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. At the same time, any resident of an 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 metropolis in the United States come about? What is its peculiarity and what attractions should every tourist who decides to visit Manhattan see? It is worth dwelling on each question in more detail.
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 the zombie apocalypse will begin there, and that there is one modest superhero in the American metropolis who will save everyone.
In fact, it is truly unique. Even the very territory on which New York is located is unusual. Most of it is covered with hills, from the northwest it is washed by the Allegheny Mountains in the southwest. 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 sights. With your own eyes it is worth seeing the Brooklyn Bridge, the skyscrapers of the metropolis, and also visiting the 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 on the territory of the modern city already 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, the Italians arrived on the territory under the leadership of the explorer Giovanni Verrazano. 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 Netherland (according to another version, New Amsterdam).
So that the indigenous people would not bother much, Fort Amsterdam was erected in Manhattan. A year later, the governor of New Netherland paid off the Indians. Peter Minuit bought the future largest metropolis for $25 worth of metal trinkets, jewelry and clothes. After the deal of the century, slaves from Africa began to be brought into Manhattan.
English colony
At the end of the summer of 1664, the British came to New York. The history of the city tells that the Dutch surrendered their New Netherland without a fight. Richard Nicholson became governor of the English settlement. It was he who gave the city its modern name. The governor named the future metropolis in honor of his brother, King James II, 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 Dutch regained their lands and called them New Orange. True, a year later (in 1674) New York again became English under the Treaty of Westminster.
The inhabitants of the city, of course, were not satisfied with such a frequent change of power, so 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 were opened.
Independent New York
In 1775, she could not get past New York. Moreover, several battles took place in the city itself. And the Battle of Brooklyn led to a terrible fire that 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 see the most significant events in the life of the city with their own eyes by visiting the New York History Museum.
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 suspended the construction of the city, but after it ended, New York began to develop with renewed vigor. In 1886, the French gave the United States the Statue of Liberty. At the same time, the first skyscraper, the Tower Building, appeared in the metropolis.
What state is New York in?
The city is located 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 capital of the state was not the largest metropolis in America, but the city of Olabani. Moreover, officially 20 million people live in the state, almost half are residents of New York City.
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 - “The Capital of the World” and “The Big Apple”. In addition, New York City is known throughout the world for the fact that it is in it that the UN headquarters is located.
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 upwards.
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, the West Street Building was built with a height of 99 meters. And four years later, a 246-meter Woolworth grew up in the city.
The New Yorkers did not stop there, and in the 30s the first buildings were built that exceeded the mark of 300 meters. The Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building are 319 meters and 381 meters 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.
Until now, New York is building skyscrapers. So, in 2013, the Freedom Tower “grew up” in the city with a height of 541 meters.
Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty
Almost the same importance 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. At 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 token of friendship between peoples. As many as 324 steps lead to the top of the statue, 192 to the pedestal.
Today it is the pride of every New Yorker. However, at the end of the 19th century, the builders had financial difficulties. There was not enough money for the Statue of Liberty. Then both countries staged a massive fundraising campaign. Organized concerts and lotteries. And if the French gladly responded to the call to collect the missing amount, the Americans were in no hurry to part with the money. The article of the famous journalist Joseph Pulitzer, who criticized his compatriots, helped. After the publication, US residents hurried to donate money for construction.
Museum of Natural History
One of the most beloved museums in the world operates in the metropolis - the Museum 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 stored. Visitors are more admired by the halls of the museum.
So, on the first floor you can see exhibits of people at different stages of human development. There is the famous "Lucy" (Australopithecine skeleton), "Peking 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 hall in which meteorites are stored, and a hall with fossils and other extinct ancient animals.
Ups and downs
As you can see, the history of New York has known its ups and downs. The 70s of the last century were remembered for the economic and social crisis, in the 90s a new wave of immigrants poured into the United States (mainly from the former Soviet Union), and the city began to develop again. Then the “dot-com” boom happened (roughly reminiscent of modern startups), and young people went into business.
And of course, talking about the history of the city, one cannot but mention the tragic date - September 11, 2001, when the terrorist attack claimed 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 building new buildings.
New York(English New York City), the former name until 1664 - New Amsterdam - a city in the state of New York of the United States of America, one of the largest cities in the world. Population 8,459,026 (2010), metropolitan area 18.8 million Located on the Atlantic Ocean in southeastern New York State. New York was founded in the early 17th century by Dutch colonists. Until 1664 the city was called "New Amsterdam".
The city administratively consists of 5 districts: Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and Staten Island. The main attractions are located in Manhattan. Among them: historical skyscrapers (Empire State Building, Chrysler Building), Rockefeller Center, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Metropolitan Opera, Solomon Guggenheim Museum of Contemporary Art (painting), American Museum of Natural History (dinosaur skeletons and planetarium), the legendary Chelsea Hotel, United Nations Headquarters, Harlem.
New York City includes Manhattan Island, Staten Island, the western part of Long Island, part of the North American mainland - (Bronx), and several small islands in New York Harbor. New York is located at approximately 40° north latitude and 74° west longitude. The highest point in New York is Todt Hill, 125 m high, which is located on Staten Island. Staten Island is the most hilly and spacious and least populated area of the city. In densely populated Manhattan, by contrast, land is limited and expensive, which explains the high number of tall buildings and skyscrapers. According to the US Census Bureau, the city has an area of 1214.4 km², of which 785.6 km² is land and 428.8 km² (35.31%) is water.
According to the latest geological research by American scientists, conducted in 2008, two geological faults intersect 40 kilometers north of the city, which makes earthquakes of magnitude up to 7 points probable. Moreover, the intersection is located next to the nuclear power plant. Therefore, additional measures will be developed to protect buildings and the nuclear power plant.
New York is located at relatively low latitudes: for example, New York lies at approximately the same latitude as Istanbul, Madrid, Tashkent and Beijing. The climate of the city is subtropical oceanic. Precipitation is relatively evenly distributed throughout the year. The average annual number of hours of sunshine is 2680 hours. Despite the fact that the city is located on the coast of the ocean, the difference in temperature between summer and winter is quite large, since the prevailing movement of air masses is from the mainland. The influence of the ocean is secondary, but still somewhat softens temperature fluctuations. Another factor is dense urban development, which makes the city somewhat warmer than the surrounding area.
During the winter in New York, temperatures average between -2°C and +5°C, with frequent deviations from the norm. Snow falls almost every winter, with an average of 60 cm per year. Spring is mild, with temperatures between 7°C and 16°C. Summers in New York are relatively hot, with average temperatures between 19°C and 28°C, with periods of high humidity. Temperatures often exceed 32°C, and rarely reach 38°C or higher. Autumn in New York is pleasant, with temperatures between 10°C and 18°C. However, New York weather is very unpredictable and from time to time surprises New Yorkers with mild, almost snowless winters or rather noticeable coolness in summer. It happened that back in April there was a strong snowstorm that covered New York with a thick layer of snow. Sometimes the temperature can fluctuate dramatically from day to day. Travelers are advised to keep an eye on the weather forecast and have several types of clothing in late autumn and early spring (i.e. November, March, April).
In the past, the overwhelming population of the city were immigrants from Europe: in the middle of the XIX century. - mostly Irish and Germans, by the beginning of the 20th century. - Jews and Italians. In 1940, about 94% of the population of the unofficial capital of the United States were whites. However, the ethnic make-up was rapidly changing as whites moved to the suburbs. This phenomenon, called "suburbanization", first manifested itself on a massive scale in New York. Within the city limits, those who left were replaced by representatives of other races. Over the past decades, New York City has welcomed many Asians, especially Chinese, Indians and Pakistanis, as well as natives from many Latin American and Caribbean countries.
As a result of powerful influxes of immigration, New York was one of the first among American cities - in the mid-80s. 20th century - lost the white majority and became the domain of Hispanics and African Americans. To date, Richmond is the only borough with a predominantly white population. And the territory of the city has long been a mosaic of “branches of Harlem”, “little Italy”, “Chinatowns”, Jewish “East Sides”, “Latin Quarters”, etc. sort of Ellis Island Immigration Museum. It is based on the site where, until 1954, there was the main and infamous point for the reception of immigrants, through which more than 20 million future US citizens passed. Immigration is a key factor in the city's rapid population growth. In the 70s of the XIX century. the number of inhabitants of the historical core - the county of New York exceeded one million, by the time of the formation of a single New York City in 1896, it exceeded 3.4 million. In 2000, 8,008,278 people lived in New York.
History of New York City
The first mention of New York (or rather, the area on which it was subsequently located) is attributed to the Italian navigator Giovanni Verrazano (1524). However, it is often said that the former pirate (as one of the legends testifies) failed to report on the results of his trip to a distant continent: the hospitable inhabitants of the Caribbean Islands, where he looked on his way back for souvenirs, ate the unlucky adventurer.
Years passed and a new explorer - the English sailor Henry Hudson (some of our former compatriots are not averse to calling him the name Gena Hudson, which is more euphonious to the Russian ear, since in venerable times the discoverer of these places, before moving to the Dutch West India Company, worked for the good Moscow fur company, located in the city of London, and was previously known for the discovery of Svalbard for the Norwegians, and for the Russians - the Novaya Zemlya islands) not only described the local river and bay (in 1609), but also measured them with new methods for those times , for which he was honored to give the river he discovered his own name (Hudson).
The fortress "New Amsterdam" (or rather, the fort) and a dozen houses (natives of the same Dutch city) appeared on the banks of the Hudson in 1615, and in 1624 the first group of Dutch settlers settled near the fortress. A couple of years later (in 1626), the Dutchman Peter Minuit bought the island of Manhattan from the local Indians for trinkets (the cost of which was only 60 guilders, i.e. $ 24), and in 1647 the colony was headed by his energetic namesake, Peter Stuyvesant, for during the governorship of which the population of the village increased to ten thousand people. In 1664, English ships captured the city without encountering resistance from Governor Stuyvesant, and it was renamed New York, in honor of the initiator of this sortie, the Duke of York. As a result of the second Anglo-Dutch War in 1667, the Dutch officially handed over New York to the British and in return received the colony of Suriname.
Although England becomes the most powerful colonial state, anti-British sentiment is growing in the American colonies. In 1765, the Colonial Congress met in New York, at which disagreement was expressed with the law on stamp duty and taxation. The emerging patriotic organization "Sons of Liberty" led the liberation movement and the creation of a new state. On June 25, 1776, General George Washington, who arrived in New York, was enthusiastically received on Broadway, but the British fleet, led by Admiral Richard Howe, entering New York Bay, managed to crush the desperate resistance of the Americans. Having captured the strategically important Brooklyn Heights, and then the areas of Harlem and Morningside Heights, the British held the island of Manhattan. At the beginning of the War of Independence, the modern territory of the city was the scene of important battles. As a result of the Battle of Brooklyn, a great fire started in Brooklyn, in which most of the city burned down, and it fell into British hands until the end of the war, until the Americans again took possession of it in 1783. This day, called "Evacuation Day" (English), long celebrated in New York.
When on October 19, 1781, the regular troops of General Washington, together with the French units, surrounded the armed forces of the English Admiral Cornwallis near Yorktown (Virginia), the 7,000-strong British army was forced to capitulate. In fact, this was the end of the war. On September 3, 1783, the Treaty of Paris was concluded, under the terms of which England recognized the sovereignty of the thirteen American colonies.
New York became the capital of the young state in 1784, and in 1789, after the ratification of the US Constitution, here on Wall Street, the famous General George Washington swore allegiance to the people as the first president of the United States. At that time, the population of the capital city was only 33 thousand people. However, only the island of Manhattan was considered New York at that time. The city turned into Greater New York much later (in 1898), when its five main components ("boroughs") merged together: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and Staten Island.
During the 19th century, the population of the city grew rapidly due to the rapid influx of large numbers of immigrants. In 1811, a far-sighted master plan for the development of the city was developed, according to which the network of streets was expanded to cover the whole of Manhattan. By 1835, New York surpassed Philadelphia in population as the largest city in the United States.
During the Civil War, the city's strong trade ties to the South, as well as its growing immigrant population, led to a split between pro-Union and pro-Confederate parties that culminated in the Draft Riots, the largest civil unrest in American history.
After the war, the pace of immigration from Europe increased greatly, and New York became the first stop for millions of people arriving in the United States in search of a new, better life.
In 1898, the city of New York acquired today's borders: previously it consisted of Manhattan and the Bronx, annexed to the city from the south, from Westchester County (the western Bronx in 1874, the rest of the territory in 1895). In 1898, under a new bill, a new municipal unit was created, originally named Greater New York. The new city was divided into five districts. The Manhattan and Bronx boroughs expanded to cover the original city and the rest of New York County. The Brooklyn area consisted of the city of Brooklyn and several municipalities in eastern Kings County. The Queens area was established in the western part of Queens County and covered several smaller towns and cities including Long Island City, Astoria, and Flushing. The Staten Island region completely contained Richmond County. All former city governments within these areas were abolished. A year later, the area of Queens County that did not fall within the borough of Queens became Nassau County. In 1914, the state legislature created the Bronx County, and New York County was reduced to the size of one Manhattan. Today, the boundaries of New York's five boroughs largely coincide with those of their respective counties.
In the first half of the 20th century, the city became a world center of industry, trade and communications. In 1904, the first Interboro Rapid Transit subway company began operating. In the 1930s the skyline of New York skyrocketed with the construction of some of the tallest skyscrapers in the world.
In the twenties of the XX century, New York decisively seized the initiative and became the tallest city in the world. And the higher its spiers rushed, the more obvious the fact became: this is where the navel of the earth is located. However, it is more legitimate to leave the last nickname for Jerusalem, but all other high-profile titles certainly belong to the City of the Big Apple. First of all, New York is the center of world finance, the center of the business world and ... the center of the world Cause. Well, then this city is in the center of world culture, world art, world fashion, world medicine and, of course, New York is the center of world tourism. When in 1946 the city was chosen as the seat of the United Nations, this decision aroused general understanding.
At the same time, part of the population moved to the suburbs, which led to a slow decline in the population. Subsequently, changes in industry and commerce and an increase in crime brought New York City into a social and economic crisis in the 1970s.
The 1980s were a period of moderate growth followed by a big boom in the 1990s. The easing of racial tensions, a significant drop in crime rates, and an increase in immigration revitalized the city, and New York's population surpassed 8 million for the first time in its history. In the late 1990s, the city benefited greatly from the success of the financial services industry during the dot-com boom. This has become one of the factors behind the rise in real estate prices in the city.
The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 also affected Washington, but New York suffered the most due to the attacks on the World Trade Center and the thick, acrid smoke that continued to pour from its ruins for several months after the fall of the Twin Towers and the fire. Despite this, clearing the center of the blast was completed faster than planned, and the city has since rallied and put forward new plans for the devastated area. The Freedom Tower, to be built on the site of the World Trade Center, is expected to be one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world (1,776 feet or 532.8 meters) by its scheduled completion in 2012.
New York is a relatively young city (less than 400 years old), and its layout is not burdened with centuries-old layers of historical and architectural eras. The first two centuries of its history left their mark only on the southern tip of Manhattan, approximately on the area corresponding to the current Financial District (about one square kilometer). In the middle of the 17th century, the territory of New Amsterdam was even smaller: the northern border of the city ran along a wooden wall (along the current Wall Street) and limited the territory to about 22 hectares. The directions of the streets ran along the coast of the Hudson and the East River.
Further development of the city took shape at first irregularly. There was no town planning plan for the development of New York in the modern sense. The Greenwich Village area began to be developed in a west-east direction. In 1811, the bicameral legislature of New York State adopted the so-called. "commission" plan to develop and sell land across the state from present-day 14th Street to the northern tip of Manhattan.
The plan called for a strictly orthogonal orientation of the streets throughout the undeveloped area of the island. Thus, the city did not receive one pronounced center. Although the plan has been criticized for being monotonous, further developments in urban studies have confirmed its correctness: car traffic along evenly distributed streets is much less prone to traffic jams than in the old European cities of the radial-ring structure.
The streets parallel to the Hudson were called "avenues" (from the first to the twelfth from East to West and additionally from A to D in the East Village area - the "alphabetic area"), the transverse ones were numbered with numbers and called the "street". The whole city was divided into quarters with an area of about 2 hectares. It was planned to create 16 longitudinal avenues and 155 transverse streets. In 1853, space was allocated for Central Park between 5th and 8th Avenues (59th to 110th Streets). Some streets subsequently received their own names (Park Avenue, West End, etc.). Other streets were laid additionally (Madison Avenue, Lexington Avenue).
The exception is Broadway: it crosses almost the entire city obliquely and continues into Harlem and the Bronx. According to legend, the line of one of the most famous streets in the world repeats the path along which the Indians drove cattle to a watering place.
At present, the architecture of the city has two powerful dominants, emphasized by the abundance of skyscrapers: the Financial District and Mid-Manhattan. The part of the city west of 5th Avenue is called western, the rest is called eastern. Cross streets thus have different names in different parts of the city, such as West 42nd Street and East 42nd Street.
In the XVII-XVIII centuries, wooden frame and log houses prevailed in construction, the device of which was transferred from Europe by the then colonists. However, after a devastating fire in 1835, wooden construction was limited. In the 19th century, the city was built up with houses mainly made of brick and natural stone, which were imported from New England quarries. All buildings above six stories had to be equipped with water pressure tanks in order to reduce the necessary pressure in the water mains.
The basis of modern architecture in New York is skyscrapers, that is, buildings over 150 m high. Although the first skyscrapers appeared in Chicago and are now widespread throughout the world, the architectural appearance of New York is rightfully associated with super-high-rise construction. More than 5,500 high-rise buildings have been built in the city, of which 50 have a height of over 200 m. In terms of the number of such buildings, New York is second only to Hong Kong. The development of high-rise construction was facilitated by the isolation of the territory (the city center stands on an island), the high price of land, as well as the presence of solid rocks that go almost to the surface (for example, in Central Park).
Due to the need for natural light, skyscrapers still do not stand "shoulder to shoulder", but alternate with less tall buildings. Despite the forced similarity, the high-rise buildings of New York are quite diverse in architecture. Most skyscrapers have their own names. Thus, one of the first high-rise office buildings on Broadway, named Bowling Green Offices, was built for shipping companies in 1898 by English architects brothers William James and George Ashdown Audsley. The 17-storey building was made in the laconic Greek Revival style, using classical orders.
The first skyscraper in New York is considered to be the New York World Building, which was not preserved, built in 1890. Its height was 106 meters. Although it was not the first high-rise in the city, the World Building was the first building to surpass the 85-meter Trinity Church in height. The World Building remained the city's tallest building until 1899, and was demolished in 1955 to make way for a new entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge.
In 1907, almost on the banks of the Hudson River, the architect Cass Gilbert (1859-1934) built a building 99 m high, also intended for shipping companies. The clear articulation of the upper part of the facade by columns and the pyramidal completion of the roof give the building some resemblance to the Westminster Big Ben. The building is now known as the West Street Building.
The Woolworth office building, 241 m high, built in 1913 by the same Cass Gilbert, was conceived in the neo-Gothic style. Like most buildings in the city, it has a strong steel frame. The building is faced with glazed ceramic tiles (the so-called "architectural terracotta"), imitating stone carvings. The skyscraper is crowned with a copper-plated roof that has become greenish with time.
One of the most beautiful buildings in the city is the 319-meter Chrysler Building, built in 1930 by architect William van Elen for the headquarters of the car company of the same name. It was the first building in the world to exceed 1,000 feet in height. Designed in a post-modern Art Deco style, the project is remembered for its pommel with huge steel-colored arches, symbolizing the wheels of a car.
The tallest building in New York is the 102-story Empire State Building, 382 meters high (449 meters with a spire). This building was built in Manhattan in 1931. The second tallest in the US and the tenth tallest in the world. It was also the tallest building on the planet until 1972. Most of the skyscrapers in New York are concentrated in Manhattan, although there are high-rise buildings in other areas.
New York is the undisputed center of culture and information. Here are the headquarters of the main US television companies - CBS, NBC and the BBC, there are more than 100 registered radio stations broadcasting in the medium wave and ultrashort ranges, the most massive magazines are printed (Newsweek, Time, Fortune) and newspapers with an international reputation: The New York Times, The Daily News, The New York Post, and the American business mouthpiece The Wall Street Journal, which has the largest circulation in the United States. Newspapers are published in more than 40 languages in the city.
The news media carry daily news of the never-ending series of events in New York City's diverse and vibrant cultural scene. About the novelties of the world-famous Broadway, which has 38 stages and is the undisputed theatrical legislator of the whole country. About the achievements of domestic and foreign cinema, samples of which are shown in about 400 cinemas - from the gigantic Radio City Music Hall for 6.2 thousand seats to very tiny halls. About concert programs and celebrity performances, extravagant shows and other spectacular events, including the world-famous Metropolitan Opera and the concert halls of Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall, famous for its excellent acoustics, New York City Center.
New York is one of the cities most often mentioned in fiction.
Transport
Public transportation in New York City includes the subway, buses, taxis, the Staten Island City Train, the Roosevelt Island Cable Car, the Aeroexpress Train, and the Staten Island Ferry. Almost all of these systems, as well as suburban trains and buses, are operated by one company (MTA) and have a single magnetic ticket fare system (MTA metrocard). Unlike other major US cities, public transportation is the most popular mode of transportation. So, in 2005, 54.6% of New Yorkers got to work using public transport. Approximately one in three U.S. public transit users and two-thirds of railroad users live in New York City and its suburbs. This is very different from the rest of the country, where about 90% of suburbanites use their own cars to get to work. New York City is the only city in the United States where more than half of the households do not have a car (while in Manhattan the same figure exceeds 75%, and in the whole country the percentage of such households is only 8%). According to the US Census Bureau, New Yorkers spend an average of 38.4 minutes a day commuting to work.
Metropolitan
The New York subway includes 486 stations on 26 routes, has a total length of 1355 km and is the longest in the world in terms of the total length of routes (metro, the longest line is Shanghai). The subway covers 4 of the 5 urban areas (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx). It is traditionally referred to as "subway" (underground), although 40% of the tracks and a third of the stations are on the surface and are located at ground level or on overpasses.
The first subway line in New York was opened in 1868 by the private BRT company. Until 1932, the subway was privately owned and owned by two companies: BRT and IRT. Then a municipal company was added to them, which in 1940 bought both private ones and united the city metro into a single economic complex. Currently, the operating company of the subway, MTA, also operates the city's bus network.
With the exception of some routes, the subway operates around the clock, transporting about four million people a day.
Currently, the development of a project to transfer the New York subway to automatic control has begun.
Fares as of November 2010 are as follows.
One-time trip - $2.25 (one-time subway ticket entitles you to continue your trip on the bus of the city bus network, also operated by the MTA, for 2 hours).
A ticket for 7 days costs $29, for 14 days - $52, for 30 days - $104. At the same time, a multi-day ticket entitles you to multiple, unlimited travel in the subway and on city buses during its validity period. The start of the validity period of the pass (that is, fixing the first day of using the ticket) is made from the moment of the first passage through the metro or bus turnstile, regardless of the passage time, and ends at 24:00 of the last day of validity.
Bus
New York City has an extensive bus network that carries more than 2 million passengers daily. The New York City bus network includes more than 200 local (only local) and 30 high-speed (inter-district) routes, with more than 5,900 buses. Each local route has a number and a letter prefix identifying the area it serves (B for Brooklyn, Bx for the Bronx, M for Manhattan, Q for Queens, S for Staten Island), and express routes are identified with an X prefix.
The fare as of January 2010 is $2.25 (can be paid with coins at the entrance to the front door of the bus at the machine located in front of the driver). At the same time, you can ask the driver for a “transfer”. This document allows you to transfer within 2 hours and continue without payment on another bus (in a passing or crossing direction, but not in the opposite direction), or by metro. You can also use a ticket issued in the subway for travel, after using this ticket for a trip on the subway train.
Staten Island City Train
Unaffiliated with the subways and commuter trains, the Staten Island Railway's urban train line has trains similar to those of the subway and is operated by the same MTA. Projects are being considered to convert the existing and abandoned railway lines of the island into two light rail lines.
cable car
In 1976, a cable car was launched connecting Manhattan and Roosevelt Island (Eng. Roosevelt Island Tramway). The road is 940 m long and has two stations and is operated by the MTA.
Aeroexpress train
The newest in urban transport, the system of automatic trains ("peoplemover" - peoplemover) aeroexpresses ("airtrain") has been operating since 2003, links the main airport (named after Kennedy) with subway and commuter train lines, has 3 routes on a 13 km long line and is operated by companies other than the MTA.
Ferry
Despite the presence of bypass tunnels and bridges through other areas, there is a free ferry between Manhattan and Staten Island.
Air traffic
Directly in New York there are two airports used for passenger traffic. They are located in the Queens area of Long Island. One of them - Kennedy Airport - on the southern outskirts of Queens, the second - La Guardia Airport - on the north, both near Atlantic waters.
Kennedy airport- the most important and largest airport in New York, through which the main international traffic is carried out.
LaGuardia Airport used primarily for flights within the United States. Named after a famous person in the United States - the mayor of New York Fiorello LaGuardia.
In addition, New York City is also served by the major Newark Airport, although it is located in another state - New Jersey, on the west bank of the Hudson River.
Railway
From the central station (the largest in the world in terms of the number of platforms and tracks), many train routes depart in several directions to all parts of the country.
infrastructure facilities
Located on separate islands and peninsulas, the city is famous and has a large number of bridges and tunnels. Adjacent parts of the city are connected to each other, as well as to the adjoining cities of Jersey City, Newark, and others, at the same time, as a rule, by several bridges and tunnels.
Bridges
The most famous bridges are Brooklyn, Manhattan and Verrazano, one of the largest suspension bridges in the world.
Tunnels
The most famous of the city and the first in the world of underwater autotunnels, the Hudson Tunnel and other tunnels connect Manhattan with other parts of the city (except Staten Island).
Tourism
Tourism occupies an important place in the life of New York. In 2010, it was visited by 48.7 million tourists, including 39 million - Americans and 9.7 million - from other countries of the world. New York is the most attractive city for tourists coming to America from abroad.
Top attractions are the Empire State Building, Ellis Island, Broadway theatres, museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and other attractions including Central Park, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, Bronx Zoo, New York Botanical Garden, Fifth and Madison Avenue, as well as events such as the Halloween Parade in Greenwich Village, the Tribeca Film Festival. The Statue of Liberty is the main attraction and one of the most famous symbols of the United States.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
It is believed that the first people appeared on the territory of modern New York more than 11 thousand years ago. Most likely they did not live permanently in these places, but only hunted. Approximately 3 thousand years ago, the territories were inhabited by tribes of Indians who no longer left the region. A quiet and measured period in the history of New York continued until 1524, when Giovanni Verrazana arrived in New York Harbor. He did not sail beyond the place where the bridge that bears his name currently stands. But it was with his voyage that the stage of European discoveries and the settlement of these places began.
In 1609, Englishman Henry Hudson, working for the Dutch East India Company, discovered Manhattan Island and sailed further down the river, exploring territories unknown to Europeans. The Hudson River is currently named after this explorer. In 1613, the Dutchman Andrian Block was forced to land with his ship's crew on the island of Manhattan. Their ship burned down at sea, but during the forced wintering, with the help of the Indians, the Europeans built a new ship. The following year, 1614, the Dutch established a colony. It was located on the Hudson River near modern Albany.
Expedition Henry Hudson "Meet the Indians"
In 1625, several Dutch families traveled to Manhattan Island and established a settlement. To protect against the Indians and other European countries, Fort Amsterdam was erected in the settlement. But with the growth of the colony, the name Fort Amsterdam was eventually changed to New Amsterdam. In 1626, a landmark event occurred when Peter Minuit bought the territory of modern Manhattan from the Indians. The total value of the transaction is estimated at $24? it was for this amount that Minuit gave the Indians clothes, metal objects and various trinkets. many refer to this deal as an example of commercial acumen, forgetting to mention that the Indians simply did not understand that they were transferring rights to the land. In the same 1626, the first black African slaves were brought to New Amsterdam.
Initially, the only source of income for the settlers was the trade in beaver skins. In the Netherlands, hats were made from them, the skins themselves were exchanged with the Indians. by 1628 New Amsterdam had 270 inhabitants. In the following decades, settlers from various places were drawn to the colony. In 1639, the Dane Johannes Bronk moved north of Manhattan, after whom the modern Bronx district of New York is named. In 1654, 23 Jewish refugees from Brazil founded Shearith Israel in the future New York. In 1657, English Quakers arrived in the colony.
The British appreciated the importance of the colony in the new lands and in subsequent years sought to take possession of it. In August 1664, 450 English soldiers landed on what is now Brooklyn. They were commanded by Colonel Richard Nichols, and their goal was to control the city and establish English rule. The townspeople persuaded the Dutch governor Peter Stuyvesant not to resist, thus Richard Nichols became the first English governor. Nichols renamed the city and named it in honor of the brother of the king, the Duke of York, who organized the military expedition. Thus, the city of New York got its modern name. Holland, as a result of the war in 1673, regained control of the city, but not for long. Already in the next 1674, the British again took possession of the city.
Under British rule, the development of the city slowed down. Not surprisingly, the townspeople sought to gain as much independence as possible. Taking advantage of the revolution in England in 1688, in May 1689 the German-born merchant Jacob Leisler captured Fort George (formerly Fort Amsterdam) and ruled New York for almost two years. In 1690, he even tried to capture Canada, but was arrested by the British and hanged in May 1691.
English rule in the 1700s irritated New Yorkers more and more. Thus, in 1764, the English Parliament passed the Sugar Act, according to which New York increased taxes on the trade in sugar and molasses. In 1765, the Stamp Duty Act came into force, causing a storm of discontent in the North American colonies. Protesting, in October 1765 the New Yorkers convened a Congress and challenged the right of Parliament to collect taxes from the colonies without their consent. In 1766 tensions eased briefly when, after a series of protests, the English Parliament lowered taxes on sugar and molasses and revoked the Stamp Act. But the calm did not last long. In 1767, new laws on duties on goods imported into the colonies are passed in Parliament, as a result, a series of skirmishes with soldiers take place in the city. Raising taxes on tea led to the famous Boston Tea Party in 1773. A similar protest took place in New York in April 1774 and went down in history as the New York Tea Party.
After the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, 500 English ships approached New York with a 32,000-strong army under the command of General William Howe. American troops under Washington resisted but were unable to hold the city. The British took possession of New York and held it until the end of the war. During the hostilities, the city was used as a concentration camp for captured American soldiers. 11,000 of them died because of the terrible conditions. During the war, tens of thousands of citizens left the city, which also suffered twice from fires. The defeat of the British in the war led to the signing of the Paris Peace Treaty on September 3, 1783, according to which America was recognized as independent from England. But November 25, 1783 is considered the day the British occupation ended, when American troops entered the city.
New York, early 20th century
After the War of Independence, the city actively grew and developed. So from 1790 to 1820 the population of New York grew from 33,000 to 123,000 people. Thus, by 1820, New York became the largest city in the United States. In 1811, a town planning plan was adopted in New York, ordering the development of the city. Prior to this, the city grew spontaneously. According to the plan from north to south, there were 12 widely spaced avenues. From east to west, the avenue was crossed by 155 streets (street), located quite close to each other (61 m.). This layout created rectangles that are perfect for building on these sections of buildings. Bloomingdale Road (now Broadway) was the only street that crossed the slender row of streets obliquely.
After the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, connecting New York along the Hudson River with the Great Lakes, the city became the commercial capital of the United States. Neither the war with the British of 1812-1815 nor the American Civil War prevented the development of New York. New Yorkers did not want to take a big part in the civil war and responded to the call with a mutiny that killed more than 100 people. After the Civil War, the city experienced a migration boom. It is believed that between 1880 and 1919, 17 million people arrived in the United States through New York, many of them joined the ranks of the townspeople.
Famous historical photos of New York in the first half of the 20th century
In 1886, a significant event occurred when the city was donated the famous "Statue of Liberty". Although the championship in the construction of the very first skyscraper in the world belongs to Chicago, New York quickly joined the race for the construction of high-rise buildings. In 1889, the Tower Building, the first skyscraper in New York, was built on Broadway by the architect Bradford Gilbert. Later, the tallest buildings in the world were the Park Row Building (1897, 30 floors), the Singer Tower (1908, 47 floors), and the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company skyscraper (1913, 60 floors). The culmination of the race was the completion of the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building in 1930. The architect William Van Alen, who designed the Chrysler Building, surpassed the Eiffel Tower in height and triumphed for several months until H. Craig Severens completed the Empire State Building. The last 102-story skyscraper held the record until the construction of the infamous World Trade Center Twin Towers, destroyed by terrorists in 2001.
Currently, New York, having survived the shock of a terrorist attack, is actively reviving and developing. New York never sleeps, the most idiosyncratic city in the world with a turbulent past and a promising future.
This city cannot compete with Rome in antiquity, it does not have the charm of Paris and the aristocracy of London. However, Robert de Niro, who had to see many countries in his life, once said that there is no better city than New York. What is the secret of this metropolis? One American writer gave a very peculiar answer to this question, saying that only here everyone rebels, and no one despairs. To understand the veracity of this opinion, one can only get acquainted with the history of New York.New Amsterdam - the forerunner of modern New York (1613-1664)
The original inhabitants of the territory occupied by New York are the Indians, namely the Metoac and Delaware tribes. Europeans first learned about this place in 1524 thanks to the Italian navigator Giovanni da Verrazzano. But only 90 years later, a Dutch ship of the West India Company arrived here, the crew of which decided to establish a colony here. Without thinking twice, the Dutch called this area New Amsterdam.In 1626 the locals sold Manhattan Island to Governor Peter Minuit for 60 guilders. To protect against the Indians, the Dutch built a huge wall. The adjacent street was named "Walstraat" (Wall Street). New Amsterdam existed until 1664, when it passed into the hands of the British.
British Raj (1664-1783)
New York owes its sonorous name to the British. The British named the newly acquired territory in honor of the Duke of York, brother of the British ruler Charles II. Under British rule, New York developed at an incredible rate. So, in 1720, the first shipyard was built here.New York played an important role in the era of the struggle for the independence of North America. It was the military and political center of the British. During this period, the city was seriously damaged by several fires. New York was under British rule until 1783. The last English troops left the city on 25 November of that year. This is how the Evacuation Day holiday was born.
New York during the formation of American independence (1783-1898)
In 1784, New York became the first capital of the United States. George Washington was inaugurated here. True, the city was the capital for only 5 years. Nevertheless, New York remained the main economic center of the newly formed state. In 1792, the city exchange appeared, which later acquired world significance.After the end of the struggle for independence, thousands of settlers went here, mostly Yankees (New Englanders). As a result, it has grown into a middle-class city made up of merchants, brokers, bankers, artisans, and well-paid workers. In 1835, with the opening of the Erie Canal, which connected the Atlantic port with the markets of the Midwestern United States and Canada, New York grew significantly in size.
But in 1840, the economic center of the United States was shaken up by huge social changes associated with the migration of the Irish, who mostly consisted of unskilled workers. The infrastructure of the city collapsed. A struggle began between American citizens and migrants. This period of New York history is beautifully portrayed in Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York.
Throughout the 19th century, New York was the first stop for thousands of people traveling to the US for a better life. The Statue of Liberty, built in 1886, became a symbol of migration and democracy. Entire neighborhoods populated by immigrants of a certain nationality appeared in the city.
New York in the 20th century
The beginning of a new milestone in the history of the city can be considered 1898, when it acquired its modern borders. New York was divided into . The old districts of the Bronx and Manhattan were supplemented by the newly founded Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island.In 1904, a fire broke out in the city, as a result of which more than 1000 people died. The named tragedy led to improved security. The transport infrastructure has also been gradually improved. In particular, in 1904 the subway was opened. During the 1st half of the 20th century, the city turned into a world center of trade, industry and communications. And in 1925, New York boasted the largest population in the world. Despite the Great Depression, in the 30s, many skyscrapers were erected in the city, which still adorn New York. One of them, namely the Empire State Building, even acquired the status of one of the symbols of New York.
In the 60s in New York, as in other major cities in the United States, riots broke out, accompanied by an industrial crisis. Also in 1969, the famous gay uprising took place, and a year later, the world's first gay pride parade took place. In the 1970s, the economic condition of the city deteriorated significantly, which led to an increase in the level of crime. 1977 was especially notable, when during the blackout there was a massive wave of looting and vandalism.
New York was able to restore its former reputation only in the 80s. During the same period, Broadway was reborn. The 1990s were also characterized by a decrease in crime and economic success. As a result, at the end of the 20th century, New York turned from a center of immigrants into a modern cosmopolitan metropolis.
New York after the September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11, 2001 terrorist attack, which claimed hundreds of lives and destroyed the 2 tallest buildings in the city, was a real shock not only for New Yorkers, but for the whole world. But, as mentioned above, no one despairs in this metropolis, therefore, 13 years after the tragedy, a new one, 541 m high, was opened. The newly rebuilt building houses a memorial in honor of the victims of the September 11 attacks.| | |
Since the day when almost 500 years ago Giovanni da Verrazano first saw New York Bay, it has become a desirable place for all Europeans. First, in 1621, it was taken over by Dutch traders, who founded their colony here and called it New Amsterdam. In 1966 they ceded it to England. At the same time, this settlement was renamed New York. This name stuck even after England lost its colony in 1783 as a result of the War of Independence.
Rapid city growth
Throughout the 19th century New York grew rapidly. Great fortunes were made here, as trade flourished, and convenient sea routes contributed to the development of production. In 1898, after four neighboring cities were formally annexed to Manhattan. New York has become the second largest in the world. From 1800 to 1900 the population grew from 79,000 to 3 million. New York has become the cultural and business center of the country.
Melting Pot
The city continued to grow as thousands of immigrants arrived in search of a better life. Today, this mixture of national cultures enriches the city and makes it unique. Its inhabitants speak almost 100 languages of the world.
As the population steadily increased, the city grew upwards and the contours of Manhattan took on their characteristic forcings. During its short history, the city has experienced several periods of ups and downs, but has always remained one of the most dynamic cities in the world.
- Names and titles
The great poet of democratic America, Walt Whitman, sometimes used the word "Mannahatta" in reference to New York. He believed that this name is quite suitable for “the great city-island of democratic America. What a beautiful and native sound this word has! So it seems that it rises up, shining in the sun with pointed spiers, and conveys the atmosphere of bright prospects and stormy activity so characteristic of the New World! - City development
The directions for the development of the city, which the Dutch optimistically named New Amsterdam, were presented in the plans drawn up by the engineer Krain Frederiks, who was sent from Holland in 1625 with instructions to build a fort and plan the surrounding streets and sidewalks. - Early New York
Manhattan was a forested island inhabited by Algonquian-speaking Indian tribes when, in 1625, the Dutch West India Company established a fur trading post here, calling it New Amsterdam. The early settlers built their homes wherever they could, so the streets of Lower Manhattan are still winding. Broadway was the beginning of the Indian trail. Since that time, Harlem has retained its name. There was no government in the city until Peter Stuyvesant arrived. But the colony did not generate income, and in 1664 the Dutch ceded it to England. - Colonial New York
Under British rule, New York developed rapidly. The main commercial activity focused on the production of flour, but shipbuilding also flourished. Gradually an elite emerged. Therefore, the production of expensive furniture and silver utensils was organized. British rulers cared more about their income than about the welfare of the colonies. Under the weight of hateful taxes, discontent grew in New York. On the eve of the Revolution, New York, with its 20,000 inhabitants, was already the second largest city in the 13 British colonies. - Revolutionary New York
During the American Revolution (War of Independence), New York experienced significant hardship. The city had to defend itself in the trenches and hide from the shelling of the artillery of the British troops. But at the same time, many continued to enjoy balls, horse races, cricket games and boxing tournaments. In 1776 British troops took the city. The Continental army returned to the city only on November 25, 1783, two years after the end of hostilities. - New York in the 19th century
By the beginning of the century, New York was already the largest city in the country with a famous port. Welfare grew, industry flourished; tycoons like John Jacob Astor made millions. The wealthy crowd moves to the upper part of the city. However, rapid growth was accompanied by fires, epidemics and financial crises. There were crowds of immigrants from Ireland. Germany and other countries. - Extravagant New York
The kings of commerce got richer and the city entered its golden era when posh mansions were built. Millions of dollars were spent on art as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Public Library, and Carnegie Hall were built. Luxurious hotels were built, such as the Plaza or the Waldorf Astoria, and chic department stores opened their doors to the services of the rich. Everyone heard such notorious figures as the king of corruption William "Boss" Tweed and circus performer Phineas T. Barnum. - New York at the turn of the century
By 1890, New York had become the center of American industry: 70% of the country's leading corporations had their headquarters here, and two-thirds of imports passed through the port. The stratification of society intensified. There was a need for serious social reforms. In 1900, the International Association of Clothing Workers was formed to protect the rights of women and children engaged in hard work. Consequences of the fire in 1911 the Thrifingle Sherthwaist Factory accelerated the adoption of reforms. - New York between the wars
For many New Yorkers, the 1920s was a heyday. The tone was set by Mayor Jimmy Walker, a lover of entertainment and pleasure. But in 1929 a financial crisis broke out. In 1932 Walker was accused of corruption and resigned. By this time, a quarter of New Yorkers were unemployed. With the election in 1933 of Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, life in New York began to improve. - Postwar New York
After World War II, New York City experienced both good and bad years. Recognized as the financial capital of the world, the city went bankrupt in the 1970s. Wall Street peaked in the 1980s, followed by its worst crisis since 1929. In the early 1990s, crime in New York City plummeted; there has been an increase in restoration work and renovation of landmarks such as the Central Station and the "new" Times Square.
