Applications for Other Cities
Although this unit focuses on Pittsburgh, there are other cities that were impacted by deindustrialization and the loss of manufacturing jobs such as Detroit, Cleveland, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Buffalo, and Philadelphia. However, the impact is not limited just to the cities listed, since the Great Lakes through the Midwest of the United States served as vital industrial centers of the United States.
To modify this lesson for other cities, one could examine how the economy was affected by the industries as well as focus on the largest industrial employer in that area. Additionally, students can examine workers hours and wages, as well as unionization. Furthermore, students can analyze deindustrialization and its impact on the workers as well as the city and its economy. Students can also evaluate whether or not the city has recovered after deindustrialization. Students can further investigate why the city does, or does not, celebrate its industrial past through public history projects, or the lack thereof.
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