Question

Journalist Jacob Riis wrote a famous book, How the Other Half Lives, to shed light on just how bad conditions were in the slums and poorest areas of America’s rapidly growing cities.

After reading the excerpt, discuss the following:

• Riis identifies three major factors that led to the development of the New York Slums. What are they?
• For each factor underline two separate passages from the text in which Riis discusses that factor and its role in creating slums.

Answer 1

Ans

Three major factors-

1>Due to tremendous immigration

2>Population Gain

3>Less housing

1>Due to immigration

   -It was a stir and bustle of trade, together with the tremendous immigration that followed upon the war of 1812 that dislodged them.

    -In 35 years the city of less than 100 thousand came to harbor half a million souls.

2>Population Gain

   - the tenement house population had swelled to half million souls by (1855), and on the East side ...still the most populated district in all the world.

    - and on the East side ...still the most populated district in all the world, China is not excluded ,it was packed at a rate of 200,000 per square mile

3>Less housing

    -their large rooms were partitioned into several smaller ones, without regard to light or ventilation.

    - Where 2 families lived, 10 moved in.