Glossary
| New York City | | The largest city in the United States and one of the most famous centers for commerce and culture, the world over. Founded by the Dutch on land purchased from Native Americans, the city was originally named New Amsterdam. Conquered by the British in 1664, it was renamed New York. During the colonial period, New York was a major center of trade, and a hotbed of revolutionary activity during the Revolutionary War. It served as the nation’s first capitol before the federal government moved to Washington D.C. in 1800. In 1897, the Charter of Greater New York consolidated the five boroughs—Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island and The Bronx—into one city. New York was the great portal of immigration during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Millions of new Americans passed the Statue of Liberty and through Ellis Island on their way to becoming citizens. Nicknamed the “Big Apple” by jazz musicians in the thirties, it is home to the country’s major financial institutions and Wall Street. As of the 2000 Census, its population was 7,322,564. |
|
|
Home