THE SLUMS OF NEW YORK
By the turn of the 20th century, New York had expanded into the bustling metropolis we know today, covering an area of 60 square miles and boasting a formidable reputation as America’s largest city. In the mid-19th century, a huge influx of European immigrants saw an explosion in the city’s population, which had quadrupled from 125,000 in 1820 to just under one million by 1870, making it one of the most densely populated cities on earth. New York was booming... at least for some.
Among the hundreds of thousands of immigrants arriving in New York over the course of the 19th century was 21-year-old Danish carpenter Jacob Riis, who arrived in the city in 1870., beginning a career in journalism that would eventually seal his place in history.
