Five-star general and 34th president Dwight Eisenhower once said that "our world...must avoid becoming a community of terrible fear and hatred, and be, instead, a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect.” When it was founded in 1624, New York was a very small colony of French Huguenots from the Netherlands, where everyone was considered equal to each other. However, as New York began to grow and change, a wealth gap grew between the wealthy and those living in poverty. This wealth gap has led to the emergence of many domestic problems in the city. In the journals of George Templeton Strong, he describes what New York City must do to become a healthy functioning city. In doing so, Strong is confident that New York will make the necessary changes in order to have a very bright future, where many more opportunities will be available to its citizens. George Templeton Strong believes New York will only be as strong as it is weakest. link- in this case, the weak being the poor who lived in poor slums. In his diary, he asks the rich to help the poor and vulnerable in the slums. By doing so, the future of New York would be very bright and full of opportunities for everyone. Poor people living in the slums of New York City suffered immense suffering and had little or no opportunity to succeed and succeed in life. With little to no opportunity, they turned to a life of crime. Many young men living in group homes had no chance of a successful future. It is not uncommon for these poor men to be arrested and many killed for the crimes they committed. Slum dwellers became restless, anxiously awaiting change. Strong appealed to many public figures...... middle of paper ...... interest of culture and civilization” (39). He is convinced that in the near future, New York will be able to unite and make his city a model city for all other cities in the world. Despite the unrest that Strong spoke of, New York, through hard work and dedication, achieved many feats. since its creation. Today, New York is the largest city in the entire United States, as well as being one of the largest natural ports in the world, home to 19 million people. It is also still a major business location, providing the land necessary for many businesses and entrepreneurs to succeed financially. Overall, Strong's prediction of a bright future for New York was accurate. Works Cited Rinear, David, L. Stage, Page, Scandals, and Vandals: William E. Burton and Nineteenth-century American Theater. Southern Illinois University: Board of Trustees, 2004. Print.