How did urbanization relate to the growth of factory-based labor in the late 1800s?

• A. Urbanization concentrated workers in factories, enabling mass production, long hours, unsafe conditions, and the rise of labor organization
• B. They reduced factory work
• C. They eliminated labor unions
• D. They decreased productivity

Answer: (B)

Urbanization creates dense urban populations, which provides factories with a ready and sizeable workforce nearby. In the late 1800s, this proximity made mass production feasible and economic, since many workers could be employed in a single plant, work long hours, and operate new machinery. The harsh, crowded conditions often found in these urban factories helped fuel interest in collective action, leading to the rise of labor organizations and strikes. In short, city growth and factory labor reinforced each other: more workers in cities meant bigger factories and more organized labor movements to challenge working conditions. The other statements don’t fit this pattern, as urbanization did not reduce factory work, eliminate unions, or decrease productivity.