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Chapter 20: Reshaping the Nation
"The Other Half"

Introduction
     In this chapter, you learned that the tremendous growth of industry attracted people to the nation's cities. As a result, many working families were forced to live in crowded and filthy tenement apartments. View the work of urban photographer Jacob Riis to see why the living conditions of the urban poor shocked so many people.

Destination Title: Mohawk Central School Web site
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Directions
Start at Mohawk Central School Progressive Era Web site.
  • In the menu on the left scroll down and click on Page 1 under Jacob Riis, How the Other Half Lives.
  • View the photos and read the text.
  • Click through all 5 pages of the feature.
  • Answer the following questions.

1. What type of work is going on in several of the photos?


2. Based on Riis's photos, what words would you use to describe the lives of the urban poor?


3. Based on the text, what hardships did the poor endure?