When was nyc settled

In the Duke of York offered it as a prize to the winner of a sailing race. The region remained largely unsettled and rural because of its relative isolation from the rest of the city.

Not until a ferry was started to the island and the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge was built has the island become accessible. Source: Concise Columbia Encyclopedia Problems? New Yorkers have always comprised an amalgam of many cultures, and tensions between its various components have manifested themselves at various times through its history.

The most significant example was the draft riots of The draft was unpopular among Democrats in general and Irish immigrants in particular. Rioting broke out in New York after the names of the first conscripts were published, and continued until the Army of the Potomac was deployed to restore order. The Society of St. Tammany was founded in as a benevolent organization, but it quickly assumed a political character and, as Tammany Hall , dominated New York City politics.

The best known politician associated with Tammany Hall was "Boss" Tweed , who was removed from power in with little long-term effect. Corruption continued to characterize city government until , when Fiorello La Guardia was elected on a reform slate. Re-elected in and , La Guardia brought about great improvements in city services. Most large American cities in the North have experienced declines in population, but New York has been an exception. After peaking at 7,, in the census of , the city lost a reported , residents in the next ten years.

The city then began a recovery, with a quarter million more people in and a record, for New York or any other American city, of 8,, in the census. The Dutch built a little town on the southern tip of Manhattan Island. It was called New Amsterdam and it flourished by selling skins. The settlers sold otter, beaver, mink, and seal skins. However, New Amsterdam was a tiny town with only about 1, inhabitants in the midth century.

However, some farmers cultivated the land in Manhattan and in Brooklyn. Furthermore, by no means, all the early settlers were Dutch. They included Walloons from what is now Belgium , French people, and English people. The first Jews arrived in New Amsterdam in Meanwhile, the first black slaves arrived in Slaves played a major role in building the colony.

In New Amsterdam buildings were, at first, made of wood but in time houses of stone or brick were erected. Thatched roofs were banned in because of the risk of fire. In a wall was built across Manhattan Island to protect the little town of New Amsterdam. The street next to it was called Wall Street. In a Swede called Jonas Bronck settled in the Bronx, which is named after him. A settlement was founded at Flushing in In the 18th century, it became a fashionable place for merchants to build country houses.

The first settlement on Staten Island was made in Meanwhile, in Peter Stuyvesant c. Stuyvesant was the son of a Calvinist minister. He had a wooden leg. Remember that fathers were much stricter in the 17th century than they are today. He was as good as his word. Stuyvesant ruled very strictly and he soon alienated the people. Stuyvesant ordered all taverns to close at 9 pm.

Nevertheless in Stuyvesant established a municipal government for New Amsterdam based on those of Dutch cities. However, in an English fleet arrived. Fearing the English would sack the colony Stuyvesant surrendered. The Dutch briefly recaptured New Amsterdam in but they lost it to the English again in Meanwhile, Stuyvesant retired to a farm. For his pains, he was executed in Meanwhile in the Dutch built a fort called Fort Amsterdam. The British later renamed it, Fort George.

In 92 cannons were installed to protect New York. The area became known as the Battery. By New York had a population of almost 5, and it continued to grow rapidly. By the population was about 25, In New York City had about 60, inhabitants. In the 18th century, the main industry in New York was milling. The grain was ground into flour by windmills.

There was also a shipbuilding industry in New York in the 18th century. The first shipyard opened in There were still many slaves in New York in the 18th century. In slaves set fire to a building in Maiden Lane. They also killed 9 white people who attempted to stop the fire. When soldiers arrived 6 slaves committed suicide and another 21 were captured and executed.

A horrific episode in the history of New York happened in Peter Stuyvesant replaced Kieft in Stuyvesant was an effective administrator, but a dictatorial leader. In , the British became engaged in a war with the Netherlands and seized the colony. Governor Stuyvesant wanted to attack the English, but the citizens were unwilling to fight.

The first British governor of the colony was Colonel Richard Nicolis. He met with the settlers in what became Long Island and Westchester.