Introduction

New York City

Introduction
With a population of 8.33 million people, New York is the most populated city in the United States. It is the center of the New York metropolitan area, one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world. The city is referred to as New York City or the City of New York to distinguish it from the State of New York. New York City consists of five boroughs, each of which is a county of New York State. The five boroughs include: The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. They were centralized into a single city in 1898.

The Bronx
Brooklyn
Manhattan
Queens
Staten Island


Background
 In 1624 the colonists of the Dutch Republic founded New York as a trading post and named it as New Amsterdam in 1626. The English took full control of the city and its surroundings in 1664; from 1785-1790 New York was the capital of the United States. New York has been the country's largest city since 1790. As immigrants came to America by ship in the late 19th and 20th centuries, they were greeting by the Statue of Liberty. It is a symbol that is recognized globally of the United States and its democracy. New York City is located in the Northeastern United States, in southeastern New York State, about halfway between Washington, D.C. and Boston. The location of the city has helped it to grow much as a trading port because it is at the mouth of Hudson River which goes into a naturally sheltered harbor and through the Atlantic Ocean. Land is scarce in New York which encourages a high population density. This is because most of New York is built on the three islands of Manhattan, Staten Island, and Long Island, making land scarce and encouraging a high population density.

http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0108570.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City

Chapter 2: North America's Environmental Setting

Weather and Climate:

New York City itself experiences a humid subtropical, continental climate and New York is thus the northernmost major city on the North American continent with this categorization. The suburbs to the immediate north and west lie in the transition zone from a humid subtropical to a humid continental climate. Winters are cold and damp, and prevailing wind patterns that blow offshore minimize the moderating effects of the Atlantic Ocean. Spring and autumn are unpredictable and can range from chilly to warm, although they are usually mild with low humidity. Summers are typically warm to hot and humid.








Winter temperatures average below freezing during January and February while summers prevail with warmth from June to August. Much precipitation occurs from fall through spring but is quite consistent throughout the year. 

Region of New England Upland:

Most of New York City belongs to the New England Upland region of the many regions in New York. The New England Upland is mostly made of hills and low mountains. The southern part of the Hudson River Valley along with the Taconic mountains are located in this region. Other attractions that are included in this region are Mohawk river, West Point army, Madison Square Garden, the Museum of Natural History and Yonkers city. One of the biggest allurements of the New England Upland is the Hudson River. The region also has very good soil. 

Hudson River

Taconic Mountains

Madison Square Garden

Museum of Natural History

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City
http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/newyork/regions.htm
http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/newyork/newenglandupland.htm

Chapter 3: Historical Settlement of North America

History of Settlement of North America
An Algonquin people group called the "Lenape" were the first Native New Yorkers. Throughout the 16th century, Europeans began to explore the region of New York. In 1626, the Dutch came to live and work in a tiny settlement that they called "New Amsterdam." The settlement grew quickly, going from 300 people to becoming the second-largest city within the American colonies by 1760. By 1664 however, the British seized New Amsterdam and called the settlement, "New York City." By 1810, the city became one of most important trading ports for the nation. Its role was significantly important in the cotton economy. As the city grew, it continued to make infrastructural improvements such as orderly streets and avenues and providing clean water for the people that lived there. During the 1840-1850 an increasing number of immigrants from Germany and Ireland began to settle in and start their own economic businesses.


1685 New Amsterdam

Dutch Settlement

New York City finally became the city as we know it today as "the Big Apple" by the turn of the 20th century. All of the five boroughs were formed at this time. Despite the growth of the city, the 20th century was a struggle for New York because the damage that came as a consequence of World War II encouraged New Yorkers to leave. In the midst of the migration of the white population moving out of New York City, many immigrants from other nations began to settle within the neighborhoods. On September 11, 2001, New York undergo-ed a terrorist attack in which terrorists crashed the twin towers of the World Trade Center with two stolen jets. The buildings were destroyed and nearly 3,000 people were killed. The city of New York has been through much history and is currently known as the cultural capital of the United States with over 8 million people living in the five boroughs.

British Settlement

Trading posts




http://www.history.com/topics/new-york-city

Chapter 4: The North American Political Economy

Economy of New York City

Despite the loss of the World Trade Center buildings, the economy of New York City is the largest in America and the second largest city economy in the world after Tokyo. It is one of the world's two premier financial centers, lead by Wall Street, and home to the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ which are recognized as the world's largest stock exchanges. The basis of New York City's economy are the media, financial, health care, insurance, and real estate industries. It is leading business center in United States.

 
The "Charging Bull" symbolizes Wall Street

 Nasdaq Building

The city has possesses a strong competitive advantage in many creative industries such as fashion, design, advertising, and architecture. An appealing fact about the city's economy is that it alone accounts for the majority of the activity for the states of New York and New Jersey.

Real Estate Real estate is a major factor of the city's economy. For example, the Google building itself is the property with the highest-listed market value in the city for $1.8 billion in 2006. Some of the most expensive office spaces are also located in New York City.


111 Eighth Avenue

Manufacture
The manufacturing business also plays a role in the city's economy with the food-processing industry being the lead sector. With $234 million worth of exports every year, chocolate is the food with the most exports in the city. There are over 233,000 jobs in manufacturing in more than 10,000 different businesses in New York City. Although they may be small businesses, it still contributes to the overall economy of the city.

 Industry

Media
As obviously known, New York City is of the most important places for journalism, mass media, film, and publishing. The city's television and film industry is second after Hollywood. One-third of all independent films are made in the New York City. Recently, the media industries have made $9.2 billion in the city. Three of the "Big Five" music recording businesses have their headquarters in New York City. Not only are movies and TV films popular in the city, but Broadway musicals are widely known and are an attraction as well. New York Tourism contributes greatly to the city's overall economy which is influenced by advertisement and the tragedy of the 9/11 event. Many tourists visit the city to experience the art and culture of all the place has to offer.
 New York Stock Exchange




http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Northeast/New-York-Economy.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_New_York_City