Question

Question 28 (3 points)

Using evidence from the document below and your own knowledge, describe what urban life was like
during the Gilded Age.
"Before 1895 the streets [of New York City] were almost universally in a filthy state. In wet
weather they were covered with slime, and in dry weather that air was filled with dust. Artificial
sprinkling in summer converted the dust to mud... Rubbish of all kinds, garbage, and ashes lay
neglected in the streets, and in the hot weather the city stank with the emanations of putrefying
organic matter. It was not always possible to see the pavement, because of the dirt that covered
it... [Now]... New York is...clean... Few realize [the changes]... For example, there is far less
injury from dust to clothing, to furniture...children make free use as a playground of streets
which were formally impossible to them. "Scratches" a skin disease of the horses to mud and
slush...is now almost unknown...".
NYC Commissioner George E. Waring, Jr. 1897,
Quoted in Hoogenboom and Hoogenboom [ed.], The Gilded Age

Answer 1

During the Gilded Age, urban life in New York City was characterized by dirty and filthy streets. The streets were covered with slime in wet weather and filled with dust in dry weather. Garbage and rubbish were left neglected in the streets, leading to a bad smell in hot weather. The dirt and filth made it hard to see the pavement, and it was also harmful to people's clothing and furniture. However, by 1897, the city had undergone significant changes, becoming cleaner and healthier for its residents. Children could safely play in the streets, and horses were less prone to disease. Overall, the city had undergone a major transformation from a dirty, unhealthy place to a cleaner, safer environment.