New York City’s history written documentation began with the first European visitor Giovanni da Verrazzano in 1524 while the European settlement began in 1609 with the Dutch.
In 1765, the “Sons of Liberty” harassed British authority in the city, together with the Stamp Act Congress of representative, from throughout the Thirteen Colonies met in the city to organize resistance to British policies.
The prime target for the British seizure in 1776 was due to the city’s strategic location and status as a major seaport. General George Washington lost a number of battles from which he narrowly escaped, while until late 1783, the British Army controlled New York City and made it their base continent which attracted many Loyalist refugees.
From 1785-1789, the city served as the national capital under the Articles of Confederation, and also served briefly as the new nation’s capital in 1789-90 under the United States Constitution that replaced it.
Under the new government, the city hosted the inauguration of George Washington as the first President of the United States, together with the drafting of the United States Bill of Rights and the First Supreme Court of the United States.
The opening of the Erie Canal had given excellent steamboat connections with upstate New York and the Great Lakes, together with coastal traffic to lower New England which makes the city the preeminent port on the Atlantic Ocean. The arrival of rail connections towards the north and west in the 1840s and 1850s resulted in strengthening its central role.
A number of new immigrants arrived from Europe dramatically changing the composition of the city and serving as workers in the expanding industries in the beginning of the mid-19th century. Modern New York City traces its evolution to the amalgamation of the five boroughs in 1898 together with an economic and building boom which followed the Great Depression and World War II.
Throughout its history, NYC has served as a main port of entry for many immigrants. Its cultural and economic influence has made it one of the most important urban areas in the United States and the world.
Article Provided by michela@welovenyc.com