areas started to increase again, as war helped to lift America out of the 10 year Depression. People were now moving to cities to become apart of the American Armed Work Force, by helping to manufacture various weapons to support the war effort. After WWII there came a series of technological advances that helped to promote urban living styles. Since the end of WWII the growth of population in these areas has increased steadily, due to economic stability and the desire for and easier way of life, compared to rural areas.
As the data obviously shows us, the growth of urban areas has been on a steady increase since the dawn of the industrial age. Through though times, like the Great Depression and WWII, to times of peace and prosperity, like the roaring 20’s and 1980 until 2000, the great migration from rural to urban areas has been a steady growth and will continue to grow into the future.
Works Cited
Pred, Allen. "Industrialization, Initial Advantage, and American Metropolitan Growth." Geographical Review 55.2 (1965): 158-185.
"Great Depression." Columbia Encyclopedia. 6th ed. 2005. www.encyclopedia.com