Sheila Sloan's Weblog

New York: Junction of Waterways Junction of Ideas Wrap-up

sheilasloan — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:25:03 +0000

New York –Ticonderoga of the Hudson and the Atlantic- Center of the Quest for Human Rights.
New York, a city and state, holds our rich history and reveals a success story-our American Dream. New York is a ticonderoga, the Iroquois term meaning a junction of two waterways, of the Hudson River and the Atlantic Ocean, just as Ft. Ticonderoga was a junction of French Canada and British America. New York is also the junction of ideas about rights for everyone, be it immigrants, women, African Americans. The story of this connection defines rural and urban New York. Over time the many beautiful faces of New York changed and grew: Native Americans, Dutch, British, African, German, Irish, Polish, Russian, Italian, Chinese are all a piece of the New York story, a story of America.
New York City is the great platform for a diverse, eclectic, tolerant society. Indeed New York City is a microcosm of the world. It is a microcosm of harmony in diversity. It amazed me when Kenneth Jackson pointed out how large communities of Jews, Muslims, Christians and Buddhists all live here, in this city, in relative harmony. Why is that? Kenneth Jackson suggested that there simply isn’t enough time in the day to be intolerant of every group of people, because there are endless groups of people in New York. New York’s diversity lends to tolerance and makes an interesting case against homogenous cultures.
I believe this, but think there is another piece to this puzzle as well. Wealth. New York is rich. It is rich in culture, food, art, history, and of course it is the commerce capital of the world. The poorest tenement-housed New Yorker is/was better off than millions of people around the world. The ability to build wealth in this country, with this city as a jumping-off point, distinguishes New York from the intolerance faced by these same communities on their home turf. Poverty accentuates division, and in New York, people have always been stepping away from poverty and hopelessness as they assimilate into this new city, new country.
And yet New York City is deeply local, personal, a series of little neighborhoods that change from block to block and that retain the flavor of the countries of origin. That flavor, gives New York its freshness, its first generation mom and pop feel. This feeling seems to prevent New York from being homogenized into big box America. It is that uniqueness that draws millions to this city each year to experience the vitality of this city that constantly reinvents itself. It is easy to see why “I Love New York” is a timeless motto.
Conversely, the solitude and quiet beauty of New York outside the city compliments the hustle and bustle of the city. Stepping off the bus to visit Teddy Roosevelt’s home was a refreshing breath of air. The stillness, the shady front porch with rocking chairs welcomed us to an entirely different piece of New York. It was here the Theodore Roosevelt replenished his soul, and so did we. It was easy to see him playing on the long sweeping lawn with his six children. This was a home, a summer White House, but first a home. That love and joy resonates at Oyster Bay still today. As we wound our way through the vast areas of Upstate New York, we could see the role the Hudson River played in its development. This river, was the critical link that the British needed to sieze control of in order to cut off New England during the American Revolution. This river, if linked with the St. Lawrence River, could mean the end to America’s short life, and yet at places like Saratoga and even West Point, the river was blocked and Britain never did accomplish its sweep down from Canada. In later years the Hudson River, when connected by the Erie Canal to the interior, served as a conduit of commerce that became a new lifeline for New York City. The cost of trade dropped 95% when the canal was in place.
The Erie Canal as an internal improvement, became a stunning economic victory for New York. And yet, what was being traded? Cotton. This raw material, sailed up from the South and sent out to textile factories in Britain, would force this country to face its moral and economic challenge-slavery. New York outlawed slavery in 1827, yet slave-picked cotton in the South was still its lifeblood. This contradiction would continue to pull at New York throughout the Second Great Awakening when the abolitionist movement organized. The burnt out district in New York would see the beginnings of greater organization and both the abolitionist and the women’s suffrage movements would have strong connections in New York, where Harriet Tubman, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Frederick Douglass, William Seward converged and variously exchanged ideas, hosted stops on the underground railroad, refused to wear cotton, and worked toward expanding suffrage. This quest for human rights would be picked up by Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. Franklin created the United Nations at the end of WWII and Eleanor created the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to triumph social justice. Indeed, New York is a critical junction in the quest for human rights.
New York is a collection of New Yorks. It is food, entertainment, transportation, commerce, history, art and the struggle for right for all to enjoy the opportunities presented. New York is a window into America, a passageway, a city and a state which anchors our nation and indeed is a story of the junction of two waterways, a Ticonderoga, and the junction of ideals for a greater world where all people can thrive no matter their nationality, religion, gender or race.

Saratoga and Ticonderoga

sheilasloan — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 22:11:57 +0000

Ticonderoga and Saratoga.

Ft. Ticonderoga

Ft. Ticonderoga 1758: Iroquois for-The Junction of Two Waterways
It is that junction that was critical during the French and Indian War, and for that reason that the French Fort Carillon was built in 1757. Ft Carillon, to be renamed Ticonderoga, divided the French-controlled Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence river valley from the British-controlled Hudson River. It was here that the French led by General Montcalm, held off the British led by General Abercromby in 1758. This battle just out of sight from Ft. Ticonderoga would reveal weakness in the greatest army in the world. This battle, fought by officers who later served in the American Revolution, proved that there were chinks in the armor of the great British Military. British-Americans who fought side by side with British soldiers in 1758 saw Ticonderoga as a window into the hubris of the British. The British leadership seemed to be willing to lead their men to slaughter against an entrenched French military who held the higher ground and were protected by an abatis-a barrier created by felled trees. British-Americans attempted to change General Abercromby’s mind about a head-on attack, but Abercromby would have none of it. 16,000 British soldiers vs 4,000 French should have been an easy win, but the British squandered an easy victory and their incompetant leader Abercromby stayed behind in town while his soldiers became grist for the mill. French General Montcalm did an outstanding service in holding off the British. He noted that the total forces on the continent of British were 60,000 to the French 11,000 and knew that thought the French had won this battle, they would not be able to sustain the war. The British would win this war in 1763, but perceptions formed by young officers in this battle, would come back to haunt the British as those young officers became leaders in the Continental Army some 18 years later.
Ticonderoga and Saratoga 1777
The Ft. Ticonderoga saw action again in 1777 when Americans Benedict Arnold Ethan Allen and the Green Mtn Boys from Vermont-just across Lake Champlain- took the fort from the British by surprise. The tug of war continued as Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne led British troops and recovered the fort enroute to Saratoga with Albany in his sights. Burgoyne knew that if he could get to Albany he could effectively cut off the New England rabble and end this silly little war for Independence.
Saratoga
Albany was the goal, if Burgoyne could cross the Mohawk, push the Americans up against the river and stop them this would successfully cut off the New England rabble and end the Revolution. Burgoyne should have learned from the mistakes of overconfidence made by the British Abercromby some 18 years earlier, but instead history repeated itself. Burgoyne thought he would have an easy victory at Saratoga. In England he bet a friend that he would return from the War for Independence victorious. How wrong he was. At Saratoga he would be surrounded by Gates’ Continental Army and have to surrender his 6,000 man army, and face humiliation at home. The key to this surrender is that once the British surrendered at Saratoga the French weighed in and openly supported the American cause. This key turning point would lead ultimately to American victory and a British surrender at Yorktown.

What we have here is a failure to communicate.
Ticonderoga and Saratoga hinged on the underdog being able to strategically place themselves on the higher ground, and uncover the vulnerabilities in the enemy including overconfidence, and stubbornness/an inablilty to listen. Burgoynne and Ambercromby suffered as much from misreading the enemy as they did from failing to listen to their own men. The lessons from these two different battles in two different wars can be a great teaching moment, as both are microcosms for the bigger picture- the British couldn’t imagine that the Americans knew what they were talking about and twice, Americans proved them wrong.

Suffrage, Emancipation, Freedom

sheilasloan — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 03:21:04 +0000

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Suffrage, emancipation, freedom, these ideals define so much of who we are as a nation. That process, that quest toward democracy- that push and pull of ideas, ideals- carves out our identity, our social conscience as a nation. The struggle to become a more inclusive democracy unfolds in the 19th and 20th centuries and today. Our visits to Seneca Falls, Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s home, Harriet Tubman’s Home, William Seward’s home revealed this. In the 21st century we look at the expansion of human our rights once again, tearing down barriers no matter whom it is that you love. It’s exciting to ride this freedom ride.

Harriet Tubman's Home

Trailblazers like Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Harriet Tubman, William Seward stepped out of their comfort zone, risked reputation and, in some cases, their lives to take a stand. They saw something greater than what they had always known, ignored who said “don’t” and just “did”. The quote by Margaret Mead in the museum at Seneca Falls is one of my favorites. “Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.” I hope my students will be empowered with courage to step up and change the world. History is exciting and people like these role models, set the precedent for the kids to follow.

I found it fascinating that Frederick Douglass, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, William Seward, Harriet Tubman, Lucretia Mott, Susan B. Anthony, knew each other, lived near each other and were all linked in a variety ways, supporting each other in their causes crossing race, gender and class lines despite a variety of protests, insults, mockery from those ensconced in the status quo. The blistering criticism showered on them by many of their contemporaries went unheeded as these men and women saw a bigger picture, a long-term ideal outside of the known.

The Erie Canal
The Erie Canal opened up the Market Revolution and served to grow New York City into a vastly successful commercial center.The canals bridged the 600ft gap in altitude between Buffalo and Albany. The Erie Canal cut the cost of shipping 90-95%. Riding on the Erie Canal and experiencing the locks was amazing. The rising and falling water levels allowed ships to travel some 300 miles.

Erie Canal

Erie Canal with Elevations

Day 11: Cooperstown

sheilasloan — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 01:32:27 +0000

It’s a misty day in upstate New York today. The mountains are in the clouds and yet somehow without the sun around, things seem more vivid. The lake that these little towns surround is beautiful, quiet today as people seemed to have stayed in upon threat of rain.
Today our visit began with the Baseball Hall of Fame. The museum educator provided us with a lot of great lesson plans regarding civil rights, geography, women’s rights, and economics. With 16 lessons to choose from there were many options for all grade levels. My favorites were the lesson on Jackie Robinson and the motivations behind integrating the major leagues and another lesson on labor, unions, monopolies and the Supreme Court. I am looking forward at trying video conferencing with my students in the distance learning lab at our school.
As the day continued we went to the Fenimore Art Museum. There we saw an exhibit on John Singer Sargent and the women he painted. Another exhibit was fashion over the years and showed beautiful dresses and the corsets women had to shoehorn themselves into in order to conform to the 18-20 inch waist ideal.
Then we walked across the street and visited the Farmers Museum. We walked into the 1840s and watched a blacksmith making nails and hinges. A blacksmith every four miles at the crossroads located in each village. Shoeing a horse got your foot in the door, then the business flowed. It was said that one blacksmith for 12 families kept a brisk business. We visited a printer and he set the letter type and printed broadsides while we looked on. He showed a local newspaper from the time period and explained how that four-page paper would take some 40 hours to set- individual letters upside down and backward to create the mirror image to print onto paper. Next was a doctor’s office. From the 1840s to the 1880s there was no licensing so anyone, anyone could become a doctor. The side effects of the mercury that was used to cure ailments was worse than the ailments. What will we discover in the 21st century that makes practices in the 20th century seem so far away, archaic.
The working farm, with animals raised for food seems to be the right way to live. I know it’s not realistic for most people today, but it is that connection with the land and animals that we are losing as our consumption drives us and we move away from production. Where will this take us?

Day 10: Sagamore Hill: Home

sheilasloan — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 03:01:30 +0000

“I wonder if you will ever know how much I love Sagamore Hill.”-Theodore Roosevelt to his Edith January 5, 1919
What resonated with me today is how Sagamore Hill was truly a home to Theodore Roosevelt and his family. I could see the Christmas tree with presents, children and dad running barefoot in summertime, six children sliding down the staircase- or at the very least Quentin. I could imagine Theodore greeting his guests at the summer White House and then taking his daily break to play hide-n-go-seek with his kids. I could see everyone finding a book to read and being prepared for dinnertime discussion.
I imagine if I lived here, I’d never want to leave. Sitting on the wrap around front porch in the rocking chairs was so completely relaxing. I think visiting someone’s home reveals who they are. It is a window like no other.
At the Roosevelt museum I collected some quotes of Theodore Roosevelt and thought of creating a discussion around the quotes.
The Many Roles of Theodore Roosevelt:
“For the last year I have preached war with Spain. I should feel distinctly ashamed… if I now failed to practice what I have preached” -Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge
“This is the last office I shall ever hold. I have offended so many powerful interests and so many powerful politicians that no political preferment will be possible for me.. It was the only course I could honestly pursue and I am willing to abide by the consequences.” Roosevelt as Police Commissioner, 1897
“We desire to make a man’s honesty and capacity to do the work to which he is assigned the sole tests of his appointment and retention- Roosevelt Atlantic Monthly July, 1892 Cleaning out the police department in New York.
“The enactment of a pure food law was a recognition that the public welfare outweighs the right to private gain, and that no man may poison the people for his private profit” -Address to Congress, 1909
“They often went barefoot…They swam, they tramped, they boated…they coasted and skated in winter, they were…friends with the cows, chickens, pigs, and other livestock”-Teddy Roosevelt writings
“As Vice-President I don’t see there is anything I could do. I would be simply a presiding officer and that I should find a bore.” -Theodore Roosevelt Letter to Thomas Platt February 1, 1900
“We are not attacking the coprorations, but endeavoring to do away with any evil in them.. We draw the line against misconduct, not against wealth” -Theodore Roosevelt Second Message to Congress, 1902

Slaves, Cotton and Silk

sheilasloan — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 22:36:05 +0000

Day Nine
Slavery in New York in the early 19th Century
Today we started out the day at the Historical Society. The presentation gave me many ideas and a template for how to examine documents, solve a mystery and work with primary sources. The topic: Jacob aka William Dixon. Was he a runaway slave? Was he a freeman? How do you determine when someone is free? The documents included newspaper articles, eyewitness accounts, court testimony. I can see using this style of inquiry and applying it to various events in US history. This also provided various lenses to describe the same story. I think a similar story could be told about Kent State. Photographs, newspaper accounts, eye witness accounts, and ultimately student discussion, observation, presentation and analysis of this controversial moment 40 years ago. Other possible events to profile: Haymarket Square Riot, the Draft Riots, Watergate, Iran Contra, Sacco and Vanzetti, the Salem Witch trials.

One final note. There was a terrific mini exhibit on the New Deal and Franklin Roosevelt’s Brain Trust. It was filled with primary and secondary sources that I photographed and will use in my classroom. The sources included a sardonic revision of the 23rd Psalm which was a scathing criticism of President Hoover which I had never come across before. Other resources included, strikes, news articles, biographies, photographes, advertisments.

23rd Psalm New York Historical Society

Template for Document Analysis From Class today:
Title of Document
Source
Date
Key Points
Questions Raised
Why was this document created? (my addition)

Follow the Silk RoadClick to view slideshow.
Silk, cotton, spices, all of these resources play a role in US and World History. Today we visited the Silk Road exhibit at the Museum of Natural History. What a treat! We journeyed on the Silk Road beginning in Xian, China and ending in Baghdad. Along the way we watched live silkworms, saw their cocoons, watched the cocoons boiled, unwound and spun into thread. We learned about music, money, religion, trade. Buddhism and Islam spread along trading routes, in fact missionaries set up outposts along the way to convert artisans, merchants, travelers. We visited a night market, where trading of spices, food and cloth took place during the coolest part of the day. The night market was covered in grape vines and music was playing. Camel caravans greeted us at the entrance to the Silk Road, and we listened to many musical instruments, and opened large casks of rose water, jasmine, patchouli, musk to smell the various fragrances. Recipes for delicious desserts were available. All in all this was a delightful journey. Following the Silk Road brought explanations of how religion, food and culture diffused through three continents. This special exhibit at the Museum of Natural History was fascinating.

Day Eight: A Neighborhood Grows in Brooklyn and… From Broadway to Hollywood

sheilasloan — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 02:11:49 +0000

A Neighborhood Grows in Brooklyn
Just blocks away from the hotel is a charming little neighborhood. The doorman at the hotel recommended a restaurant called La Traviatas, and after winding around in the rain, there was this great Brooklyn treasure of a neighborhood. Tonight a second try was in order, this time outside at Café Buon Gusto. Calamari, beets and feta cheese salad, stuffed eggplant, chocolate almond cake, ricotta cheesecake were delicious. The neighborhood was alive with flower shops, drug stores, pubs, people walking dogs and kids out on the steps. The tree lined street ends at the water and is bookended by Borough Hall and the East River. Old and new architecture give the neighborhood layers of richness. The neighborhoods of New York are little villages within the city and just going a few blocks brings something new!

From Broadway to Hollywood.
Seeing a show at the New Amsterdam theater was a once in a lifetime treat. The theatre was beautiful and the old favorite Mary Poppins had some surprises in store with her magical bag- at once empty and full of lamps, plants and all sorts of things. The old songs were fun to hear and the message of parents spending time with their kids struck a chord. The story, the setting the magic of Broadway made for a great memory. Then today, at the Statue of Liberty, strolling around the island, the statue was commanding and then suddenly rounding the corner there was a shoot for a movie going on, and there were Matt Damon and Emily Blunt- what a surprise and a New York treat! Just another of many great unexpected moments the city provides when least expected!

Click to view slideshow.

Day Seven: The Lower East Side

sheilasloan — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 22:13:44 +0000

The Lower East Side

Mulberry Street

The Lower East Side is something I examine in my classroom as we look at tenements, neighborhoods, working conditions and the Progressive Era. Today fit perfectly with all of this. We walked near Mulberry Street and back through layers of time where Irish and Germans came in the first large wave, then southern and Eastern Europeans and finally Asian and Latino immigrants. Churches are a fascinating place to witness the changing of the guard as new immigrant neighborhoods replaced old. It was fascinating to hear Ed O’Donnell explain the fears of native-born Americans concerned about immigrants haven’t changed much over the past 200 years. The words of Ben Franklin concerned about our nation becoming “too Germanic” were nearly identical if you switched just 5-6 words you could hear the same concerns voiced today by Lou Dobbs and our nation becoming “too Hispanic”. O’Donnell also pointed out that nativism flowed from anti-German, anti-Irish, anti-Polish, Anti-Catholic, Anti-Jewish, Anti-Asian, Anti-Hispanic. At some point I guess you realize that if we are anti-everything there will be no one left. There is a great resource on this- it is old! And it is definitely 1970s- 1971! But it is Bill Cosby on prejudice and he starts listing all the groups of people he has a problem with, and basically when he’s done there is no one left. This movie is powerful tool for immigration or even the holocaust. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0364994/

The Tenement House Museum http://www.tenement.org/

Ed O'Donnell

What a great place to observe life in the city for immigrant families and the process of assimilation into the United States. The issues of tolerance, prejudice, fear, money, religion, cheap labor, gentrification, affordable housing, government intervention all intersect in these neighborhoods on the Lower East Side and make for fascinating discussion and debate in the classroom. I like to have my students read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn in the fall as we are getting started because it helps them visualize tenement house life, immigrant life, the importance of public education to new immigrants, culture, food, religion, taboos from 1900-1920s.
My favorite activities in class are discussion, debates and trials. The Lower East Side tour and the Tenement Museum added some provocative issues that I can bring to my classroom to discuss and debate.
Working conditions, where do laissez faire, unions, government intervention fit in? What is the balance that helps the most? Works the best? Works the least? Costs? Benefits?
Gentrification and the cost of living: Who gets to live in the city- the highest bidder? The everyday person? Rent control?
Again eminent domain issues arise. If a city is sinking into a slum, do the benefits of providing parks for immigrant families-some 50,000 people in the neighborhood outweigh the costs of displacing 2,000?
City codes, too much bureaucracy, or just enough health, safety and welfare? What is the right role? Somewhere between pure capitalism and pure welfare state, but what does that look like?
Sweatshops, tenement living, cholera, outdoor plumbing, indoor plumbing, water supply, all raise interesting and complicated issues to be worked out as the city is on the rise.
Do you change the conditions of squalor because it is the right thing to do? Do you change the conditions of squalor because you don’t “want disease sewn into the linings of our jackets” as Jacob Riis declares.
Where do the bottom line and the right thing to do intersect and how can doing the right thing actually benefit more than it costs?

This was a great day and the Tenement Museum Bookstore was a delightful find!

Katz’s Deli

Katz's Deli

As Dana mentioned in her blog, food tells a great story too! Katz’s Deli is an example of that. Around since 1888, if this deli could talk! This was a wonderful eating experience and my first ever taste of pastrami on rye- Thumbs up!

Day Six Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, The Plaza and Broadway

sheilasloan — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 05:55:04 +0000

Day Six
What the Hell Were They Thinking?

British Allow Washington to Escape

Brooklyn Heights was the jumping off point for our tour today. It was also the jumping off point for George Washington and the 8,000 soldiers he snuck out of Brooklyn to prevent the war from ending in a fizzle in 1776. Things were looking grim, grim, grim and the British could see victory at the end of the tunnel and so, of course, the British stopped. Washington escaped across the East River by cover of darkness and fog, and the war of attrition was on. Ed O’Donnell has the perfect title for the book he would write about this. What the hell were they thinking?

The Brooklyn Bridge

Brooklyn Bridge

2 Towers, 4 cables and 3,500 miles of steel cable. Ed O’Donnell put it well- steel was to the 19th century what the silicon chip was to the 20th century. This unprecedented technology kept wagons traversing east and west without the need for ferries. It also kept ferries from being stranded in ice if the East River froze. This boardwalk was a destination on hot city days. One could walk out of the city and catch the open breeze off the water by walking the bridge. The bridge was high enough to keep from blocking ship traffic- keeping in mind the naval yard around the corner, and the hub of trade that New York had become. John, Washington and Emily Roebling realized this dream of connecting Brooklyn to Manhattan.

East Side West Side All Around the Town

Central Park –the Uncity and the Concept of Eminent Domain
Central park, with its 840 acres and 50 entrances, brought the park to the people. The park was a creation of Olmstead and Vaux. In order to create the park, land had to be repurchased by clearing out the largely Irish and African American residents. The issue of eminent domain is still a hot topic today with the Pinon Canyon army expansion plan of recent years. This beautiful park was made possible through e Entirely crafted by humans the park feels natural and even wild and certainly informal.

Day Five: Walking Tour of New York

sheilasloan — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 01:20:18 +0000

Day Five A Walking Tour of the City with Ed O’Donnell

Historian, professor, storyteller and author Ed O’Donnell narrated a colonial history of New York today. His manner was easy going, fascinating and informative. As he began he painted a picture of the city not often told. Unlike the fictitious stereotypical “sale of New York”, Ed provided a researched history. He recommended Lies My Teacher told me. What fertile ground for critical thinking exercises. How do you know what you know?

Slavery in Colonial New York
Prior to the 1750s New York had the largest slave population. Wall Street had the largest slave trade, and New York had a hidden graveyard of 20,000 African Americans, some 450 remains found 17 feet below ground . Today is recognized, honored and memorialized at the African Burial Ground National Monument.

Tammany Hall Tweed Hall Political Machines and the Gangs of New York
Another colorful story unearthed by Ed was Tweed Hall, aka City Hall. This beautiful structure holds the story of patronage and political machines illustrated by the movie The Gangs of New York. David McCullough did an outstanding job explaining the system in his story of the building of the Brooklyn Bridge. Tweed’s machine would simple double the price and keep half. This allowed Tweed’s machine to provide kickbacks and picnic’s to harvest the immigrant vote. Amazingly at one point some 24 city elders were in various stages of jail and release.
Idea: Political machines are something students could illustrate in their own designs. They can build a “political machine” by sketching a machine and including in the machine terms such as graft, kickbacks, patronage, boss, hierarchy, corruption, immigrants, enfranchisment. These political cartoon type designs could allow for students to be creative with this concept.

1811-1825- A Time of Internal Improvements- big government?
Internal improvements grew New York City, a microcosm of the United States. Internal improvements provided the infrastructure to improve transportation, trade, commerce, and our economy. How to pay for such things? As a state-Taxes? As a nation-Tariffs? Taxes?These issues are alive today. A discussion at what the costs and benefits of taxes were then and now is a great way to engage students and allow them to debate issues of large and small government. Massive public works projects enabled the city to flourish and grow- were the costs worth it? How can this apply to today? I love to ask my students what they are willing to spend their tax dollars on and internal improvements provide a great framework for the discussion of big vs small government. Is government the problem? The solution? New York provides some examples of what big government did and does provide.
1811-Grid plan laid out
1811-City Hall built
1814- Ferry to Brooklyn Heights opens allows for first suburb
1817-Erie Canal Begins
1818-New York Stock Exchange
1825- Erie Canal opens and NYC rockets ahead of the competition

The Commons
The park adjacent to City Hall was once the site of the commons where militia drilled, hangings took place in public, proclamations were read and cows could graze. It was here that the Sons of Liberty put up poles protesting the Stamp Act.
New York had been the capital but Hamilton and Jefferson struck a deal that would move the capital southward in exchange for the acceptance of Hamilton’s financial plan for the country which included a central bank.
New York is the capital of commerce and what better place to unveil the Cathedral of Commerce, the Woolworth building in 1913? This 55 story building kept five floors for Woolworths and the rest, as Ed put it, was a real estate money making machine as well as an ad for the company.