Fun Easy English - Travel the United States of America

CAPITAL CITY: Albany

BACKGROUND

The Dutch were the first settlers in New York, establishing Fort Orange near Albany in 1624 and New Amsterdam on the island of Manhattan a year later. After the English took over in the 1660s, the colony was renamed New York, after the Duke of York. One of the original 13 states to join the Union (it entered in 1788), New York is known as the "Empire State." The state includes everything from skyscrapers in Manhattan to rivers, mountains, and lakes in upstate New York. Niagara Falls is one of the chief attractions.

New York is the leading center of banking, finance and communication in the United States. Much of the state's greatness lies in exciting New York City, the largest city in the United States and the fourth largest city in the world; its many theaters, museums, and musical organizations make it one of the cultural centers of the Western Hemisphere.

QUICK FACTS

The great seal of the state of New York

Nickname: Empire State / Excelsior State

Motto: Excelsior (Ever upward)

Statehood: July 26, 1788 (11th)

Origin of State's Name: Named after England's Duke of York.

Largest Cities: New York, Buffalo, Rochester, Yonkers, Syracuse

Border States: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Vermont

Land Area: 47,224 sq.mi., 30th largest

State Bird: Bluebird

State Flower: Rose (rosa)

State Tree: Sugar Maple (acer saccharum)

State Song: I Love New York

USEFUL LINKS

Miscellaneous

Travel and tourism site for New York - This state travel and territorial tourism site provides ideas for your vacations, meetings, and more.