What are tenements?

• A. These are apartment buildings typically small, unsanitary, poorly ventilated
• B. Large suburban single-family homes
• C. Skyscraper office buildings
• D. Rural farmhouses

Answer: (A)

Tenements are urban, overcrowded apartment buildings that house many families in small units, often with poor sanitation and little ventilation. They arose as cities grew rapidly during industrialization, especially in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when immigrants flooded into cities and needed inexpensive housing near work. The cramped rooms, shared facilities, and limited light and air made tenements a symbol of urban poverty and spurred housing reforms. This description best fits the concept of tenements, rather than suburban single-family homes, skyscraper offices, or rural farmhouses.