Detroit Flashcards
1
Q
Location
A
- Detroit is located in the NE of NA in the state of Michigan in the steel belt (rust belt)
- located on the Detroit river which inks the 2 Great Lakes (Lake Erie and Lake Horon)
2
Q
What is the steel belt
A
- known as the rust belt includes: Ohio, southern Michigan, Illinois, Massachusetts & half on Louisiana
-where established waterways (the Great Lakes), canals, roads and railways helped connect iron ore mines (in michigans hipper peninsular) with coal resources (in the Appalachian coalfields) for factories -> the Great Lakes linked to the St Lawrence which was straight into the ocean
3
Q
The automobile boom - when/what/why
A
- Ford, Chrysler and General Motors
- 1920-50’s -> population doubled and was the fastest growing city in America
- Woodward avenue: main shopping place, major brands had their HQ on the avenue
- Henry Ford would pay 50,000 workers $5 a day so they could afford the cars they were making -> lead to better roads being built: Woodward avenue first mile long concrete road built
4
Q
Immigration to meet demand
A
- between 1910 and 1970 over 6 million black people migrated to escape the south; Noprth offered greater economic opportunities in indrutrial work due to WW1
- migration shown by: 1910 = 89% of black people living in the south; 1970 = 53% of black people living in the south (36% decrease)
- by 1920, Chicago’s black population was up 148% -> increased racial tensions specifically competition for jobs and housing.
- TOTAL population increase (1910-1970): 1.1m increase (500,000 -> 1,100,000) with black population increasing from around 100,000 to 750,000
5
Q
Growth of the suburbs
A
- high taxes, house prices, racial tensions = white flight
- industry growing abroad
- Federal aid highway act 1956: federally subsidised project worth $25 billion to construct 41,000 miles of interstate highway system over 10 year period.
- businesses moving out due to vandalism, crime, high taxes
- combination of factors lead to 90% of population moving to the suburbs
6
Q
Forces that lead to the decline of Detroit
A
- competition from abroad
- 1973 oil embargo
- 1979 oil spike
7
Q
How has competition from abroad affected the motor trade in Detroit
A
- globalisation = not only Americans in the market now
- Ford and GM expanded market beyond NA into Brazil where labour was cheaper
- world production of automobiles increased whereas the USA’s stayed roughly the same and then started to decline in 1990 -> US total in 1990 = 10 m; World total in 1990 = 45m (350% increase)
8
Q
How has competition from abroad affected manufacturing in Detroit
A
- current unemployment is at 20%, recovery from June 2020 where it was 43%
- unemployment rate amount white residents fell from 14% to 6% between July to November 2021
- more than 40% of Detroit is in poverty
9
Q
How did the 1973 oil embargo affect Detroit
A
- price of oil per barrel increase from $3 to $12.
- small fuel efficient cars from foreign automakers took a higher share of the market
10
Q
How did the second oil spike in 1979 affect Detroit
A
- energy crisis = by 1980 economy slid into turmoil, high inflation, high interest rates and high unemployment
- car markers suffered large operating losses
- Chrysler sold its British and French factories
11
Q
Detroits 2012 population by race
A
- white population: 10% compared to US average of 72% (7.2x lower) and Michigans average of 78% (7.8x lower)
- black population: 83% compared to US average of 12% (6.9x greater) and Michigan average of 14% (5.9x greater)
12
Q
Why did Detroit become a segregated city
A
- 1967 race riots: police abuse, economic inequality, rapidly changing demographics of the city and lack of affordable housing
- Mobs of whites would go to black neighbourhoods and beating black people -> stores, cars and buildings were burnt down (white flight intensified things)
13
Q
Why did the race riots occur
A
- began when police officers raided an unlicensed drinking bar in a primarily black neighbourhood near twelfth street -> officers arrested everyone on scene -> while waiting or transportation group of bystanders gathered and began protesting -> black mon began looting and vandalising
14
Q
What were the overriding consequences of the riots
A
- 43 dead
- 1000 injured
- 400 families left homeless
- some people were shot by snipers
- Algiers motel incident
15
Q
Mapping a segregate city
A
- SW downtown Hispanic region
- Middle of downtown is a small region of white and asian people
- the middle section of Detroit (downtown) is the area where most black peoples live in the America surrounded by the white suburbs
