Vision of America

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The quote 'Here he beholds fair cities, substantial villages  extensive fields, an immense country filled with decent houses,.....and bridges  where a hundred years ago, all was wild, woody and uncultivated!' from 'Letters from an American Farmer' shows that Crevecoeur saw this to be new and exceptional to be typically American; as Crevecoeur viewed Americans to be the rulers of development and believed that Europeans are amazed to see how well they have developed the American land. I have chosen this image of New York as New York city is globally recognised to be a leader of development due to the sheer size and quality of its developments such as its transportation system which is efficient and practical for millions of people. New York City is also famous for containing some of the world’s best architecture such as the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building, along with thousands of skyscrapers (more skyscrapers than any other city in the world). As New York is developing so fast the city has been labelled as the 'city that never sleeps' due due to its constant rate of development.  

One of the first points he brings up is the diversity of Americans "They are a mixture of English, Scotch, Irish, French, Dutch, Germans, and Swedes."  Crevecoeur believes that this melting pot, and the "strange mixture of blood" among colonists, is an important factor that is responsible for what makes America such a progressive nation. Crevecoeur's view can be seen today in contemporary America as Americans and other nations around the globe believe that the sheer diversity of New York City (containing many ethnicities and is one of the most linguistically diverse cities in the world, as over 200 languages spoken within the city.)  is a major factor to why it has become so progressive in its development.