How did cities grow and change during the modern era?

Answer 1

In the Early Modern era cities grew through general economic growth in Europe. There was increased agricultural production, an increase in the production of rural commodities for trade, such as wool and other textiles and an increase in manufactures. Global trade also increased though colonialism. Raw materials, such as sugar, cotton and rubber were imported and manufactured in Europe and European manufactures were exported to some extent to the colonies.

Since the urban economy is based on trade and manufacture, the increase in these two activities favoured urban growth. In some case rural impoverishment also led to rural-urban migration.

These processes were accelerated in the Late Modern period by the industrial revolution.