Places case study- Detroit Flashcards
Where is Detroit located?
In the state of Michigan, North America
When did Henry Ford set up his first factory?
1910
What was different about Henry Ford’s factory?
It used an assembly line
How many dollars were workers paid and how many days did they work a week?
$5 and 5 days
What was the impact of the factory jobs being well paid?
There was Mass immigration of predominately black people from the Southern states who came to seek work at the Ford Factories
As well as Ford which other two car companies set up around 1910?
General motors and Chrysler
What occurred in the 1930’s?
The great depression
Why was the state of Michigan/Detroit affected more than other areas by the great depression?
The industrial economic base
Give an example of a freeway built
8th mile bridge
What were the impacts of the freeway networks being built?
- increased demand for cars
- increased popularity of suburban homes
What were the impacts of out of town shopping malls?
- fewer people spent money in the city centre of Detroit
- especially wealthier people
What occurred to the white population from the 1950s onwards?
-they began to move out of the city centre to the suburbs
What were the key processes in the 1950s and 60s?
- filtering
- selective outmigration
- suburbanisation
How did so-called ‘white-flight’ affect the city in the first instance?
- lower income black population left behind
- tax base moved out of the city
- neighbourhoods were left abandoned
- urban doughnut effect
How many people were killed in the 1967 riot?
43
How many buildings were damaged in the 1967 riot?
2000
What contributed to white flight occurring?
- racial tension
- unrest and rioting
What was the 1967 riot called?
The 12th Street riot
About how much damage was caused by the 12th street riot?
Around $40 million
Why were was the inner left to be predominately black?
- the black population was poorer due to discrimination faced
- therefore could not afford to move out
What occurred in 1973?
The oil crisis, fuel prices increased
What impacts did the oil crisis have?
- American cars used more fuel so having an American car became more expensive
- foreign cars (e.g German or Japanese) used less fuel so people began to buy them
What happened to the sales of the big 3 following the oil crisis?
They decreased as they lost sales to European competition
What were the impacts of the decrease in sales of the big 3?
- industrial decline in manufacturing
- dereliction a problem
- unemployment rises, cheap cocaine gives people a route to make ‘easy’ money
- further white flight
- abandonment of housing
What were the impacts of easily accessible cocaine?
- increased anti-social behaviour
- arson
- looting
What were the impacts in the loss of the tax base?
- services were cut e.g public transport network closed
- so jobs lost
When did easily-accessible cocaine begin to flood into the city?
1980s
How has the decline in manufacturing affected migration?
-has meant very little net migration into the city
How many schools were closed in 2009?
29
Between which years were GM and Chrysler declared bankrupt?
2008-2009
What effect did the global credit crunch have on abandonment?
It increased it
In which year did the city of Detroit file for bankruptcy?
2013
How in debt was the city of Detroit when it filed for bankruptcy?
$18 billion
What were the effects of school closures?
- demotivation of pupils
- fewer young people getting qualifications
- increased crime
Why did the population begin to rapidly increase in 2010?
-the opening of the Ford factory
What was the decrease in population of Detroit due to?
- the failure of the big 3 motor companies to keep up with foreign competition
- consequential closure of their factories
Why was Detroit so in debt?
- pension funds not paid
- reduced taxes whilst still paying out
- borrowed too much money
- future obligations couldn’t be met
Name 3 neighbourhoods in Detroit
Sherwood forest
Burbank
Brightmoor
Describe the neighbourhood of Sherwood forest and how it has been affected by the economic and social changes within Detroit
- remained stable
- middle-class black community
- 8 homes unoccupied
- 33 lots vacant
- has survived changes better than other neighbourhoods
How many homes are unoccupied in Sherwood forest?
8
How many lots are vacant in Sherwood forest?
33
Describe the neighbourhood of Burbank and how it has been affected by the economic and social changes within Detroit
- population loss in this area neighbourhood has been straggering
- hit very hard by mortgage crisis
- 7300 properties occupied
- lower quality housing to be demolished
- high instances of fire damage from arson
Describe the neighbourhood of Brightmoor and how it has been affected by the economic and social changes within Detroit
- high homicide and crime rates
- good community groups
- urban agriculture
- 5000 structures unoccupied
- lots of fire damage
- lots of illegal dumping
How did state and local governments make the situation worse?
- bailed out companies not Detroit
- enabled companies to afford to move out and undermine the economy further
- private companies saved but not the jobs
How were the motor companies responsible for social decline and inequality as a result of economic change?
- moved production out of Detroit in order to oay cheaper costs leading to the undermining of jobs, families, and communities
- wages decreased and did not increase again despite profit rises
- unions undermined by company shareholders
- failed to recognise competition and technology
