Final answer:
Jane Addams's work at Hull House in Chicago allowed her to immerse herself in the urban poor's experiences, informing her social reform efforts and challenging gender norms by proving women could actively contribute to solving societal problems.
Step-by-step explanation:
Living in the city among the people she was serving had a profound impact on Jane Addams's social reform platforms. By establishing Hull House in a poor Chicago neighborhood, Addams immersed herself in the daily lives and struggles of the urban poor. This first-hand experience informed her understanding of poverty and directly influenced her efforts in social reform, including her fight against child labor and her contribution to the burgeoning field of social welfare.
Addams's approach to social reform was shaped by her belief that to truly understand and help solve the problems faced by the poor, it was necessary to live among them. This philosophy was at the heart of the settlement house movement, which sought to address the needs of the working class through a variety of services and education. Hull House became a model for similar institutions across the country, where college graduates and reformers could practice their skills in real-world scenarios.
Furthermore, by participating in the public sphere and leading such initiatives, Addams and other women like her challenged prevailing notions about separate spheres of activity for women. Her work demonstrated that women were capable and effective in tackling major societal issues of the time, thus marking their significant contributions to urban history and establishing new roles for women in public life.