Tenement Houses In The Late 19th And Early 20th Century

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In the late 19th and early 20th century, progressive reformers created an era to address the problems of industrialization: increase of immigration, urbanization, and economic and social downfalls.Some considered the progressive era as a time of social control through passing laws against the consumption of alcohol or the creation of eugenics; however, the progressive era had the initial goal of social reform of consumer protection and tenement houses through exposing meat factories and the destruction of worn out tenement houses.
Upton Sinclair, an american author who wrote about “...the contrast between the social social classes...the rich and the poor…” (Sinclair), which explains his passion for socialism and the rights of workers. As immigration
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These houses had “dark interior rooms, without any light whatsoever, that in a great majority of these rooms there were no windows at all” (Dolkart 84). Because of the unsanitary conditions, Jacob Riis and additional social reformers created the Tenement House Department which advocated for safe environment housing.Jacob Riis, a famous reporter, writer and photographer who advocated for social reform by writing “The Tenement House Exhibition” on Harper’s Weekly. The article contained new building designs to improve sanitation, fire safety and accesses to light and air. In addition the article had the action of “the Five Points and Mulberry Bend neighborhoods, initiating new construction, cleaning the streets, creating parks and playgrounds, tearing down rear tenements” (Library of Congress). A year later, the Tenement Law of 1901 was enacted as removed backyard prives and replaced with water closets and proper sewer systems and sinks were installed. The destruction and change of tenement houses has changed living conditions for thousands immigrants. Without this action of social reform, many people could easily spread diseases and is most likely to die in a house