Journal entry 3

Journal Reflection: Urban Life and Inequality in the Gilded Age In How the Other Half Lives, Jacob Riis set out to expose the living conditions of the urban poor in late nineteenth-century American cities. Through photographs and narrative, he argued that poverty in rapidly growing cities was not accidental, but the result of overcrowding, industrial labor, immigration, and unequal access to resources. For this journal, read the Introduction and Chapters 1 and 2, then choose at least one additional chapter of your choice. In your response, address the following: According to Riis, what forces created the tenement districts of American cities? How does Riis describe everyday life in these neighborhoods, and what does he want his readers to notice or feel? How does the chapter you chose on your own deepen, complicate, or challenge Riiss broader argument? What does Riiss work suggest about the relationship between urbanization, inequality, and freedom in the Gilded Age? As you write, remember that Riis is both a reformer and a product of his time. Consider where his perspective is insightfuland where it may be limited, biased, or shaped by his position. Your response should be approximately 500 words and demonstrate thoughtful engagement with both the required chapters and the chapter you selected.