All About The Big Apple

Written by: Natalie Yao

History

New York City, also known as the Big Apple, is divided into five boroughs (regions). The boroughs are named Manhattan, the area most people think of when they think of NYC; Brooklyn, known for art and food; Queens, the most ethnically diverse area; the Bronx, has a lot of nature and parks; and Staten Island, the most suburban area of New York. The city began to grow when the Dutch India Company arrived in the early 17th century and started colonizing on the southern end of the island and called it New Amsterdam, now known as Lower Manhattan or the Financial District. When the British forced the Dutch out a couple decades after New Amsterdam was established, the New York region became a middle colony. After the Revolutionary War, New York State started to build its economy through shipping. When the 1800s were coming to an end, New York began building skyscrapers and bridges with the invention of steel, and started to build the city that we know today. It was during this time that the city established its five borough system, in which before all were individual cities.

Things New York is known for

New York City is the commercial center of the country, and it is diverse in many different ways. NYC is home to Wall Street which is where all the finance happens as well as the stock exchange. Broadway is a famous street that runs through the Midtown region of Manhattan, and it has a bunch of theatres that hold famous musicals and shows nightly. Fifth Avenue is known for shopping and Madison Avenue is known for advertising. Harlem is famous for African American art and music. In addition to art and music, New York City is also considered a fashion capital of the world.

Landmarks

New York City has many landmarks, making it fun and interesting for the tens of millions of tourists the city gets annually. Here are some of them:

• Statue of Liberty: given as a gift from France in the 19th Century, it stands by Ellis Island, the first thing immigrants saw when they arrived to America

• Empire State Building: built during the Great Depression, the art deco building was the tallest building in the world until the north tower of the World Trade Center overtook it

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art: one of the world's largest art museums, with many famous pieces including Claude Monet’s Water Lilies

• Central Park: created as a escape from the city view to nature during the 1800s 

• Brooklyn Bridge: connects Manhattan and Brooklyn, built during the 19th century

• Times Square: known for its large billboards, the square got its name from the New York Times Building at the center of it