Urbanization Analytical

People rushed to cities after the Civil War. Businesses were booming and many citizens thought that moving to these cities could help them become wealthy. The truth is, people were becoming wealthy. With new business and trading techniques people could succeed. Many people were making tons of money in business and people living on farms and even in other countries rushed to cities like New York, Chicago, and even San Fransisco. This seemed like a time that was really great. The Gold Rush made anybody almost instantaneously rich due to no intellectual or physical advantage. Any human being could become rich and the poor and middle class loved this hope and dream. However, Urbanization also had many bad sides to it. Because so many people rushed to these urban places, it created a new lifestyle that was different and needed different technology that wasnt available. There were no modern water or sewage systems. People caught diseases and epidemics started. Also fires started easier because of the cheap, wooden ballon frame buildings and spread faster and larger than before because more homes were packed closer together. Also, there was a large amount of poor in cities. Even though there were many booming businesses, only a few people held on to the profits. Many workers were abused and had to work long days with little pay. The wages were barely enough for food for the family. Urbanization created a completely new world for America. It helped some and didnt help others. Edwin Markham was one who hated what urbanization did to the world. He sympathized with the hard working laborers and thought they deserved more than what they got. They supported the American economy yet they were repaid with minimum wage and were treated poorly. In his most famous poem, The Man with his Hoe, he wrote,
"O masters, lords and rulers in all lands,
Is this the handiwork you give to God,
This monstrous thing distorted and soul-quencht?"
Markham believes that the new world, after urbanization, is disgusting and atrocious. Markham clearly feels that Urbanization has made the world a much worse place and has stripped so many people of their livelihood. Urbanization has created some wealth and has taken some away. Urbanization created a new world that was based heavily on business and work.