2. Episode 3 “sunshine & shadow”central park All classes of N.Y. gathered here, peacefully, amicably. Considered the “Great Public Square”. Defines N.Y., without it’s existence, citizens would lack a breathing space, place to escape. Democratic meeting ground that its engineers had envisioned. “Angel of the Waters”, sitting atop the Union Tribute Fountain, represented the simplicity and spirit of New Yorkers. Gave N.Y. a sense of identity.
3. Episode 3 “sunshine & shadow”Boss tweed Created and ran the Tammany organization. Dedicated to the service of in need Irish and German immigrants. Helped constituents with bills, jobs, orphanages, soup kitchens. Head of NY public works department, gathered kickbacks for jobs. Held more power than any single person in NY at the time. Became rich off his corruption, estimated 50 million dollars. Embezzled monies from city construction jobs, Brooklyn Bridge, Courthouse, streets, jails. Represented all that was corrupt in NY City at the time. He was not alone in his shady dealings, but he became the fall guy for unhappy NY citizens and politicians, needing someone to blame directly and Tweed being the most obvious candidate. Thomas Nast a cartoonist of Harper’s Weekly, ran a cartoon every week depicting the embezzlement ring that Tweed ran, this led to his conviction. Tweed died in the very same jail he had helped complete.
4. Episode 3 “sunshine & shadow”Brooklyn bridge Time when travel from Manhattan to Brooklyn was restricted to boat, a bridge across the water was necessary. Took 14yrs to complete, 2x original estimated cost, 5,000 workers at $2 a day. Looked at as the union of NY and Brooklyn. Necessary in order to expand into Brooklyn’s untapped land. Largest and tallest structure that had ever been constructed to that day. Represented the future, the merger of steel and electricity. NY had not expanded up until this point, steel was the key in allowing that expansion to happen. Opening day held on Queen Victoria’s day, slap to Irish immigrants to were main labor force behind bridge, they boycotted Queen’s day, for the oppression she represented towards their society in Ireland.
