A place. Place for immigrants leaving europe for the new world the passage across the atlantic was the 1st of many adventures played at their destination they were greeted by a spectacular backdrop. Of manhattan in the harbor they were welcomed by a goddess of the modern age holding high a promise anyone seeking to better their fortunes here would find freedom and security. This principle shapes the United States to this day freedom is paramount it stands above everything even justice. This idea continues to distinguish the. United states from the democracies of the socalled old world. The statue of liberty is a symbol of this principle a gift from france that was shipped across the atlantic in 885 she was intended as a beacon to the world a bearer of hope for all who had left europe behind. The 1st visual depictions of america by europeans showed adventurers searching for a route to india which is why they called the people they encountered indians the europeans were interested in money and power and a crucial factor in that power was religion. When Christopher Columbus set sail from europe in 1492 he flew the flags of catholic spain. He was sent to find a new western sea passage to asia and lay the foundations for the spread of christianity there. The caribbean was a launching pad for later spanish expeditions with the help of new maps the sailors searched for more territory to explore. They landed on a coastline they called florida derived from the spanish name for a flower festival on Easter Sunday pasqua florida. Columbus went to his grave believing he had reached. India. Steadily on who would accompany columbus on a previous voyage knew otherwise but Ponce De Leon thought florida was an island he claimed it for spain naming it the colonia. His ships were likely the 1st to sail the gulf stream at the place in the gulf of mexico where its current is strongest. Delhi owns crews were amazed at how the powerful current left their ships rigging racket and gore. The gulf stream transports more water than all the worlds rivers combined. Its discovery was a boon to the spanish treasure ships over the next 100 years the current help speed their journeys back across the atlantic. A famous european engraver collected reports from 16th century expeditions and captured them in illustrations. More than any other teodor debris shape tawi picture the 1st encounters of the spanish invaders with the Indigenous Peoples. His depictions were not always true to life but the embellishments are not always as apparent as in this illustration of native americans at work killing the fields. The spanish had no real idea of how many native americans lived in the new world historians today estimate that more than 1000000 people lived in florida alone before the invaders arrived. The indigenous americans helped the spanish navigate their way through the us. Familiar terrain why the foreigners were always intent on moving on and what they were looking for was a mystery at 1st the spanish explorers asked them for water and food but that was not all they were after. The spanish were searching for Precious Metals and spices they hoped to reap new riches they wanted to wage a campaign of plunder as they had already done with the incas further south. St augustine in northeastern florida calls itself the oldest continuously occupied settlement established by the europeans in the United States. One stoli own came ashore here on his florida expedition and then moved on. 50 years later the spanish erected a small wooden fort. In the 17th century after raids by english ships the imposing custody your design marcos was built in its place. Pirates found refuge in the islands of the region. Many it started as ordinary smugglers when they saw galleons loaded with gold and silver setting sail for europe the lure of a quick profit was too much to resist. The caribbean gradually became a haven for murderers and thieves. Eventually spains dominance in the new world began to wane. In 16007 english settlers landed further up the east coast in what is now the state of virginia. After entering Chesapeake Bay 3 ships sailed up the james river. The passengers were supposed to build a fort for a new settlement jamestown. For people seeking a better life across the atlantic the Virginia Company of london offered free passage in return for work in the new colonies. After up to 7 years of indentured servitude they were given the right to settle on land assigned to them by the company. The english founded a succession of colonies along the east coast all the way up to modern day boston. Jamestown eventually florist for the Virginia Company it soon became a worthwhile investment. The settlers also planted tobacco which grew so well that Virginia Tobacco was still the most popular in the world. The europeans or the discovery of tobacco to the native americans who used its leaves for medicinal purposes. Been treated snakebites with them and all manner of disease. In 1620 the mayflower set sail from england with a crew of 31 and 102 passengers on board. They were motivated less by material wealth than by freedom. Most of them were fleeing religious persecution they were heading for virginia 1st but poor weather diverted their ship further north to keep god near boston. They landed in what they called Plymouth Rock after the english port city they. Did set sail from. The pilgrim fathers are still part of the founding myth of the United States. Within just a few years they were joined by 20000 more colonists who settled in the new england area near what is now boston they laid the foundations for a deeply religious society where their free churches florist the pilgrim father says they were later known called themselves the saints after st paul back home in england they had been marginalized for their strict adherence to the word of the new testament which is why they were called spirit. They believe their congregation answered directly to god and needed no bishops. They were even opposed to celebrating christmas because the holiday was never mentioned in the new testament. Compared to jamestown colonists the pilgrim fathers of the plymouth plantation adapted more easily to their new surroundings. They had good relations with the native peoples in the area who helped them survive their 1st winter. Big gave the settlers food and showed them how to cultivate crops in the sandy soil. In facts for the bountiful harvest the settlers invited their native neighbors to a 3 day feast an event that inspired the modern thanksgiving holiday. Over the 17th century the netherlands became another rising commercial and naval power. Cape may in new jersey was founded almost 500 years ago by a dutch explorer as a trading post with native americans it is now on the oldest seaside resort in the country each summer 4000 residents welcome more than 100000 visitors. The fur trader Cornelius Jacobsen may also brought dutch settlers to an island nearby. They formed a nucleus of a new colony New Amsterdam todays manhattan. By the mid 17th century the Dutch Settlement had 2000 residents. The british fought 3 naval wars against their dutch rivals and dispatched to flee to take control of the Dutch Settlements in the new world. The dutch lost their colonies to the british the governor was forced to relinquish New Amsterdam which the british renamed new york. But the dutch were permitted to keep their land their faith and their pubs this tolerance displayed by the british commander laid the foundation for a gateway to the new world. The british had founded colonies in the south and north of the east coast they consolidated that foothold with new york and new jersey and later added colonies in pennsylvania and delaware. Their most successful colony was virginia its prosperity spurred on other settlements in the south as the farms increased their profits they evolved into plantation. This success was founded on a workforce brought in from out for. The captured slaves did the work that brought the landowners their wealth. The crops they grew included cotton tobacco and drops. English rule spread from virginia to maryland and North Carolina South Carolina and finally georgia the last and southern most of the original 13 colonies established under british rule. The Middleton Family were one of the most prosperous landowners in South Carolina. Her house still stands as a former plantation the family owned 20000 hectares of land some 50000 acres work by 800 slaves not far from the driving city of charleston. By the mid 17th century charleston was the cultural and Economic Center of the Southern States with a population of 1200 it was at the time the 5th largest city in north america. Became a hub of the slave trade in the british colonies half of the slaves captured in. North america landed in charleston. It was a cruel and barbaric business that paid no heed to any contemporary notion of human rights slave owners were allowed to do whatever they wanted with the people who were their property. Charleston prospered under the slave trade and the British Crown filled its coffers with taxes. In the colonies this bred resentment and they began to turn against british control the colonies were flourishing and did not want to follow orders whether in their business dealings or their religious beliefs from the north to the south this was something they agreed on. Eventually in boston tensions boiled over. When london issued new duties on basic commodities such as paper leather and the colonies demanded no taxation without representation their protests were met with force. The conflict turned deadly when british soldiers shot and killed 5 people during protests in boston the king in london now offered to abolish all taxes except for the tax on t. V. But it was too little too late. The revolutionaries in boston now openly challenge the government in london under cover of darkness and disguised as native americans a group of them crept aboard british trading ships and threw 40 tons of teen into the harbor. The raid went down in history as the boston tea party. London responded to the provocation by sending reinforcements and 775 british troops clashed with colonial militias for the 1st time. The 13 colonies issued a declaration of independence and a declaration of war. Thomas jefferson who was born in england penned key sections of the declaration of independence he became one of the Founding Fathers of the United States along with Benjamin Franklin samuel adams and a tobacco farmer from virginia called George Washington. They were united in their determination to be free of what they called british tyranny. Their declaration also proclaimed that all men had a god given right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It was a call to rebellion but were the colonies willing to die for their cause. They had 15000. 00 poorly equipped militia troops under the command of a military novice plantation owner George Washington. They faced the well equipped and battle hardened british red goes back to buy 30000 mercenaries from germany. But George Washington had patriotic fervor and tank to cool skill on his side he managed to avoid open battle against the enemy superior forces his militia was more accustomed to retreating than going on the offensive but the. British were unable to press their advantage. Then George Washington received military assistance from france the time had turned. That he signs of battle took place not far from jamestown. The british surrendered and london sued for peace but the United States had now come of age. Kid and huge sea bird good to. Leave you was the birth of the nation inspired Francis Scott key to write a poem about the stars spangled banner. This waiter became the lyrics to the National Anthem which celebrated the United States as the land of the free and the home of the brass if dog but who was truly free in this new world women had less freedom native americans and slaves of african descent had none at all the freedoms that were enshrined in the constitution were only valid for a select group st. It soon became clear that rice grew well in the Southern States. New slaves were imported who understood how to cultivate rice. This also proved a very profitable business. Thanks to enslaved rice farmers from west africa South Carolina and georgia soon became known as the rice scopes. But diseases like malaria and yellow fever also flourished in the subtropical climate. When temperatures rose in the spring white farmer owners often left for the north over the summer the slaves were left in comparative peace they developed their own africanamerican culture and. In their own language gullah which is still spoken today on the sea islands of South Carolina. In 790 the islands were home to around 200 white colonists and 7800 black slaves 80 years later some 300 colonists ruled over more than 5000 slaves. As each decade passed the flaws of the american constitution became more apparent for those who are willing to see it. In the north the thorny questions of freedom and equality were at least a topic of debate in the south it was business as usual. The south had its own concept of freedom to the plantation owners it meant the right to free trade and freedom from interference from both the british and the northern states. The Virginia Company of london was the 1st joint Stock Corporation to import slaves from africa to jamestown. The slaves replaced white indentured labor who gained their freedom after completing their years of service that covered the cost of their journey from england. For their owners the people brought from africa would never be free in the new world they lived to serve. Slaves who attempted to escape faced brutal punishment the United States of america which thought of itself as the land of the free was built on slavery. I know that by 860 there were some 40000000 slaves in the United States men and women and children exploited by slave owners and often abused. A few years earlier an 852. 00 Harriet Beecher stowe a teacher published a novel that gripped the country Uncle Toms Cabin tells the story of a slave who was sent to be freed but is then sold to another master who has him whipped to death. For Abraham Lincoln born in kentucky and his new Republican Party the book helped win support for the anti slavery cause. Abraham lincoln became president with votes from the northern states. In the white house he faced a challenge of historic proportions. After his election in South Carolina moved 1st soon 11 slaveholding states seceded from the United States the president decided to use the military to force the south back into the union. The civil war waged over differing definitions of freedom and cost the lives of 600000 soldiers and 500000 civilians 2 percent of the population. It remains the countrys bloodiest conflict. Half of those killed could not be identified. In may 861. 00 the white slave owners on the sea islands had like every year left for the summer. Their slaves remained behind. The north took the opportunity to seize control of the islands and arm several 100 gullah slaves. Many of the men took pride in wearing the blue uniform and in joining the fight for their freedom. Union forces soon occupied the nearby city of beaufort thanks to the 1st South Carolina volunteer infantry regiment it was one of the 1st black regiments in the union army. The north now began to be ploy more and more units of pluck soldiers 180000 African American men gave lincoln the new troops he so desperately needed on the battlefield its. Another factor healthy and. Carolines nor its Railway Network allowed troops and weapons to be transported quickly across the country. Many of the battlefields were located close to Railway Tracks and the towns that had sprung up near to them. The union of the northern states was gaining the upper hand. The confederate south staked everything on one final push to encircle the northern armies. They were outmatched both in terms of resources and strategy the Confederate Army lost their final great battle their only choice was to surrender. Abraham lincoln had been reelected the year before the end of the war after the south capitulated he urged reconciliation calling on both sides to refrain from taking revenge or. To do all which may achieve and cherish my just and other lasting peace among ourselves. And with race. But the civil war claimed one more life. One week after the end of the conflict president lincoln and his wife attended a performance at the ford theater in washington. Again. Signed a. Retiring. At the pinnacle of his success Abraham Lincoln paid the ultimate price for his vision of freedom. He was shot dead by confederate sympathizer john wilkes booth. More than a century and a half later wounds may have healed but they have not been forgotten and old resentments lurk under the surface. During the war both sides prayed for god to grant them victory in a conflict fought over Land Resources and their different definitions of the right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness the rights and try and in the preamble to the declaration of independence proved easier said than done. The navesink twin lights light house overlooking the entrance to the bay of new york is a good Vantage Point to gaze on what may be the quintessential American Dream the journey from rags to riches for more than a handful this dream became reality. On the way toward manhattan a statue of liberty symbolizes what the nations Founding Fathers had put to paper in the declaration of independence from british rule an end to terror and me and liberty for all. Only a short distance away is ellis island for new immigrants from europe it became known as both an island of hope and an island of tears. Europe was suffering from hunger and political and economic on rest during the 19th century 52000000 people left the continent in many cases their home countries helped support the emigration of entire families to help alleviate poverty back home. The Mass Immigration required organized collection points on the european side of the atlantic. Many people departed from hamburg. After a devastating fire in 842. 00 the port city was rebuilt. The harbor was massively expanded as were the shipyards hamburg became a gateway to the world. While sailing ships used to need 2 months to cross the atlantic by the late 19th century modern steamships made the journey in just 2 weeks. A growing number of migrants who are now arriving from Eastern Europe and the balkans to hamburg america shipping line built a camp for them on the outskirts of the city passengers had to endure a 14 day quarantine this prevented the outbreak of diseases on board the ships which could cause people to be turned back in new york. Passengers traveling 1st class had their belongings packed securely in trunks their tickets cost 4. 00 times the price of the lowest class ticket but this is where the Ship Operators made their profit passengers were crammed into bunks in rooms with no windows. Emigration became a huge moneymaker ships took passengers west and loaded up with cargo for the return journey. For many migrants it meant saying farewell for ever and to be parcher to the unknown. Thanks to growing Competition Among shipping lines even 3rd class passengers soon had more amenities on their journey at the same time ticket prices dropped to 950. 00 the journey cost an average annual wage by 1800 it was one months income. Families who couldnt afford to send everyone off and sent the men ahead 1st. But for those who hope to achieve the American Dream there was still a hurdle to overcome ellis island island of hope and tears. Passengers of well for social standing were allowed to step off the boat and go straight to manhattan passengers in 3rd class were made to submit to a rigorous screening process. The initial interview took only a few minutes the medical exam was an ordeal this was what decided who would have a chance at the American Dream. First only passengers suffering from disease were rejected. Later the authorities also blacklisted prostitutes the poor anarchists illiterate and chinese people. Those denied entry were returned to where they came from but the cost of the shipping company. On some days up to 12000 people were processed adelas island. In the late 19th century germans for the Largest Group of immigrants followed by people from ireland and britain but Many Russians hunger aryans italians and others sought their fortunes in the new world. For passengers traveling in 1st or. 2nd class who went straight to manhattan the American Dream was not such a reach. The others who disembarked at ellis island had a more difficult path. But still some rose to a life of prosperity in their new home. Davies toffs born in bavaria emigrated with his mother in 847 and went on to make levi jeans a mass consumer product. Line of fish dine vague arrived in new york from hamburg an 850 he went on to become world famous for his steinway piano. Henry john heinz who invented tomato ketchup was born in the u. S. But his father came from germany. As did another immigrant treated his trump grandfather of donald trump. Before and after becoming President Donald Trump campaigned for more restrictive immigration policies and for a wall along the border to mexico. The vast majority of european immigrants arrive through new york even those who plan to continue to the midwest immigrants who stayed in new york generally settled in specific neighborhoods which became little italy Little Germany or little russia. Their children were automatically granted american citizenship through birthright. New york could become a modern day bagel and not just because of the many languages spoken there as the decades passed the citys New Buildings towered higher and higher trying to outdo each other and down to other cities the 1st time arrives was built in 1905 it had 10 stories in 1809 the 1st skyscraper with a steel skeleton structure was built a decade later the tallest building soared 100 meters 10 years after that double that i. Can 131. 00 the now legendary Empire State Building topped out at 381 meters that held the world record for more than 40 years until the limitations of steel framed buildings were overcome. In 1603 some well the champlain founded the 1st of a string of settlements for france and north america. The 1st was on an uninhabited island. Later ones followed along the st lawrence river. Some while the champlain came into contact with native americans who thrived in the forests that were rich in game the french ended up having to cede most of their new world territory to britain although the quebec region in what is today canada remains french speaking. But those who lost the most were the native americans their traditional hunting grounds had been deforested their lakes and rivers depleted of fish they were even prohibited from hunting and gathering much of the forest was now privately owned. Richard henry pratt to an army major assigned the task of assimilating native americans is still known for his motto kill the indian and save the man. Who. The descendants of europeans never lost their suspicion of native americans and resorted to military force to displace them this may not of accord with the word and spirit of the Us Constitution but in the new world might was still right. By the turn of the 20th century the Indigenous People had been decimated only 237000 made of americans remain. They lost 98 percent of their land to the invaders and they had to wait until 948. 00 to be granted full civil rights in all states nearly 80 years after the 1st africanamericans won the right to vote. 500 years of colonization and displacement for some for others 500 years of the American Dream. Soon after the dawn of the 21st century that dream came under brutal attack on september the 11th 2001 the World Trade Center was targeted as a symbol of the ideals of the western world. Almost 3000 people were killed in the attack people who had roots in all corners of the earth. But the open society whose foundations had been laid by the courage of the pioneers refused to be intimidated. The new Freedom Tower adjacent to the former side of the World Trade Center is a testament to that did. Terminations today it fills the gap in the new york skyline. The spanish were the 1st european conquerors of the new world their legacy today includes over 50000000 Spanish Speaking people in the United States more than in spain itself. But the pillar of the American Dream was and remains of liberty the belief that people could come from around the world and achieve their dreams or as one the son of italian immigrant sang if i can make it there ill make it anywhere. Kick off. Soccer players from africa for decades theyve been top performers and crowd favorites in the mourners league we caught up with 2 former stars sunday on the safe and bucky olsen. Greatest successes and what theyve been doing since hanging up their cleats. Minutes on the job. Its been 15 years since the moon landing. Was the 1st man to walk on the moon. As a small boy he dreamed of the stars. As a pilot he flew anything no matter how dangerous. Going up. As an astronaut he took part in the greatest adventure in history. And. Room a legend was simply a human being. Who was new armstrong starts july 20th on t. W. Such. As this is t w news coming to you live from berlin around lashes out at the u. S. Over its decision to impose sanctions on the Supreme Leader tara says it will never succumb to the pressure that accuses the u. S. Of conducting Economic Warfare against its people also coming up europe is bracing for the record high temperatures as a heat wave
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