Which factor most contributed to the rapid growth of cities in the late 1800s?

• A. Declining immigration reduced city growth.
• B. Expansion of farmland subsidies slowed urban influx.
• C. Availability of affordable suburban land drew residents away.
• D. Industrial jobs attracted mass labor to cities, fueling rapid urban growth.

Answer: (D)

Industrial jobs in factories and new industries drew large numbers of people into cities, driving rapid urban growth. In the late 1800s, the United States experienced a Second Industrial Revolution that concentrated employment in urban centers—steel mills, textile plants, railroads, and related industries. Wages and opportunities in these urban jobs attracted rural migrants and millions of immigrants, creating a surge in housing, schools, and services and pushing cities to expand. While other factors mattered in broader social change, the central force behind the swift rise of cities was the mass movement of labor toward industrial employment opportunities in urban areas.