Jun 15 2011 10:00 pm
Posted by Rebecca Somers under June 16 Assignment
Westward Expansion
New York state was one of the most populated states pre-Constitution, which is why she had such an influence in the development of America. Since the days of Hamilton, New York was seen as a symbol of capitalism and the “American dream” through a vibrant economy. Hamilton was an inspirational lawyer with the mind of a true businessman. Wall Street was established when President George Washington was inaugurated. The path of NYC seemed to be one of entreprenural, investing, and trading. With this came manufacturing and small sweatshops (nothing like the high rises we see today). I think it was part of New Yorkers destiny to “keep up with the Jones’” because already by 1845, the upper 4% of owned 49% of the cities wealth (Chudacoff, pg. 48). This monetary difference caused the beginnings of the division between the upper and lower classes and the establishment of a middle class. “Housed in mansion, transported in private carriages, clothed in the finest fabrics, fed the choicest delicacies, waited on by servants…the wealthiest residents could remove themselves from contact with the new urban masses (pg. 48). This lifestyle and urbanization contrasted greatly with those cities Out West mainly because of geography and also because of the identity of the settlers.
“Many an optimistic urban speculator from the East came West holding a deed only to find his property located in a mosquito invested swamp (Chudacoff, 42). This explains how the successes of the few still inspired risk takers to make it big in a new and foreign city with lots of rising opportunity. Like New York, the wealth individuals had affected their style of living. And in cities Out West money paid for property and land improvements (Chudacoff, 43). This is an example of a privatized system that had no issue providing special treatments for the people that could afford, while in other cities, like New York, local governments paid for water supplies, firefighting equipment, canals and turnpikes. The beginning of Westward expansion was after the War of 1812 and the construction of an intercontinental railroad. New York and the original thirteen colonies already had an economic advantage, so the Western Territories had to catch up quickly in population and wealth. Geographically, the West had all of these great rivers and waterways that would be of value to them with the introduction of steamships.
