New York Timeline
New York is the leading center of banking, finance, and communication in the united States. It is the third largest state in population and a leader in wholesale and retail manufacturing. View a timeline of the history of New York.
1524 It is believed that Giovanni da Verrazzano, an explorer hired by France, sailed into the New York bay and reached the Hudson River.
1609 Henry Hudson explored the Hudson River. He claimed the land for the Netherlands.
1609 Samuel se Champlain explored the New York area. He claimed the region for France.
1624 Fort Orange was established by the Dutch. It was the first permanent white settlement in the region.
1625 Dutch settlers began to settle New Amsterdam, which later became New York City
1626 Peter Minuit, the governor of the colony, purchased Manhattan from the Indians.
1629 The patroon, land ownership, system was established by the Dutch West India Company in order to speed up the process of colonization of the region.
1664 England took control of New Amsterdam. The English renamed the territory New York.
1667 The Dutch formally gave up their claim to New York.
1669 Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, a French adventurer, explored the Niagra region.
1689 War broke out between England and France. New York became a battleground between the two countries. This began a series of four wars called the French and Indian Wars.
1731 The French built a fort at Crown Point.
1735 John Peter Zenger won a great victory for Freedom of the Press. He had criticized the British government in the New York Weekly Journal. During a trial Zenger was found innocent of seditious libel.
1763 The Treaty of Paris was signed ending the French and Indian Wars.
1776 New York ratified the Declaration of Independence.
1777 First and Second Battles of Freeman's Farm were fought in New York.
6 February 1778 New York ratified the Articles of Confederation.
1779 General James Clinton and John Sullivan led a military expedition into the Iroquois land. It opened the area up for white settlement.
1785-1790 New York City served as the capital of the United States.
26 July 1786 New York became the 11th state.
1788 New York ratified the Constitution of the United States.
1789 George Washington was inaugurated as president in New York City.
1812 The War of 1812 began. Much of the fighting took place in the New York frontier along the Canadian border.
1825 The Erie Canal opened.
1839 The antirent movement began. Tenant farmers refused to pay rent to wealthy landowners. The antirenters dressed as Indians and fought the attempts of the landowners to evict the farmers. This became a powerful political force in New York in the 1840s.
1850 New York became known as the Empire State.
1861-1865 During the Civil War New York provided more men and money to the Union than any other state.
1863 Many men were opposed to drafting New York men into the union army. Mobs rioted in New York City as a result.
1865 After the Civil War ended, many manufacturing centers began to be built up in New York.
4 July 1884 France presented the United States with the Statue of Liberty.
1892 The United States began using Ellis Island as an immigration stop.
1894 New York adopted its current constitution.
6 September 1901 In Buffalo President William McKinley was assassinated at the Pan American Exposition. Theodore Roosevelt of New York became the new president.
1917 After the United States entered World War I, New York City served as a great port where U.S. soldiers were shipped off to fight in Europe.
October 1929 The Stock market crashed.
1930s The Great Depression hit New York hard.
1933 Franklin Delano Roosevelt of New York became president of the United States. He had previously been the governor of New York.
1939-1940 New York held the World's fair.
1939-1945 During World War II, New York manufacturers provided large amounts of war materials.
1946 New York City was selected as one of the homes of the United Nations.
1948 The first state university was established-State University of New York.
1950-1953 New York manufacturers provided a lot of war materials during the Korean War.
1952 The United Nations headquarter was completed in New York City.
1959 The St. Lawrence Seaway opened.
1957-1975 During the Vietnam War New York manufacturers provided a lot of war materials.
1960 The New York State Thruway was completed
1961 The Niagra Power Plant opened. It was one of the largest hydroelectric companies in the world.
1960s The Lincoln Center for Performing arts was built in New York City.
1964-1965 Another World's Fair was held in New York.
1967 A state lottery was initiated.
1970s Many manufacturing plants closed in New York. This caused a huge influx on unemployment. As a result many people moved from the state.
1980s The number of people moving from the state leveled off.
1986 New York voters approved a bond to finance environmental projects.
1990s The economy in New York began to recover.
2000 Hillary Rodham Clinton was the first former first lady to be elected to office. She was elected as Senator of New York.
11 September 2001 The twin towers of the World Trade Center were destroyed in a terrorist attack.
Works Cited
Adam W. Burnett and Milton M. Klein. "New York." Worldbookonline.com.