From Nieuw Amsterdam to a Global City
Before the Europeans arrived, the Lenape Indians lived on the island they called Mannahatta (island of many hills). In 1624, the Dutch founded the settlement of Nieuw Amsterdam at the southern tip of Manhattan. In 1626, the Dutch governor Peter Minuit "purchased" the island from the Lenape — according to legend, for glass beads and tools worth 60 guilders (the story is simplified but part of the founding mythology).
British Rule & Revolution
In 1664, the British took over the city without a fight and renamed it New York (after the Duke of York). The city grew into the most important port of the British colonies. During the War of Independence (1775–1783), New York was a significant battlefield and occupation city. George Washington was inaugurated as the first President of the USA in 1789 on Wall Street — the Federal Hall (now a museum, free admission) still stands there.
Immigration & Rise (19th Century)
In the 19th century, New York became the metropolis of immigration. Millions of Irish (after the Great Famine 1845–52), Italians, Germans, Eastern Europeans, and Jewish refugees arrived by ship — most first saw the Statue of Liberty (1886) and were registered at Ellis Island (1892–1954). Over 12 million people passed through Ellis Island — an estimated 40% of all modern Americans have an ancestor who arrived here.
The city grew upwards: the Brooklyn Bridge (1883), the first skyscraper (the Tower Building, 1889), and the Subway (1904) transformed New York into the most modern city in the world.
