The Country and the City

Student’s Name

Institution

The Country and the City

“The Country and the City” is a famous New York documentary film by Ric Burns which covers the discovery and rise of the New York as a state. It takes the development of New York at a commercial scope that was boosted by the completion of the Erie Canal in the year 1825. It significantly examines the vital role played by the Dutch it determining and developing the character of the city as well as the establishment of the Stock Exchange trade. Also, the documentary profoundly talks about the impacts postulated by the British empires and practitioners of slavery as well as the memorable role played by the New York in enhancing the revolution in America and its precise tenure as the capital city of the nation (Burns, et al. 1999). In this paper, “The Country and the City” is discussed into an in-depth extent in consideration of how the film expresses the sense of belonging, its argument position as well as how the real New York city came into being and the things that were put in place that still exist up to date.

The film adapts a unique structure that gives the audience clear picture of how the New York City was established in 1609. It significantly gives a sense of belonging with regards to the City’s position today and the revolution of United States. New York is among the superpower cities in the nation in consideration of its social-economic position and technology advancement. It is in the film that the city is showed as the fundamental base of the commercial trade commonly practiced at the New York Stock Exchange. It indicates that since the early days the city has been essentially contributing to the gross domestic product of the country. It is important in enhancing economic stability in the nation which is also contributed by its geographical position.

The film contains the part of Erie Canal as an important site to the growth of the New York as well as stimulation of the nation’s revolution. The completion of the Erie Canal is postulated as a basic thing in enhancing the development of the New York City and also the country (Reitano, 2018). During that error, the Erie Canal crossed the New York state from the city of Buffalo on the Lake Erie to Troy and Albany on the Hudson River. It is at the New York City that the Hudson River get its channels into the Atlantic Ocean. Therefore, the canal joined great lakes within the Atlantic Ocean as well as opening transport and communication network which are vital in enhancing the nation’s growth and development. It significantly enhanced expansion of the New York City and the United State nation strong during the early decades.

Furthermore, Ric Burns appropriately applies styles in the movie giving it a higher rank and fame worldwide. They play an essential role in laying the base argument of Ric Burns as the author of “The Country and the City” documentary. For instance, the themes, setting, plot, fiction and figurative language among many other literary devices are well applied giving the film validity in explaining the New York history up to today. Among the key themes include capitalism and commerce, creativity and transformation as well as democracy and diversity. Commerce being conducted by the Dutch was the fundamental foundation of the city’s development where the British colony carried out slavery trade and the New Amsterdam was not restrictive of the trade and business opportunities.

The development of the Erie Canal signifies the transformation of the city from national networking to international diversification that is vital in enhancing its development. The themes greatly develop the plot of the episode and properly take the audience through the evolution and development of the film. The setting of the movie significantly builds a clear picture of the New York City during that era and how it developed after several decades. For instance, the structures and facilities of the city advance with time and development of amenities such as the Erie Canal and commercialization. The film is set in the geographical locale of the city which enables the audience to view and compare the odd New York to the modern city with regards to its advancement (Sanchez, 2014). In the film’s argument, the author put across that the City came into the New York through modernization and diversification of the market globally which significantly developed its economic status. It further postulates that abandonment of the unethical commerce such as slave trade and adoption of viable opportunities plays a significant role in its growth and stability position today.

Since the period of the initial New York, viable seeds were established whose products blossoms up to date. The investors and innovators had a mind of the future generations thus put in plays sound plans and ventures that had positive short and long-term impacts on the nation. For instance, consider projects such as the development of the Erie Canal and the New York Stock Exchange (Burns, et al. 1999). They are examples of the investments meant for the New York and will at all the time remain the top revenue generators to the nation not only today but also to the future generation.

As discussed above, “The Country and the City” episode is an important historical documentary to the New York both as a city and a state. Ric Burns gives us an elaborate illustration of how New York has advanced into a modern place with adequate technology and economic development. However, it is the role of the government and citizens at the individual level to keep its position and even make efforts to make New York a better place.

References

Burns, R., Ades, L., Yu, L. S., Sanders, J., & New York historical society. (1999). New York: A documentary film. Steeplechase.

Burns, R., Sanders, J., & Ades, L. (Eds.). (1999). New York: an illustrated history. Alfred A. Knopf.

Reitano, J. (2018). The Restless City: A short history of New York from colonial times to the present. Routledge.

Sanchez, C. (2014). Between the Old, the New, and the Few: Sicilian and Puerto Rican Immigration in New York. The Potsdam Historian, 49.