The three readings shed much light on urban planning. I never knew the addition of highways and department stores had such an effect on the way we live today to the type of demographics in different areas. It even explained why slums are where they are today and the reason for the disappearance of market squares.
In response to many people’s comments, I thought, that there was no major exaggeration in regards to the Five Points reading. The lives of people who lived there were drastically worse then those in other areas. It is true that African Americans and immigrants of that time were treated terribly. Real estate agents convinced white people to move out of integrated areas by saying African Americans in the area would lower the value of their property. As the white people moved out of these areas they took their businesses with them decreasing the flow of money and the economy in these heavily populated African American neighborhoods. Hence, there is no falsity in saying these areas where actually worse off.
All of these effects of urbanization could not have happened without the past. And that is why I agree with Jackie on how fascinating it is that capitalism has it’s roots set back as far as 1500s or even from the ends of feudalism. Whether the condition of the Five Points was exaggerated or not its destiny was set in motion way before its existence.
