New York City is one of the most iconic cities in the world and is home to 8.6 million people, hundreds of iconic landmarks and attractions, and is a hub of finance, culture, and the arts. But who discovered the city first?
History
Long before any European settlers arrived, the area that is now New York City was inhabited by the Lenape Native Americans. They lived nearby the great rivers and waterways in the area – including the famously recognizable Hudson River.
The first European to reach the shores of what is now New York was Giovanni da Verrazzano in 1524. He sailed around the mouth of the Hudson River and named it the Angoulême.
In 1609, an English explorer by the name of Henry Hudson sailed for the Dutch East India Company, and he sailed up the Hudson River. He located the northern tip of Manhattan and named it New Amsterdam. He also traveled further up the Hudson River and located what is know as the Hudson Valley.
Settlements
The first settlement of New York City was founded in 1626 by the Dutch West India Company. They created a trading post on the southern tip of Manhattan that was called New Amsterdam.
The British took the settlement in 1664 and renamed it New York. This is when the original 5 boroughs of the city were founded – Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island, Queens, and Brooklyn.
The city was primarily British until the Revolutionary War, when it was claimed by General George Washington’s army after a fierce battle with the British.
Growth
The city of New York grew slowly but surely until the early 19th century when it was rapidly expanding as an industrial, trading and financial hub. This is thanks to the construction of canals and the development of ports for merchant ships.
The coming of the railroads to the city in the mid-1800s created new opportunities for growth and allowed for goods and resources to be transported faster than ever before. This spurred a huge economic boom in the city and saw the population skyrocket.
By the end of the 19th century, New York had quickly become the most populous city in the US and was dubbed the world’s ‘Greatest Metropolis’.
20th Century
The start of the 20th century saw the city develop rapidly, particularly in new ingenious forms of entertainment, such as jazz and theater. This new era of entertainment contributed a lot to the city’s culture today.
The construction of some of the world’s most famous skyscrapers in the 1930s and 40s saw the development of Times Square, Wall Street and the Chrysler Building, among others. These iconic landmarks defined the city’s skyline and added to its allure.
Today
Today, New York is one of the world’s most important business and financial centers, with many of the world’s leading companies based in the city. It is also the home to a flourishing and vibrant cultural scene, a bustling tech industry, and is a major center of global fashion.
The city enjoys a huge variety of cuisine and attractions, plays host to millions of tourists each year and is home to an impressive array of iconic landmarks.
New York City is a vibrant and exciting city, full of history, culture and innovation. And while today it is one of the most famous cities in the world, it has a long and rich history dating back hundreds of years to when it was first discovered by the Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano in 1524. Since then, a succession of explorers, settlers, and immigrants have come to the city, leaving their marks and making it the incredible and unique city it is today.
