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The tension between the rights of speech and public assembly and the need for order in the expanding of the 19th century city. 1
Evaluate the Dutch legacy in New York City through the 19th century. 2
Is geography destiny 3
Evaluation of the statement 4
History of the city of New York
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the tension between the rights of speech and public assembly and the need for order in the expanding of the 19th century city. The paper will secondly evaluate the social aspects of the Dutch legacy in New York City through the 19th century. Thirdly, the paper will discuss on whether I support the saying that states geography is destiny. The paper will finally evaluate the statement provided in the fourth question.
1. The tension between the rights of speech and public assembly and the need for order in the expanding of the 19th century city.
New York is one of the states in the United States that was formed due to the settlements of immigrants from different parts of the world. At this time, the state was under British law making the British kingdom have jurisdiction over the people of New York. New York thus had a national assembly that was responsible for making laws that were reflective of their colonial masters. After the state grew into its own, its citizens sort to acquire independence as to become a sovereign state. This had proved to be impossible due to the lack of freedom of speech at the time.
The city had become crowded due to the spiraling number of immigrants. This caused friction between the national assembly and the community. This led to the protests of the people demanding for the expansion of the state so as to accommodate new immigrants.
The birth rate had increased due to the improvement in the economy. The population was as a result affected by this phenomenon. This made the members of the community demand for the expansion of the state so as to accommodate the rising population.
The city had different immigrants from different parts of the globe. This made the state more attractive to outsiders. The inflow of immigrants consisted of families that were starting a new life. The public was beginning to recognize their power over the state. This encouraged them to rally for the incorporation of new towns into the city (Foley, p. 210).
2. Evaluate the Dutch legacy in New York City through the 19th century.
As stated earlier, the Dutch ruled the city of New York for a considerable amount of time. The first Dutch settlers formed their base at fort orange which is currently known as Albany. The state was under the Dutch rule for over half a century. This rule was however, cut short when the Dutch lost their authority to the British settlers. The presence of the Dutch influenced the lifestyle of the city in all aspects of life. This influence was the result of the legacy that the Dutch left after they exited from New York.
The Dutch’s social influenced the city can be seen through the portrayal of their culture to date. On their migration, the Dutch brought about their language, churches, dressing styles and forms of architecture. The Dutch were predominantly Protestants who followed the reformed church. They encouraged freedom of worship giving other religions such as Jews and Catholics freedom of worship. This factor made New Amsterdam (New York) more attractive thus making it the melting pot of the world. This influence can be viewed in the present buildings which display significant ideas used in the real estate industry, places of worship and dress codes during cultural festivals.
The Dutch played a significant role in the development of cities such as Manhattan and New Jersey. This was seen through the creation of businesses that were run by Dutch merchants. The economic influence resulted in the growth of some of New York City’s industries which to date continue to be successful. The improvement of the economy increased the rate of the GDP of the city making it one of the most productive states in the world.
The political influence of the Dutch can be seen in the large republican settlement in present New York. The Dutch were opposed to the reformist lifestyle; this way of life distanced them from the democratic and liberal parties. The representation of the Dutch in public offices can be seen in the voting patterns in some of the predominant Dutch towns (Panetta, p. 345).
3. Is geography destiny
The statement geography is destiny implies that the settlement of a particular community in an area determines the future of the area. I agree in this statement due to the observation of several immigration encounters that shaped the United States as a whole. The United States is founded through the immigration of Dutch, the English, the French, former slaves and the Native Americans. All these communities ended up in the United States due to its geographic composition.
The political factor that indicates this can be seen in the political arrangement of the country. When the English migrated to the country, they brought with them their political system that constituted of the national assembly, judiciary and democratic leadership. These policies have gone through a number of changes. Despite this, they still owe their existence to the settlers who influenced the dynamics of the area. The legacy of the Dutch saw the adaptation of a variety of social aspects that are practiced in the city till present day. The introduction of new religions, music and food is owed to the different geographical settlements in the country. The country was therefore, destined to adopt the new cultural practices making them part of their life. The United States has the most successful economy presently. This can be credited to the formation of different industries due to the immigration of different settlers. The geographical composition of the country was essential because it shapes the arrangement and organization of a new city (Stewart, p. 134).
4. “If you’ll try to be somebody, and grow up into a respectable member of society, you will.” Evaluate this statement through the end of the 19th century in New York City.
New York has been described as the state in which all dreams can be made true. This is owed to the number of opportunities that come with residing in the state. Some people have been blessed with resources that enabled them to succeed in this tough society. This is however, not the case for some of the different social groups that are viewed as the minority (Foley, p. 210).
Race is one of the biggest issues that the country continues to face. America was founded from different races and ethnicities. This is credited to the high level of migration that took place during its foundation. The availability of different races caused social factors such as discrimination against minority races. Over the years, this has become a barrier for minority races in terms of development. This has further made them vulnerable in that they do not have the same opportunities as some of their counterparts. Despite this, the country has produced outstanding citizens who have been victims of racism in the past and present America. This is an indication that there are no amounts of barriers that can prevent an individual from succeeding.
Gender can be described as the state of being male or female. Females are known to be the weaker sex exposing them to discrimination by the society. Women have made tremendous results in the demand of equal treatment due to the formation of feminist movements, equal education and economic empowerment. This as a result has seen the country usher in a new generation of successful females who view the sky as the limit.
Class can be defined as the social status in which an individual is categorized. The society is classified into different classes. This is attributed to the population’s level of economic empowerment. Members of the under privileged class have a harder time achieving their goals because of the lack of economic resources. This however, has not stopped most of the members of the society who were not born with a silver spoon. This can be seen by examples of successful citizens who showed the world that hard work bears fruit.
Works cited
Foley, Janet W. Early Settlers of New York State: Their Ancestors and Descendants. Baltimore, Md: Genealogical Pub. Co, 2003. Print.
Panetta, Roger G. Dutch New York: The Roots of Hudson Valley Culture. Yonkers: Hudson River Museum/Fordham University Press, 2009. Print.
Stewart, Mark. New York History. Chicago: Heinemann Library, 2003. Print.
