🖼️Place Study - Detroit Flashcards
(121 cards)
1
Q
Where is Detroit located?
A
North East USA- the industrial heartland
On the edge of the Great Lakes
Michigan
Close to the Canadian border
2
Q
What is heavy industry?
A
Industry that involves one or more characteristics of large and heavy equipment or facilities, or complex and numerous processes
3
Q
What was the ‘Steel Belt’?
A
A belt of the North East US where established waterways, roads and railroads connected coalfields and rich iron ores to produce much of America’s steel products
4
Q
Why did Detroit’s location make it key to the Steel Belt?
A
The Appalachian coalfields were to the south and Michigan’s upper peninsula has rich iron ore, so resources were easily available
5
Q
What were the ‘3 giants’ in Detroit?
A
Ford, General Motors and Chrysler
6
Q
What did Detroit become famous for within the steel belt?
A
Cars
7
Q
How did Henry Ford change industrial processes?
A
He invented the production line in 1913
8
Q
What happened after the Great Depression?
A
People moved North to find work
9
Q
How many people did Ford employ when it first opened?
A
50,000
10
Q
Why were Ford jobs so attractive?
A
They paid well and allowed workers to afford the cars they were building
11
Q
How did Detroit’s population change between 1820 and 1920?
A
It grew form 1000 to 1,000,000 and the % White stayed roughly constant
12
Q
How did Detroit’s population change between 1930 and 2010?
A
It shrank from 1,800,000 to 700,000, and from predominantly White (92%) to predominantly Black (83%)
13
Q
When did the population peak?
A
Around 1950
14
Q
When were the Great Migrations?
A
Between 1910 and 1980
15
Q
Why did many Black residents move to Detroit from the South?
A
To escape racial segregation laws and find jobs
16
Q
How much of Detroit is suburbs?
A
90%
17
Q
Why is so much of Detroit made up of suburbs?
A
Construction of interstate highways High taxes and house prices in city Racial tensions in city White flight Cars become more accessible for travel Business moved out of Detroit
18
Q
What were some of the forces of change in Detroit?
A
Globalisation, TNCs, International Institutions
19
Q
How did oil prices cause decline in the city?
A
As the oil crisis hit (1956), prices quadrupled and people were put off buying and running cars, so the automotive industry suffered
20
Q
How did TNCs cause decline in Detroit?
A
They provided competition as other manufacturers produced similar products at cheaper prices, forcing companies in Detroit to look elsewhere for cheaper labour costs
21
Q
How did the number of automotive firms in Detroit change in the years of the oil crisis?
A
Fell from 3400 to 2300
22
Q
When did Detroit declare bankruptcy?
A
2013
23
Q
How do wages in Detroit today compare to the US as a whole?
A
They are $2.12 an hour lower for skilled workers
24
Q
How does overall educational attainment compare to other states today?
A
Much lower
25
What tax laws were passed in 2012?
To lower income tax rates to lowest in Midwest, tries to attract people
26
How much of the city is currently empty?
50%
27
What are the top employers in Detroit today?
Trade, transportation and utilities
Professional and business services
Manufacturing
28
What is an enclave?
Areas within a city where people of a certain culture come together, characteristic of migration
29
Which cities did African-Americans move to in the migration?
Detroit, Chicago, New York
30
How many people had resettled in manufacturing areas by 1929?
1.5 million
31
When was the second wave of migration?
The 1940s, when more people were required to work for the war effort
32
How many people had resettled by the end of the second migration?
5.9 million
33
How many Black residents moved away from Detroit 2000-2010?
185,000
34
Why did some Black residents move away from Detroit in the 2000s?
Mostly skilled people, moved up to more 'middle class'
35
How does Detroit's White percentage population compare to the rest of Michigan?
10% versus 77%
36
What is Motown?
A record label signing mostly Black artists in Detroit, changed sound of America
37
What was Detroit known as?
'Motor City'
38
Who founded Motown?
Berry Gordy
39
How did Gordy's experience on production lines impact the running of the record label?
He introduced 'Quality Control' to ensure only the best music was released
40
How did Motown break down racial segregation?
It provided music that was enjoyed by all people, broke down 'Black music' stereotype
41
Why did the averaqe income in Detroit fall?
Because white people left, who had most of the wealth, while black people generally worked low paid service jobs
42
Where were black people allowed to live?
The Brewster housing developments
43
Who were the migrants who moved to Detroit in the 40s?
Poor white southerners and black people
44
What happened at the Packard Motor Car Company in June 1943?
Three black people were promoted to work alongside the whites and in response, 25,000 white workers went on strike
45
What started the 1943 race riot?
Fights between black and white youths in the Belle Isle
46
When was the 1967 race riot?
23-27th June 1967
47
Who was the riot primarily enacted by?
Black residents
48
What were the primary root causes of the riot?
Police abuse, economic inequality, changing demographics and lack of affordable housing
49
What triggered the start of the 1967 race riot?
A police raid on an unlicensed drinking bar in a black neighbourhood
50
How many were arrested at the bar raid?
82
51
What was the 1967 race riot known as?
The 12th street riot
52
How did the governor and president react to the rioting?
By sending in thousands of National Guard troops and paratroopers
53
What event occurred during the 12th street riot?
The Algiers Motel Incident
54
What sparked the Algiers Motel Incident?
A Black resident shot a toy gun from the window towards the army and police, and a raid was carried out
55
What did interrogation of the black residents involve?
Mocking killings of the others
56
Who were the suspects after the Motel incident?
Black males, no white police officers
57
How many people were employed in the automotive sector at its height?
350,000
58
What is Eight Mile Road?
A road spanning more than 20 miles across Detroit with 8 lanes of traffic, separates Wayne & Washtenaw counties
59
What does Eight Mile Road act as?
A physical dividing line between predominantly African American and White areas
60
What is depicted in the film 8 Mile?
Eminem plays a fictionalised version of himself growing up in Detroit around the area and segregation of 8 mile road
61
What was the film 'Detroit' based on?
The Algiers Motel Incident
62
Where did Detroit's poorest residents live?
In central, downtown Detroit
63
Locale
The Steel Belt Boom- Ship building and railroad cars
Used to be a car manufacturing city
Lack of community spirit
64
Sense of Place
Run down city
Clear population divide
Many derelict buildings
65
When did the city become associated with car manufacturing?
20th Century
66
What triggered the ‘Great Migration’?
How many migrants came?
Car manufacturing
200,000 mainly black Americans came from the Deep South
67
What was the largest force of change leading to the car industry decline?
Ford and GM
Relocated to countries like Brazil where labour was cheaper (caused a large number of redundancies in Detroit- increased unemployment)
Also rise in foreign competition i.e. BMW
68
Why was OPEC a force of change leading to the car industry decline?
1974 Arab embargo- oil prices quadrupled
Consumers turned to fuel efficient cars like Toyotas to reduce petrol costs- Ford saw reduced demand
69
Why was the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 a force of change leading to car industry decline?
Encouraged consumers to buy fuel efficient cars
Ford and GM saw reduce sales, so went abroad for cheaper labour to maintain high profits
70
Which sector dominates Detroit today?
Tertiary (80%)
Secondary (only 20%)
71
Main industries of Detroit?
Trade
Transport
Utilities
72
What does Detroit Soup do?
Promote community based development through crowdfunding
Community pays $5, has soup and listens to 4 speakers talk about their idea to help the community, then they vote
One with the most votes receives the money raised to fund their project
73
Detroit Soup: Economic Project Example
Rebel Nell
Employs disadvantaged women, teaches them how to make jewellery
Educates them on finance and business management so they can continue in the future
74
Detroit Soup: Rebel Nell Successes
Improves QofL for disadvantage women
Can use their new skills to earn a living in the future
Continually helps new women
75
Detroit Soup: Rebel Nell Limitations
Doesn’t help men
Only small scale- can’t help everyone
Local market will become flooded with jewellery- only so much demand
76
Detroit Soup: Social Project Example
Shakespeare in Detroit
Residents take part in performances
So far engaged 8,000 audience members
Stages performances in historic sites all over Detroit
77
Detroit Soup: Shakespeare in Detroit Successes
Encourages cultural diversity- brings together the community
Goes into local schools and teaches Shakespeare- wider reaching
Inspires some students
78
Detroit Soup: Shakespeare in Detroit Limitations
Have to audition- many residents lack the confidence
Only people with an interest in theatre benefit
79
Detroit Soup: Environmental Project Example
Fresh Cut Flower Farm
Converted part of the derelict inner city into a farm
Local people grow the flowers
Sold to florists and wholesalers
80
Detroit Soup: Fresh Cut Flower Farm Successes
Employs locals
Educates in horticulture
Improves the aesthetics of the area
Open days strengthen community spirit
Encourages businesses to invest
81
Detroit Soup: Fresh Cut Flower Farm Limitations
Small scale- can’t have a large economic impact
Doesn’t employ a large number of people
Very niche- not many florists in the area- so hard to expand in the future
82
Overall impact of Detroit Soup
Lots of small scale projects- something to suit everyone
Tackles social, economic and environmental issues
83
Population in 1900?
What percentage white?
Black?
286,000
98% white
1.4% black
84
Population in 1950?
What percentage white?
Black?
1,850,000
84% white
16% black
85
Population in 2010?
What percentage white?
Black?
714,000
11% white
83% black
86
Why did suburbanisation occur?
Increased racial tension- ‘white flight’
Increasing tax rates in the city
Lower crime rates in suburbs
Federal Aid Highway Act 1956- increased highways- could commute
Later on, diminishing jobs opportunities in the city, so people went where the work was
87
Why were businesses attracted to the suburbs?
Cheaper land
Good transport links
Good communication links
88
Ethnic distribution
Whites north of 8 mile
Blacks south of 8 mile (housing discrimination)
POLARISED city
89
What caused 25,000 workers to go on strike in 1943?
Packard Motor Car Company promoting 3 black employees
90
Average yearly earnings in the suburbs?
Who lives there?
$200,000
Whites and rich (normally third generation) blacks
91
Average yearly earnings in the city?
Who lives there?
$7,000-$49,000
Blacks and poor whites
92
Which road is constantly blocked so the white residents can separate themselves from the blacks? (Racial and economic divide)
Alter Road
Blocked using snow, fences, concrete walls
93
What was the problem with the police force during the riots?
Most officers were white
94
What worsened the 1967 riot?
Police officers are alleged to have murdered 3 black men
95
Police officers are alleged to have murdered 3 black men
Businesses looted
Many left dead or injured
Much of the damage was never repaired
96
When was Motown Music founded?
Why did Motown Music play an important part in racial integration?
1959
Music performed written by black and white people- everyone listened i.e. Jackson 5
Normalised black people being seen on TV
97
What can we infer about Detroit from the Red Hot Chilli Pepper song ‘Detroit’?
‘Rolling rings of rubber’- cars
‘Decay’ of the city
‘Henry’ Ford- the city rose and fell because of the car
98
What can we infer about Detroit from 8 Mile?
Argues class is more important than race
Evidence of drug and domestic abuse
Residents have a lack of aspiration
Lack of law- paintballs shot at police
Low skilled workers with low wages 'can't get by with {their} 9 to 5’
99
Strengths of using 8 Mile?
Highlights key issues i.e. high levels of crime
Gave sense of place
Showed lack of investment
100
Limitations of using 8 Mile?
No time scale
Exaggerated for audiences
No evidence about the rest of Detroit- bias
Only looked at youth
No data
101
4 main factors impacting lived experience
Changing demographics
Cultural change
Economic change
Political impact
102
Qualitative Sources
8 Mile
Red Hot Chilli Pepper- ‘Detroit’
103
Quantitative Sources
Census data
Websites about the riots
104
How is Detroit portrayed by Tripadvisor?
. Vibrant
. Bars and restaurants
. Fun
But also
. Dangerous
. Scary
. Depressing
105
How is Detroit portrayed by Google Images?
. Densely packed
. Rundown
. Skyscrapers
. Some buildings are modern and well built
106
How is Detroit portrayed by the Guardian?
. A city collapsing and gentrifying at the same time
. Drug problem
. Crime
107
Average house price
$7500, $500 and $1
108
How many people don’t pay taxes and what was the loss to the city
. More than half of property owners
. Loss of $131 million
109
Rate of unsolved murders
70%
110
How many street lights don’t work
40%
111
Of the 50 states in the US Detroit has the highest….
Unemployment rate
112
Average police response time
58 minutes
113
How many homicides are drug related
70%
114
How many Detroit adults have a college degree vs national average
18% vs 27%
115
% reduction in school places
70%
116
What did Detroit declare in 2013
Bankruptcy
117
Philip Levine poem
. ‘Detroit Tomorrow’
. Conveys high crime rate and poverty as a woman has to go back to work after son’s death
118
Enclave
A portion of territory surrounded by a larger territory whose inhabitants are culturally and ethnically distinct
119
Eminem - Lose Yourself
. ‘One shot opportunity’ - hard to get out of poverty
. Poor quality of housing - living in a trailer park
. Back to the grind - back to manual labour
120
8 mile film
. Semi-autobiographical
. Troubled home life
. Lower socio economic status
. Racial segregation
121
Alter road
. Trees and a Christmas tree acted as a physical barrier
