Digital History
Digital History ID 3838
Growth of Western Cities
1830 1840 1850 1860
Chicago 5,000 30,000 109,000
Cincinnati 25,000 46,000 115,000 161,000
Cleveland 1,000 6,000 17,000 43,000
Detroit 2,000 9,000 21,000 46,000
Milwaukee 2,000 20,000 45,000
St. Louis 6,000 14,000 78,000 161,000

Questions To Think About

1. Why do you think western cities grew so rapidly?

2. What functions did western cities serve?

Growth of the Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin
Year Percent of U.S. Population
1800 1.0 percent
1810 3.8 percent
1820 8.2 percent
1830 11.4 percent
1840 17.3 percent
1850 20.3 percent
1860 24.7 percent

Questions To Think About

1. What factors may have contributed to the rapid growth of the Midwest?

2. What political consequences might the growth of the Midwest have had?



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