In the case of Gangs of New York, message can be found on the inscription of the movie’s poster which reads “America was born in the streets.” This seems odd compared to the time frame (1863 – the height of the  Civil War) in which the movie takes place. Shouldn’t it read “America was born in the battlefields”? However, the filmmakers make their point in several ways throughout the film.
The first and most prominent argument is the diversity of New York’s streets the film displays by showing the poor “natives,” the rich “natives,” immigrants of all origins,  women, children, all working a variety of jobs. Although New York City is very different place then Kansas or California, its variety represents all pieces of the United States from descendants of revolutionary war veterans to Chinese immigrants.  Additionally the film depicts the gang conflict as the fight for the future of the United States. Several times throughout the film Boss Tweed and Bill the Butcher argue about the influx of immigrants and what effects they will have. Bill’s conflict with the Irish gangs reflects the countless battles which have taken place over the history of the United States.