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The American experiment isn’t something that happened—it’s something that’s still happening.

As the United States approaches its semiquincentennial, The Dispatch is launching The Next 250—a year-long project examining America’s founding principles and what makes this country, imperfect though it may be, so exceptional. Featuring exclusive essays from historians, political theorists, military experts, legal scholars, and cultural commentators, we’ll explore the biggest questions facing our nation and the unique qualities of this big, messy experiment we call home.

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Birds-eye view of New York City in 1873, with ships in the harbor, as seen from the south. (Photo by Buyenlarge via Getty Images)
Vincent Cannato /

The Origins of the Urban-Rural Divide 

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