A New Middle Class

ASU HST 200 (Historical Themes) The Growing Pains of Urbanization, 1870-1900 A New Middle Class The emerging middle class found creative ways to address urban challenges, while the wealthy class opted to stay in the city to be close to the action of big business transactions and the working class was forced to live in tenement houses in the city due to their need to be close to their jobs and lack of resources to find anywhere better. This category comprised paid professionals such as managers, salespeople, engineers, physicians, accountants, and others who continued to labor for pay but possessed far higher levels of education and income than the impoverished working class. Education and suburbanization provided solace from the hardships of the metropolis for this emerging middle class. For the most part, the middle class chose to physically flee the city in response to its issues. The middle class adopted a new kind of community—the suburbs—as transportation systems developed and rural areas became more integrated with larger cities. For those who could afford it, it became feasible to work in the city and go to a suburban home every night by rail or trolley. The middle class began to believe that the further one lived from the city and the more facilities one had, the more affluent they had become as the number of people migrating to the suburbs increased. While there were a few suburbs in the United States before the 1880s (such Llewellyn Park, New Jersey), the advent of the electric train in the latter part of the 1800s led to increased attention and development in this area. More Americans with modest income are considering living outside of the city bustle thanks to the availability of a reasonably quick and affordable method to get from home to work. In the end, Henry Ford's popularization of the vehicle—particularly its cheaper price—allowed more families to own vehicles and, thus, contemplate living in the suburbs. The suburban movement was further ignited later in the twentieth century by the construction of the interstate highway system and government laws that allowed families to build homes with lowinterest loans. A new middle class in American society arose during the urbanization era of 1870–1900, with particular possibilities and problems in the quickly expanding cities. While the rich choose to stay in the city in order to take advantage of commercial possibilities, the working class was frequently forced to live in cramped, decaying tenement housing out of necessity, while the middle class came up with creative solutions to urban problems. Professionals like managers, salesmen, engineers, doctors, and accountants made up the growing middle class. Compared to the working class, they had greater incomes and educational levels even though they were still paid for their labor. For this group, education became more and more crucial as a tool for social mobility as it offered chances for growth and a way out of the miseries of city life. The middle class began to see suburbanization to be a desirable alternative when they wanted to escape the crowded and dirty metropolis. Suburban life became more viable as transportation networks developed and rural regions became more accessible. Middle-class people could go to the city for work and yet enjoy the conveniences of suburban living in the evenings thanks to rail and trolley networks. The middle class accepted the notion that having access to facilities and being far from the city were indicators of prosperity and social standing. Large homes and natural areas created a sense of security and calm in suburban neighborhoods, which provided a break from the bustle and commotion of city centers. The expansion of suburban infrastructure and the availability of more reasonably priced transportation choices contributed to the suburbanization of society. The late 19th-century invention of the electric train greatly aided in the suburbanization of society. Once remote suburban communities such as Llewellyn Park, New Jersey, became more well-known as commuters sought solace from the grind of the city. An increasing number of middle-class families found suburban life appealing due to the accessibility and cost-effectiveness of electric train networks. The invention of the vehicle significantly increased the appeal of suburban living. The typical consumer could now buy vehicles because to Henry Ford's mass production techniques, which allowed families to consider suburbia living as a feasible alternative to city living and travel farther. The government's efforts to encourage homeownership through low-interest loans and the building of the interstate highway system gave the suburban trend even more impetus in the twentieth century. All things considered, the middle class's expansion and America's suburbanization changed social dynamics and the metropolitan environment. Suburban areas became emblematic of wealth and ascent, providing a haven from the stresses of city living while enabling a new lifestyle focused on convenience, community, and family.