From Rural to Urban America - Geneva Area City Schools

Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________
The Roaring Twenties
History and Geography
From Rural to Urban America
In the shift from rural America to urban America, 1920 was a significant
year. It was the first year in which the percentage of people living in urban
areas (51.4 percent) was greater than the percentage of people living in
rural areas. The table below gives urban population percentages for the
United States in 1920. Use the information to complete the map activity
and answer the questions on the following page.
State
Urban Population of the United States, 1920
Percent
Urban
State
Percent
Urban
State
Percent
Urban
Alabama 21.7 Maine 39.0 Ohio 63.8
Arizona 35.2 Maryland 60.0 Oklahoma 26.6
Arkansas 16.6 Massachusetts 94.8 Oregon 49.9
California 68.0 Michigan 61.1 Pennsylvania 64.3
Colorado 48.2 Minnesota 44.1 Rhode Island 97.5
Connecticut 67.8 Mississippi 13.4 South Carolina 17.5
Delaware 54.2 Missouri 46.6 South Dakota 16.0
Florida 36.7 Montana 31.3 Tennessee 26.1
Georgia 25.1 Nebraska 31.3 Texas 32.4
Idaho 27.6 Nevada 19.7 Utah 48.0
Illinois 67.9 New Hampshire 63.1 Vermont 31.2
Indiana 50.6 New Jersey 78.4 Virginia 29.2
Iowa 36.4 New Mexico 18.0 Washington 55.2
Kansas 34.9 New York 82.7 West Virginia 25.2
Kentucky 26.2 North Carolina 19.2 Wisconsin 47.3
Louisiana 34.9 North Dakota 13.6 Wyoming 29.5
Source: Statistical Abstract of the United States: 1941
MAP ACTIVITY
1. With a highlighter or pen, fill in the box next to “Greater urban population” in the
map’s key. Use the same highlighter or pen to shade or underline the states on the
map whose urban populations are greater than their rural populations, as indicated in
the table.
2. Use a second highlighter or pen to fill in the box next to “Greater rural population” in
the map’s key. Use the same highlighter or pen to shade or underline the states on the
map whose rural populations are greater than their urban populations, as indicated in
the table.
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
16 The Roaring Twenties

Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________
The Roaring Twenties
History and Geography
ANALYZING MAPS
1. Rank Based on the table, which state had the highest percentage of urban residents
in 1920? Which state had the highest percentage of rural residents in 1920?
____________________________________________________________________
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2. Region As far as urban versus rural, how would you characterize the 1920
population of the New England region, which includes Maine, New Hampshire,
Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut?
____________________________________________________________________
3. Region As far as urban versus rural, how would you characterize the 1920
population of the South Central region, which includes Arkansas, Louisiana,
Oklahoma, Texas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi?
____________________________________________________________________
4. Make Inferences In 1920 there were more than twice as many states with greater
rural populations than urban populations, yet the total population of the United States
was more urban than rural. How can you explain this apparent discrepancy?
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____________________________________________________________________
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Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
17 The Roaring Twenties