Spaces and exchanges : to what extent can we say that through many challenges immigration shaped the United States ?

Spaces and exchanges

I am going to talk about the notion of spaces and exchanges. First, I would like to give a definition of exchange. An exchange is the act of giving or receiving something in substitution of something else. Today these exchanges can take several forms. This notion also deals with the geographical and symbolic areas that all societies occupy and the interactions between men and different societies. Franklin Roosevelt said: “Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially are descended from immigrants and revolutionists.” To what extent can we say that through many challenges immigration shaped the United States? In a first part we will talk about the first settlers then we will deal with the American border wall.

First, the cartoon by Jeff Parker, 2006 is an apt illustration. It depicts Native Americans building a wall to prevent the settlers from entering Plymouth. The cartoonist raises the problem of cultural integration and assimilation facing immigrants. Actually, while many praise the founders of the United States they are prone to forget that they were immigrants born far across the ocean.

Secondly, let’s consider the cartoons Mixed Feelings. Both cartoons focus on a major issue, the foreign American policy concerning South American Immigration. The first cartoon portrays the hand of Uncle Sam inviting a sombrero into the United States even though there’s a wall separating them. The second cartoon highlights the uneasiness and tension in the relationships between Americans and immigrants.

To conclude, we should bear in mind that modern societies face challenges because of immigration in particular a wide spectrum of attitudes concerning integration and assimilation. However this same immigration built the United States as we know them today.

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