Growth of American Cities in Essay

Total Length: 659 words ( 2 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 2

Page 1 of 2

As the wealthy people no longer had to live in the center of the city, the central business district was characterized by retail shops, office buildings and light manufacturing.

In America, the industrial revolution started just before the beginning of the 19th century. Prior to this, 6% of the United States' population lived in urban areas with close to 90% of practicing agriculture. This figure later fell to 50% in the following century meaning that every farmer could produce twice of what they required for themselves. American cities grew as a result of the enhancement in agricultural efficiency brought by the development of agricultural machinery. Agricultural machinery made manual labor of farming redundant because of large equipment which hastened agricultural productions. As a result, a very smaller proportion of the country's population could meet the entire nation's agricultural needs.


The other factor that led to the growth of American cities was the change from cottage industries to factories as the key production centers. The huge machines which were mainly powered by water power became central to industry. Commercial growth was supported by the great numbers of people in a small area who were required to operate these machines. Consequently, there was a great economic motivation for the growth of American cities which translated into jobs and higher wages for workers. The development of cheaper and faster transportation methods in the early part of the 19th century also led to the growth of American cities. The cheaper and faster transportation enabled American cities to conduct trade with far larger markets resulting in the blossoming of the economy.

Works.....

Show More ⇣


     Open the full completed essay and source list


OR

     Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic


sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest APA Format (6th edition)

Copy Reference
"Growth Of American Cities In" (2010, April 09) Retrieved June 4, 2026, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/growth-american-cities-1551

Latest MLA Format (8th edition)

Copy Reference
"Growth Of American Cities In" 09 April 2010. Web.4 June. 2026. <
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/growth-american-cities-1551>

Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

Copy Reference
"Growth Of American Cities In", 09 April 2010, Accessed.4 June. 2026,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/growth-american-cities-1551