Jan 2, 2010

The House of Mirth | Compare and Contrast

1900: Forty-five percent of Americans live in urban centers. New York City’s population rises above 1 million. Department stores, skyscrapers, public parks, and museums are all part of the new landscape of the city.

Today: In 1990, 187 million Americans, representing about 75 percent of the population, live in urban areas. Conveniences and entertainment of all sorts can be found in modern cities, from shopping malls to IMAX movie theaters to countless museums.

1900: Members of America’s upper-class make up less than one-tenth of the country’s...