A Brief History of American City Planning

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A GOOD PLAN VIOLENTLY EXECUTED NOW IS BETTER
THAN A PERFECT PLAN NEXT WEEK
Gen. George S. Patton, Jr.
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A Brief History of American City PlanningFor
Planning Commissioners
OR How in the name of Daniel Burnham did I get
here?
Presentation by Bob Becker, FAICP
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Highlights of City Planning in Early 20th Century
The Colonial Period
The Reagan Era
1787-1860
The Great Depression
We Decide to Have a Revolution
The End of the 19th Century and the Rise Of
Progressivism
Planning in the 1920s
1960s-1970s
Today
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King Charles II
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London
Paris
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Philadelphia
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Savannah
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Charleston
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Highlights of City Planning in Early 20th Century
The Colonial Period
The Great Depression
The Reagan Era
1787-1860
The End of the 19th Century and the Rise Of
Progressivism
We Decide to Have a Revolution
Planning in the 1920s
1960s-1970s
Today
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Yorktown
Paul Revere
George Washington crossing the Delaware
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Benjamin Franklin
Thomas Jefferson
Alexander Hamilton
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Pre-Revolution
Post-Revolution
Strong City Power
Strong Federal State Powers
Weak State Power No Federal Power
Weak City
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Highlights of City Planning in Early 20th Century
The Colonial Period
The Reagan Era
The Great Depression
1787-1860
The End of the 19th Century and the Rise Of
Progressivism
We Decide to Have a Revolution
Planning in the 1920s
1960s-1970s
Today
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Highlights of City Planning in Early 20th Century
The Colonial Period
The Reagan Era
1787-1860
The Great Depression
We Decide to Have a Revolution
The End of the 19th Century and the Rise Of
Progressivism
Planning in the 1920s
Today
1960s-1970s
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CONDITIONS OF CITIES
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Triangle Factory Fire
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WORLDS COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION 1893
Chicago
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POLITICAL CORRUPTION
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Boss Tweed
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OTHER PROGRESSIVE ISSUES
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Child Labor
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Womens Rights
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Workers safety
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Robber Barons
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Civil Service
City Manager Form of Government

• White City
• Corruption
• Conditions
• of Cities

Progressive Movement
Planning Commissions
City Beautiful Movement
City Efficiency Movement
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Highlights of City Planning in Early 20th Century
The Colonial Period
The Reagan Era
1787-1860
The Great Depression
We Decide to Have a Revolution
The End of the 19th Century and the Rise Of
Progressivism
Planning in the 1920s
Today
1960s-1970s
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• 1907 First permanent official City Planning
  Commission established in Hartford, Conn.
• 1909 A Watershed Year for City Planning
• First National Conference on City Planning
• First British Town Planning Act
• First academic department of City Planning
  established at the University of Liverpool
• First city planning course offered at Harvard
• Publication of Daniel Burnhams Plan of Chicago

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Highlights of City Planning in Early 20th Century
The Colonial Period
The Great Depression1
The Reagan Era
1787-1860
We Decide to Have a Revolution
The End of the 19th Century and the Rise Of
Progressivism
Planning in the 1920s
1960s-1970s
Today
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Chief Justice William Howard Taft
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Herbert Hoover
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Highlights of City Planning in Early 20th Century
The Colonial Period
The Reagan Era
1787-1860
The Great Depression
We Decide to Have a Revolution
The End of the 19th Century and the Rise Of
Progressivism
Planning in the 1920s
1960s-1970s
Today
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Stock Market Crash
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Franklin Roosevelt
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WPA Artists
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Roosevelt signing the Social Securities Act
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Highlights of City Planning in Early 20th Century
The Colonial Period
The Reagan Era
1787-1860
The Great Depression
We Decide to Have a Revolution
The End of the 19th Century and the Rise Of
Progressivism
Planning in the 1920s
Today
1960s-1970s
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Lyndon Johnson
Richard Nixon
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Equal Opportunity Act
Vietnam
War On Poverty
Civil Rights Legislation
Earth Day
EPA
Riots in Cities
Model Cities Program
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Highlights of City Planning in Early 20th Century
The Colonial Period
The Reagan Era
1787-1860
The Great Depression
We Decide to Have a Revolution
The End of the 19th Century and the Rise Of
Progressivism
Planning in the 1920s
1960s-1970s
Today
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Ronald Reagan AND The Rise of Conservativism
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Ronald Reagan
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• Privatization
• De-regulation
• The Government is the enemy
• Guns win/ butter loses
• Rise of power in suburban and
• exurban areas
• Trickle-Down Theory

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Highlights of City Planning in Early 20th Century
The Colonial Period
The Reagan Era
1787-1860
The Great Depression
We Decide to Have a Revolution
The End of the 19th Century and the Rise Of
Progressivism
Planning in the 1920s
1960s-1970s
Today
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CURRENT ISSUES OPPORTUNITIES
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• Decline In Affordable Housing
• Homeland Security
• Growth of Two-class Society
• Property Rights
• Inner-city Revival
• Public Housing Transformation

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• Deficit Implications for Domestic
• Programs
• New Urbanism
• Smart Growth/ Sustainability
• Federal Transportation Policy

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SO WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
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• The Involvement of Citizens in Lay
• Planning Boards and Commissions
• nearly 100 years old
• Lay Planning Boards and
• Commissions were created as a part
• of the Reforms launched around the
• turn of the 20th Century

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• Planning initiatives have always been
• influenced by Dramatic National Events
• Condition of cities and massive immigration
  causing
• the Reformist movement
• The turn of the 20th century
• The Great Depression
• Traumatic events of the 1960s
• Dramatic change in philosophy of Federal
  Government
• during Reagan years
• 9/11

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THE MEEK MAY INHERIT THE EARTH, BUT THEYLL
NEVER GET THE BALL
Charles Barkley