URBANIZATION

What exactly is urbanization? According to dictionary.com, urbanization is the process by which large numbers of people become permanently concentrated in relatively small areas, forming cities. What make these cities grow then? The answer to this question is hidden in the lives of the people in the 19th century.

During the Industrial Revolution, the developments in Britain were just beginning to improve; factories were enhanced by replacing laborers with new machineries. In terms of modernization, Britain was slowly urbanizing, industrializing, and mechanizing. Little clung to its rural, agricultural and labor-intensive economy; most have already started establishing their dwellings in urban cities, where chances of finding jobs were higher.

Urban areas offered jobs with higher pays, therefore producing opportunities for people who were not satisfied with their jobs. Urban areas consisted better social life, gratifying people even though it was merely because of human migration. Ever since people started sinking into poverty and cramped houses, they believed that moving into cities may just be the right option to upgrade their life.

On the other hand, some people were simply appealed to urban cities. Through technology advancement, the majority of the profit comes from cheaper raw materials and low labor prices. As urbanization grows, industry rises with more factory workers, but lower profit later led to low wages, due to easier processes while manufacturing; thus people in search of high wages began moving into cities. Young and single man and woman who were seeking for mates, left for cities to find more choices to choose from. These flourished cities “pulled” people with desires into the modern world.

All in all, urbanization pushed Britain into a certain point, turning it into a center of urban regions, containing both advantages and disadvantages. In one way, urbanization gave people convenience and expanded the economy in particular ways, but in contrast, population in towns decreased, jobs lessened as machines increased, causing people to become jobless. However, these factors were what led to a modernized country, with improved organization in the cities, and gave people an overall effortless and easy life.

Reflection

1)      A) Which main topic does the artifact relate to? In what ways?
          This artifact is related to economy because in this essay, I talked about supply and demand in one of the paragraphs. Urbanization also has a lot to do with economy because urbanizing means buying things to construct another brand new city and become more urbanized.
         B) Which other main topics does it also relate to?
          This can also relate to urbanization and the construction of modern city because that is what the essay is all about.
2) Why did you choose this artifact, and how much time did you spend creating and/ or processing it?
     I chose this artifact because an essay can clearly articulate the information needed to be shown. I spent about 3 hours doing the essay.
3) What insights and understanding have you gained from the creation and/or processing of this artifact?
    This artifact made me understand how the supply and demand can actually affect economy and the income of a factory through the profits they made.
4) Does this artifact reflect your best work and/or ideas? Why, or why not?
      This artifact reflects my best work because it allows me to define the meaning of urbanization through my own ideas and thoughts. 
5) Rate this artifact on a scale of -5 to 5 for the following 4 criterion:   
            A) impact on the quality of your portfolio                          3   
            B) Impact on your level of happiness/enjoyment                3   
            C) impact on your learning                                               3   
            D) Level of creativity and originality                                  1
6) Any additional comments.
   None.