AP European History in 15
Europe Moves to the City: Urbanization, Poverty & Social Control
What happens when Europe's countryside starts producing more food with fewer workers — and those workers begin moving to the cities? In this episode of AP European History in 15 , Mr. Bruns explores the dramatic growth and transformation of European cities during the 18th century . We begin with the Agricultural Revolution and trace its connection to rural-to-urban migration. As agricultural productivity increased, fewer workers were needed on farms, encouraging Europeans to seek employment in growing towns and cities. In this episode, we'll explore: • The Agricultural Revolution and increased food production • Rural-to-urban migration • The growth of London, Paris, Vienna, and other European cities • Employment and economic opportunities in urban centers • Overcrowding, poor sanitation, disease, and fire • The erosion of traditional rural communal values • The growing visibility of urban poverty • Begging, vagrancy, prostitution, and crime • Government attempts to regulate and police urban populations • The development of urban social control • The important distinction between 18th-century urban policing and 19th-century professional police forces
