Learn how different economic classes in urban centers spent their leisure time in the late 19th century. Includes a good discussion of machine politics and the role it played in the lives of the lower classes, as well as its negative...

A six part article in which the various roles women played in Victorian England are discussed. The author explores the idea that women had a "mission" in Victorian life.

Learn about some of the problems created by urbanization and some potential solutions to them.

Learn the definition of an urban community and how it differs from a rural area.

[Free Registration/Login Required] Students solve a problem surrounding a historical question by reading primary source documents. This historical inquiry lesson allows students to investigate the photographs of 19th-century progressive...

This resource provides a complete description of the career of urban planner. It includes the nature of the work, training and education, employment outlook and wages.

Describe the environmental problems created by rapid development of urban areas, and identify solutions for dealing with problems caused by uncontrolled urbanization. Explain the importance of urban development plans for dealing with...

Links to contemporary essays about life on the Lower East Side of New York City in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These essays cover a range of topics and are well worth exploring to find out what problems writers were exposing...

Read about the plight of the urban poor in the rapidly growing cities. In addition to the modern skyscrapers, the cities also had tenement housing where the poor lived. Find a description of that housing and the problems this housing bred.

This site from the Wikipedia encyclopedia provides a great overview of the term urbanization. It is clearly written and has links to definitions that are unfamiliar to readers. A great starting place to learn about urbanization.

[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about people living in urban areas who are finding room to grow gardens on empty lots. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.

Life is very different for students in urban and rural communities. Find out how these differences impact their everyday lives and experiences in the classroom.

Colorful and engaging resources for learning about urban-dwelling wildlife. There is a 4-page guide to urban animals and a multiple-choice quiz. Visit the Teachers' Lounge area to find resources for teaching about this topic, including...

A slideshow of photographs of New York City from the period just before and just after World War II when the city was a magnet for talented photographers who were looking for new ways to capture the life of the city's streets. A...

An extensive site for anyone interested in urban issues. This virtual library offers documents, maps, video, reference links, and other research sources about urban life and the culture that surrounds the world's cities.

[Free Registration/Login Required] This nonfiction passage compares and contrasts country life to city life. This passage reinforces essential reading comprehension skills. Opportunities for vocabulary acquisition are also included....

"Letter to Grandmother" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a family of early settlers who moved west. A girl writes a letter to her grandmother telling her about their new life on the plains. It is followed by...

"Letter to Grandmother" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a family of early settlers who moved west. A boy writes a letter to his grandmother telling her about their new life on the plains. It is followed by...

"Settlement with Multiple Choice Questions" is a one page, nonfiction, reading passage about the hardships of life of the prairie for the early settlers. It is followed by questions which require students to provide evidence from the...

"Illinois Pioneers and Prairies" is a one page, nonfiction, reading passage about life in the prairies of Illinois for the early settlers including their hard work, setting up governments, building schools, and making laws. It is...

"Prairie Farmers" is a one page, historical fiction, journal describing life for farmers in the prairie throughout the year. It shows the difficulties including bad weather and fires. It requires students to closely read the journal and...

Excerpt from Horatio Alger's well-known novel, "Ragged Dick, Or, Street Life in New York," that describes the values and attitudes needed to make it in the capitalistic, urban America of the late-nineteenth century.

Templar History briefly explores the life of Pope Urban II, as well as providing several sources for his famous speech, given on November 27, 1095.

"Settlement" is a one page, nonfiction, reading passage about the hardships of life on the prairie for early settlers. It is followed by questions which require students to provide evidence from the story; it includes: determining main...