In comparison with the European urban heritage, which stretches back roughly 5500 years, the American transformation from village to city was achieved in an amazingly short space of time. From the eighteenth century on, Americans experienced the painful yet rewarding metamorphosis of an agrarian nation becoming an urban industrial giant that left few of her political, economic, and social institutions untouched, be they the farm, the factory, or the family. In 1790, for example, only a little over 4 percent of the American population lived in cities; today 70 percent of Americans live in urban areas. Richard Hofstadter summed it up well: "The Un....

Number Of Words: 1575

Number Of Pages: 6

Join today and get unlimited access to our vast database of student-written essays and term papers. This paper along with over 45,000 other papers are available in our member's area right now. Full instant access is just seconds away! Membership Options Price 1 month  subscription $18.95 recurring        3 months subscription $34.95 recurring        6 months subscription $59.95 non-recurring