Billy Joel had a great song that I used to love to sing, “New York State of Mind.” I never thought much about a depth to the lyrics beyond it was another great song by Billy Joel. Like the song, I always thought NYC would be a great place: cool, big, a hive of activity. I never thought of NYC in an historical context; but NYC enjoys a unique place in the history, and the future, of our great nation.
NYC tells us about our collective past, present and future. NYC tells a unique story of America: how we’ve lived our past but moved on with an eye on the future. The people of NYC tell a tale of living to the fullest and moving to the future. How can a look to the future be of such interest to a history teacher?? I see that as one of the most unique things that I learned on this trip: my life, our world, is the future’s history. What we bring to the world now will be looked upon as the artifacts of our lives and our world. Someday, our lives will become the “stuff” of museums.
This year’s TAH trip gave me new visions of this incredible discipline we teach. I realized as we toured on the bus with Dr. Jackson or walked the streets of the Lower East Side with Ed O’Donnell that history is where we stand; and we miss so much of it. EY at the Museum of NYC taught that exact lesson: our museum is everywhere we are. Translating to Pueblo, CO: what are we missing by not paying attention to the very streets we walk or the buildings that we drive by in a blur. A meal can be a lesson in cultural diversity and the sign above a store can mean a century of change.
Little Italy "The Real One"
Butcher's offering
Geography often becomes a lesson in latitude and longitude, but NYC can bring the lesson of space and how man adapts to his environment. The island of Manhattan is limited in its square footage. Man adapted; man created vertical real estate. The streets of NYC show the ties between man and building and how the environment can be affected. The blistering cold wind that we felt on a hot June day was evidence to this. This geography lesson then leads to Urban Reform and changes with zoning codes in cities.
Man’s geography in NYC also introduces the topic of the mighty Brooklyn Bridge. The Bridge was an incredible feat in the late 1800’s. The geography of Brooklyn and its separation by the East River created a man made need for a way to get across easier, without dealing with the issues of frozen rivers and incapacitated ferries. From this one structure, you can now look at the past: a myriad of bridges of varying construction, all awesome in their own unique way. The Bridge also speaks to use of transportation and how do you possibly speak of the urban setting in NYC without discussing the subway. For a simple country girl, what a scary behemoth is this underground labyrinth. Once tamed and understood however, another lesson in how man deals with his surroundings. The reasons why it was created, as well as how, could entertain our students for days. Go, young padawan, …..CREATE!!!!
Brooklyn Bridge 1896
How is it that New Yorkers can live in the constraints of space that they do? Some of this question is answered in the corridors of the Tenement Museum. Immigrants lived and worked within 200 square feet. They eventually moved at home sewing factories to large factories, but the apartments show how these people have developed a unique life. The people of NYC do little inside but spend much of their life “out and about”. Central Park enters this discussion. The people of NYC utilize Central Park, and the hundreds of other parks, as their way of escaping the confines of small living space. When one listens to television after having been to NYC, you realize how many offerings there are for the inhabitants. With little space, there is no space for grocery stores. I found myself stopping in a “Loaf ‘n Jug” type store on the way into the subway to take home a couple things for the next day: I HAD BECOME A NEW YORKER!! Now I started to see the many carts, and vendors, and small specialty stores in every neighborhood. This is exactly like I describe life for my kids in respect to immigrant life of NYC at the turn of the century.
A “New York State of Mind” becomes engrained in how you look at the smallest aspects of life. New Yorkers have moved beyond their past with an eye to the future. Buildings are torn down and replaced; towers fall and they, as well as the people of the city, are reborn. New Yorkers are resilient; much like Americans. AHHHHH…..this makes me wonder: which came first? Can NYC be utilized as a study for all things American? Or can Americanism be viewed through the lens of NYC?
History teachers…..we take from the past, pass this on to the minds of the present, and hope to affect the future. As I walked in amazement and with a new lens, saw NYC and its people, I viewed my job with renewed excitement and energy. A love of history can only be enhanced on these streets teeming with people from centuries past and present. The lessons of NYC can be translated to Pueblo. The unique world of NYC helps create museums in every classroom.
Kelli,
I love how you addressed “man’s geography”. New York is such a testament to what engineering marvels have evolved over time. I agree with your statements on the Brooklyn Bridge, in my mind it is the most amazing engineering wonder in New York.
It really is incredible to look out over the massive city and consider all of the technology, labor, and capital that it took to create such an astounding metropolitan masterpiece! Building is ongoing and managing the municipality is as well. It amazes me how they keep everything in order, what an accomplishment!