Describe the physical transformation of European cities in the second half of the 19th century and analyze the social consequences of this transformation.

During the second half of the nineteenth century, European cities were rapidly urbanizing and becoming overcrowded due to the European Industrial Revolution. The demand for workers in factories was high, causing overpopulation in the cities. As cities were not prepared to have masses inhabitance of people, it resulted in excessive unhealthy living conditions, due to poor accommodation and service delivery such as sewage and poor sanitation. This lead to outbreaks of diseases such as cholera and high mortality rates in the cities.

However important transformation significantly improved the quality of Urban life. Urban planning after 1850 was revived and extended and France took the lead during the rule of Napoleon III. New streets were constructed which stimulated better housing and small neighborhood parks and open space were created through out the cities. This also improved sewage systems and adequate supply of good fresh water.

Explanation:

Edwin Chadwick saw that the problems of poverty and welfare budget caused by diseases and death because sick workers were not eligible to work. His report (in 1848) became the basic of Great Britain's first public health law, which created a national health board and gave cities authority to build modern sanitary systems. the report was strengthened by the cholera epidemic of 1846. Government accepted limited responsibility for the health of all citizens and adopted programs of action that broke high mortality rates in the Great Britain. Napoleon III believed that rebuilding much of Paris would prove employment, improve living conditions and testify the power and glory of his empire. He appointed baron George Haussmann, an aggressive impatient Alsatian to be in charge of Paris's new planning. Haussmann and his fellow planners razed old buildings in order to cut broad straight, boulevards through out the city center, which allowed for free traffic flow.