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Urban Conditions
The conditions of the urban poor were often a focus of attention in the 1800s. Various reform groups tried, with very mixed results, to clean up slums in London, New York, and other great cities. By the end of the century "settlement houses" were springing up to assist those in poverty, and a new breed of journalist was drawing attention to the plight of the poor.
The Five Points, New York's Most Notorious Neighborhood
Learn about the Five Points, a notorious neighborhood in New York City in the 1800s. The area, named for the intersection of several streets, was home to gangs, and reformers constantly cited it as one of the most dangerous areas in the world.
Jacob Riis, Pioneering Journalist Who Documented Poverty
Jacob Riis brought attention to the plight of slum dwellers through his pioneering work as a journalist in New York City.