A World Map of Manhattan- What it reveals about America

This picture is called Manhattan- Global Island and I chose this picture because it encapsulates what America is; a nation made up of countries from all around the world. This map shows that America, but especially New York, is seen as a welcoming place as many choose to migrate there. In 1855 the number of immigrants in New York rose from sixty two percent to seventy percent, showing that America as always been seen as a land of welcoming opportunity, where people could escape from prejudices in Europe; 1886 saw shiploads of immigrants arriving in New York every day. The map also indicates that similar to Britain, America is an immigrant country which takes pieces from almost every culture to create its own, whereby everyone can coexist. The fact that this is a world map of Manhattan, which is in the northern states of America, also indicates that most people from around the world, tend to immigrate to the northern states because of industry. This was particularly prominent in the early twentieth century which saw high numbers of immigrants in the northern industrial states such as Illinois, Michigan and Ohio. The map also shows that on the surface different cultures, races, creed and religions can live together in America, however, under the surface America is segregated in the sense that you are likely to find some minorities in certain places, like in New York. For example Hispanics and Latinos are more likely to be found in Texas and California; likewise African Americans are more likely to be found in the Queens borough of New York; and Native Americans are more likely to be found on reservations in various states such as Oklahoma and Alaska.

The artist, Danielle Hartman said: “the relationship between Manhattan Island and the final island design. The global island suggests that residents from all over the world can coexist, that they are integral to making the City what it is, and they can still retain their separate identities. Rather than a melting pot, the City is a rich mosaic, a microcosm of the world.” This sums up that America is united in the sense that people from different countries of origin can live as one, but are still different.

http://bigthink.com/ideas/21165