Kahlil Gibram wrote, "Progress lies not in enhancing what is, but in advancing toward what will be." This is true when we reflect on American urbanization. If our forefathers had stood still and just enhanced rural life, that would have been the easy way out, instead they took that step forward into unchartered land. Palen defines urbanization as, " the changes in the proportion of the population of a nation living in urban places, the process of people moving to cities or other densely settled areas" (Palen, 9).
             Several elements contributed to urbanization: the invention of the telegraph, development of the railroads, establishment of banking, the textile, shipping, agriculture and newspaper industries, the development of steam power and the use of iron products. The growing urban population and the construction of canals, railroads and factories stimulated the demand for raw materials and good. Much of this cargo was in the form of agriculture goods. The farmer became a shrewd businessman producing products that would make him the greatest profit margin. A growth in one industry would lead to demand for another industry's product leading to growth in both. Manufacturing was the driving force to expansion. Transportation opened up new sites for manufacturing development, along with a way of quickly getting the goods from one location to another. The isolation of many rural communities was breaking down as goods flowed in and out.
             The most important contributing element was the Industrial Revolution. The industrial revolution brought many positive aspects to society along with suffering, dissonance, and other social problems. For machine efficiency to be carried out, the machines needed to have people running, powering and keeping the machines in good working order. The idea of rural family life was changed as a result of the industrial revolution. It was a time of change from hand tools ...