According to official statistics, more than 8.4 million people live in New York. According to unofficial data, the metropolis accommodates almost 21 million citizens. In this case, any resident of the American city can become the hero of the film. It is there that more than 200 films are shot every year.
Nevertheless, the history of New York is practically unknown to anyone. How did the largest US metropolis come about? What is its feature and what attractions should every tourist who decides to visit Manhattan have to see? It is worthwhile to dwell on each question.
What is known about New York?
Thanks to the developed American film industry, every Russian schoolchild knows that New York is a city that aliens dream of attacking, that it is where the zombie apocalypse begins, and also that in the American metropolis there is one modest superhero who will save everyone.
This is actually a truly unique American state. Even the territory on which New York is located is unusual. Most of it is covered with hills, from the northwest it is washed by Lake Ontario, in the southwest they close the Allegany Mountains. In the north of the state is the border with Canada. And the southeast is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
And of course, the city is famous for its architecture and attractions. With your own eyes it is worth seeing the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, the skyscrapers of the metropolis, as well as visiting the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
Every day, about 13 thousand taxi drivers go to work in the city, and 468 metro stations operate underground and on its surface. At the same time, the subway operates around the clock.
How did the Dutch buy New York for $ 25?
According to historical data, the Indians settled "in Manhattan" 3 thousand years ago. Scientists believe that people lived in the modern city 10 thousand years ago. However, the history of the creation of New York as an American state began only in the 16th century.
In 1524, Italians arrived in the territory under the leadership of researcher Giovanni Verratzano. The scientist wanted to study the Hudson River. Later, the Dutch arrived on the island. Science was of little interest to them, they seized the land and announced that it was New Netherlands (according to another version - New Amsterdam).
So that the indigenous people did not bother much, they built Fort Amsterdam in Manhattan. And a year later, the governor of the New Netherlands paid off the Indians. Peter Minuit bought the future largest metropolis for metal trinkets, jewelry and clothing for a total value of $ 25. After a century deal, Manhattan began to import slaves from Africa.
English colony
In late summer 1664, the British came to New York. The history of the city tells that the Dutch surrendered their New Netherlands without a fight. The governor of the English settlement was Richard Nicholson. It was he who gave the city its modern name. The governor named the future metropolis in honor of his brother - King James 2, Duke of York.
The events themselves took place during the war between the Dutch and the British. 9 years after the shameful surrender of the city, the indignant Dutchmen regained their lands and named them New Orange. True, a year later (in 1674), New York again became English under the Westminster Treaty.
Residents of the city, of course, were not happy with such a frequent change of power, therefore, at the end of the 17th century, the history of New York was closely connected with internal uprisings. The largest happened in 1689-1691. After him, for almost 100 years, the city lived peacefully. Its borders expanded, hospitals, schools, universities opened.
Independent New York
In 1775, the US War of Independence began . She could not go past New York. Moreover, several fights took place in the city itself. And the Brooklyn battle led to a terrible fire, which destroyed most of the metropolis. The British did not give up the city to the end. Only two months after the war, New York became American - November 25, 1783.
This did not prevent the metropolis from becoming the first capital of the United States. In addition, it was in it that the inauguration of the first president, George Washington, took place. By the way, modern tourists can personally see the most significant events in the life of the city by visiting the Museum of the History of New York.
It should be noted that the metropolis itself grew and developed thanks to immigrants from New England and Ireland. At the beginning of the 19th century, the population of New York increased 4 times and exceeded the figure of 1.2 million inhabitants.
The civil war between North and South somewhat halted the construction of the city, but after its end, New York began to develop with renewed vigor. In 1886, the French presented the United States with the Statue of Liberty. At the same time, the first skyscraper appeared in the metropolis - Tower Building.
What state is New York in?
The city is in the state of the same name. The official history of New York State began on July 26, 1788. It was on that day that the region entered the United States.
What is noteworthy: the state capital was not the largest metropolis of America, but the city of Olabani. Moreover, officially 20 million people live in the state, almost half are residents of the city of New York.
The state has its own motto, which in Latin sounds like Excelsior, which means "Weight is higher." This is probably due to the fact that the territory in which it is located consists of hills.
The metropolis itself does not have a motto, but there are two whole nicknames - “Capital of the World” and “Big Apple”. In addition, New York City is known throughout the world for having the UN headquarters in it.
City of skyscrapers
At the beginning of the last century, the metropolis became one of the centers of trade and industry. Even then, land in New York was expensive, and there was no space for construction. The city began to grow not in breadth, but up.
The history of New York is closely connected with the construction of skyscrapers. Almost every skyscraper in the city has its own name. Already in 1907, West Street Building was built with a height of 99 meters. And four years later, the city grew 246-meter Woolworth.
The New Yorkers did not stop there, and in the 30s the first buildings were built that exceeded the 300-meter mark. Chrysler Building and Empire State Building 319 and 381 meters high respectively.
In 1971, the tragically famous Twin Towers (417 and 415 meters) were built. For a long time, these were the tallest skyscrapers in the world.
New York is still erecting skyscrapers. So, in 2013 in the city the “Freedom Tower” grew 541 meters high.
Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty
Almost the same value as skyscrapers, for the architecture of the city have bridges: Williamsburg, Manhattan, Queensboro bridge. But the most famous, thanks to the cinema, is the Brooklyn Bridge.
This unique hanging structure was built in 1883. For that time, it was the largest suspension bridge in the world, as well as the only viaduct in the construction of which there were steel bars.
Three years after the construction of the bridge, the Statue of Liberty appeared in New York. It was a gift from France to the Americans as a sign of friendship between nations. As many as 324 steps lead to the top of the statue, to the pedestal - 192.
Today, it is the pride of every New Yorker. However, at the end of the 19th century, builders had financial difficulties. There was not enough money for the Statue of Liberty. Then both countries launched a massive fundraising campaign. Arranged concerts and lotteries. And if the French gladly responded to the call to collect the missing amount, then the Americans were in no hurry to part with the money. The article was helped by the famous journalist Joseph Pulitzer, who criticized his compatriots. After the publication, US residents were quick to turn in money for construction.
Museum of Natural History
The megalopolis has one of the most beloved museums in the world - the Museum of Natural History. In New York, any resident or guest of the city can visit it.
Americans are proud that it is in this museum that half a million volumes of books on the subject of natural science are kept. Visitors are more impressed by the halls of the museum.
So, on the ground floor you can see the exhibits of people at different stages of human development. There is the famous "Lucy" (Australopithecus skeleton), "Beijing Man" and many others.
The second floor is especially loved by girls - there are over 100 thousand copies of precious stones. There is also a room in which meteorites are stored, and a room with fossilized skeletons of dinosaurs and other extinct ancient animals.
Ups and downs
As you can see, the history of New York knew its ups and downs. The 70s of the last century were remembered by the economic and social crisis, in the 90s a new wave of immigrants surged in the USA (mainly from the former Soviet Union), and the city began to develop again. Then there was a boom of “dotcoms” (roughly reminiscent of modern startups), and young people went into business.
And of course, telling about the history of the city, one cannot but say about the tragic date - September 11, 2001, when the attack killed thousands of lives and destroyed the two tallest skyscrapers in New York.
Nowadays, the metropolis is developing again, increasing the number of its inhabitants and erecting new buildings.