Final answer:
The Raleigh City Cemetery is significant as a 19th-century park-like space that accommodates people from all walks of life and reflects changing attitudes towards death and commemoration, including inclusive practices and leisurely use of cemetery space.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Raleigh City Cemetery is significant because it reflects a period during the 19th century when cemeteries were conceived as park-like spaces where people could engage in various activities beyond mourning—much like the cemetery in Glendale, CA. Established for all religious affiliations and social classes, including a section for slaves and African-Americans, this cemetery mirrors the evolving attitudes toward death and the commemoration of the deceased. Funded in the early 1800s, Raleigh City Cemetery served as a final resting place for a wide range of people from the local community. This inclusive approach serves as a testament to the cultural shifts in how we view and use cemeteries, in stark contrast to the 16th-century charter to Sir Walter Raleigh, which reflected the prevailing attitudes of the English toward exploration and colonization rather than community-centered spaces. Furthermore, drawing from different customs, such as the continuation of African burial traditions in Alabama, cemeteries like Raleigh City Cemetery encompass a blend of cultural practices. This evolution of cemeteries from purely functional spaces to areas of leisure and cultural significance provides insight into the social history and changes in societal attitudes toward death and remembrance throughout the centuries.