Detroit Flashcards
(14 cards)
Where is Detroit located?
North east of US, south east of state of Michigan, in the rust belt, near major cities such as Ohio and Chicago, south of Lake Huron and west of Lake Erie (Great Lakes, close to northern border with Canada
What’s good about its location?
Has lots of consumers nearby, rust belt provides source of energy and coal mining making it good for industry, freshwater lakes which are connected via the Saint Lawrence sea wat, a canal that connects it to the Atlantic Ocean
When did the population peak?
In the 1950s with 1.8 million people (prodimenantly white)
What companies where there and how many did they employ?
3 of the top 10: Henry ford (8807), Chrysler (5426), General Motors (4327), problem is if car company’s are damaged lots of jobs are lost
What was the average annual income per year in Detroit in the 1950s?
50,000 USD
Compare General Motors from 1950s to now.
Now: GM cutting generous retirement and health care benefits, many losing jobs (on,y 600), oposite in 1950s - had 100,000 employees at its peak
What triggered economic decline?
1973 oil crisis, led to long lines and expensive oil prices, US cars where fuel hungry so foreign alternatives where proffered which had power steering, air con and sound systems, the US didn’t innovate, fuel efficient cars where popular, Toyota from Japan made waves and had lots of imports, Japanese cars rook 1/4 of upUS market in 1980s,m started building factories in the US, by 2005 Japanese transplants where producing 4 million cars a year, 1/4 of US output and more than GM
Who started the car company trend?
Henry ford in 1910 (started factory in 1903) started production of model T car, became known as motor city in 1950s
What evidence is there of economic boom?
DB grew, tallest 47 story Penobscot building, city hall, clock tower, skyscrapers
What was the state of Detroit in the 2010s?
In 2013, Unemployment rate at 18.2%, more than a 3rd of residents classified as living in poverty, 70,000 abandoned properties, negative multiplier effect, population decreased by 25% from its peak in 2011, Great Recession of 2008
What is the crime like in Detroit?
Very high, most carry guns, 1974 over 700 died from crime, cockiness flooded streets, dru gangs, kidnapping, 1984 devils night, around 1000 arsons, half the city burnt down, many homeless, vandalism in abandoned properties
What music came out of Detroit?
Motown, Marvin gaye, stevie wonder etc
What happened to the packard plant?
40,000 workers, but now a bonded (largest derelict factory in the world)
Why was racism such a big issue?
1967 riots against police, segregation laws, black codes, Jim Crow laws, 2014 built farmers market blocking alter road (wooden barrier) which grew, authorities at Grosse Pointe park supported restriction of traffic along the 8 mile road , showing divide in economic status, white flight in in 1960s ro the suburbs
