Themes in American History

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At the start of the twentieth century there were great innovation in transportation that changed the way in which people lived across the US. This was especially clear in major cities like New York City and Boston. Both cities were able to adapt the latest changes in transportation very quickly, which allowed each city to grow its population and size.

In New York new bridges and automobiles allowed people from outside of Manhattan to commute to the city very easily. While in Boston, there were 6 neighboring communities to Boston that were combined to make Greater Boston. In New York City many people enjoyed taking trains and other various forms of public transportation from the outer boroughs into the city. While in Boston people preferred to drive. In both cases many new houses were built as developers scrambled to meet demand. Many of these houses are still in existence today and can be seen all over the outer city areas.
Today, these changes have had profound effects on each city and have allowed them both to thrive and prosper.

NYC's 5 Boroughs

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I asume most of the classmates use subway as their major transportation to either go to school, work, shopping, etc. It surelyapplies to most of the New Yorker today. In the 20th century, one of the many aspects that improved in the New York City was the transportation. In 1904, the subway system started to operate underground, managed by the private company Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT). The IRT was bought by the New York City in 1940, and the subway system was operated under the city’s operation. The subway system in Boston was also improving in the 20th century. The Tremont Street Subway was operated in 1901, the first actively operated subway in the United States. Because of the additional capacity and methods of the transportation, the both subway systems improved the transportation speed and cleaned up the mess and delays on the streets. The subway system is now very essential for most people in the both cities, and still can improve its system to avoid any problem with the transportation.

"Bell Mouths Under Tremont Street- Boston Subway" from nycsubway.org

"The New York Subway Souvenir" from nycsubway.org

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The roaring twenties was the decade for growth and prosperity for many American cities. Some of the cities that flourish was New York City. It was leader of America modernity during the decade. While some cities grew and prospered, others stagnated.

Boston was one of those cities that had trouble during the 1920s. It entered the decade with a great disaster called the Boston Molasses Disaster. At 529 Commercial Street a huge Molasses Tank collapsed which crushed many buildings foundations and washed them away. Some trucks were hurled into the Boston Harbor. Some people were drowned by the Molasses also 151 people were injured. It took 187 000 man hour to clean up the mess but even though the aftermath led to many class action suits against the state. After the event Boston population stagnated, but the Molasses Disaster was just beginning.

As New York was gro

http://edp.org/molasses.htm

wing culturally, Boston experienced a police riot when they wanted to join the AFL union. This led to a clash between the Massachusetts militia and the police. Eventually Governor Calvin Coolidge suppressed the riot. But later this led to the unionization of police forces across the country. Then Boston decides to send anarchist Nicola Sacco and Bartolommeo Vanzetti to the electric chair which caused riots in most of Europe major cities.

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New York City had a population of 515,547 in 1850 -- a 65% increase in just 10 years

I will compare and contrast Boston vs. New York in the 19^th century. To begin with, both cities were considered as one of the most established cities in the mid –nineteenth century. In this time period, both cities experienced massive migration. According to Chudacoff, “By 1850, there were 135.6 persons per acre in New York, 82.7 in Boston.” (Page 66) Boston’s population grew from 61,392 in 1830s to 177,840 in 1860s. New York’s population grew from 202,589 in 1830s to 813,600 in 1860s (Chudacoff page 61). This data shows us that, Boston grew 3 times and New York 4 times larger in population between 1830s-1860s.Both cities were the financial centers of the United States in the 19th century, and were especially important in funding railroads nationwide. Although, Boston was growing at the fast speed, it wasn’t not nearly as developed as New York. In the 19^th century New York was bigger, economically stronger and faster at innovating and applying new technologies. As Chudacoff stated, “By 1833, some eight omnibuses operated on the streets of New York.”(Page85)On the other hand, it took Boston another decade to implement this type of transportation to accommodate growing population. This example shows us how these two cities differ in development aspect.

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By the 1850s, more than half the residents of Boston and New York City were foreign born, and Philadelphia 30 percent of household heads were born in Europe. Major concentration of Irish immigrants cound be found in New York, Boston Philadelphia and San Francisco, and strong German communities emerged in Cincinnati, Louisville, St. Louis and Milwaukee (P.65)

New York and Boston are both city of seaside, they are the fastest growing cities during 18^th century, and attract new immigrant from European country, like Irish, German. By 1850s, more than half of the residents of Boston and New York City were born in Europe.  The huge number of European immigration makes changes to society, like religion.  One of the differences between New York City and Boston is the density in urban side. The Populations of New York grow from 202,589 to 515,500 and Boston growth from 61392 to 136880 in 1830 to 1850. By 1850, there were 135.6 persons per acre in New York, 82.7 in Boston.  New York has much higher immigration population and density in urban area than Boston.

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Boston started the riots that swept colonial America

Boston and New York were two of the most prominant cities during colonial rule. They were both port cities and they were both business oriented. Both Boston and NYC had a large number of merchants and traders as well as local citizens and skilled laborers. When England imposed the Intolerable Acts, both cities fought against them. However, when they were repealed New York City stopped most of its resistance while Boston carried on with its rioting. Chudacoff and Homberger seem to disagree on which city played the most important role in the revolution. I would have to agree with Chudacoff that Boston made the greatest difference. Boston was the center of change. It fought gainst the crown to protect the interest of its citizens. In New York city, the merchants had more control, so when the taxes were reppealed, they went right back to business. Boston remained active and eventually became one of the leading causes for revolution against the crown

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After the American Revolution many cities started to develop, this allowed man y business enterprise to form. Some of those cities that grew because a strong national government was formed were Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Cleveland.  Before they became cities they were small towns trying to foster growth, this motive for growth allowed small towns to become cities. They competed against each other by creating incentives lure many merchants. Chicago, Cleveland, and Detroit were small cities that had no direction but to become megacities. They looked to other cities like New York, Baltimore, and Boston for consult. The main cities they looked for help were Boston and New York.

Boston and New York were the main cities that many small towns looked at for help to grow. Both cities were similar in many ways. New York and Boston were formed during the colonial era before   the American Revolution. New York City and Boston were located near the port because their access to the ocean was vital to many merchants. What is really amazing is that their origins started because merchants wanted to have an area that allowed business to operate. Because of their business friendly atmosphere the British Empire saw how economically important they are to the crown. But there to response to the Crown activity in their daily affairs makes them different.

Even though Homberger focused on how important New York is to America history, Chaudacoff sees Boston played the most important role to America history. After the crown repealed the Townshend Act many cities stop protesting except Boston, Boston sought that welfare of its people were treated appropriately. In New York City, merchants had the final decision while in Boston it was the collective decision of townspeople. That is why Chaudacoff writes that many people lost interest in Boston due to its expensive taxes. That is why many people did not stop the protest. They were given taxes that they did not like or voted on. Boston became the center where hatred and resistance toward the crown was persistent. They also became center of the crown punishment on spread fear among the colonist if they provoked the king. But what really separate Boston from New York or any other city was that it can became center of change.

After the revolution Boston became an experiment city. Well every city was an experiment but in Boston the most social experiment was formed.  They were the first to have base salary policemen to encourage public safety. Even though Boston did not have a large population compared to Baltimore and New York, it was a city that resembled more of our present day European welfare cities. Where the public welfare and quality of life is the most important.

Boston

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Immigration had important effects on the economic life, housing and culture of cities. One of the similarities between New York City and Boston is by the 1850s, more than half of the residents were foreign born(Chudacoff 64). On the other hand, in the 1820s and 1830s, Boston established free elementary schools in 1818, New York followed in 1832(Chudacoff 52).

Another similarities of these two cities are until the 1850s, the settled areas of even the largest cities, such as New York and Boston, rarely extended beyond the two miles from the city center—the average distance a person can walk in half an hour. Thus historians have labeled this early urban configuration the “walking city” because of its size and major mode of conveyance(Chudacoff 57-58). Moreover, an almost annual excess of new arrivals over those departing doubled and tripled populations of most established cities between 1840 and 1850. Crowding in settled areas swelled. By 1850 there were 135.6 persons per acre in New York, while 82.7 in Boston(Chudacoff 59).

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