1524
Explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, commissioned by the King of France, sailed to the New World, and into what is now New York Harbor; probably accompanied by Jacques Cartier.
1609
After sailing to the New World on the Halve Maen, Henry Hudson explored the mighty river that would later be named for him.
Samuel de Champlain explored the northeastern region of the area now called New York and discovered his namesake, Lake Champlain.
1624
The first Dutch settlement was established; for 40 years the Dutch ruled over the colony of New Netherland.
1664
The British army conquered the colony of New Netherland, which was then re-named New York, in honor of the Duke of York.
1754 - 1763
The French and Indian War, a fierce contest to gain control of the New World, changed the course of history. The British and American colonists fought against the French and Canadians, with Native American allies on both sides. By uniting the colonies and building their military strength and confidence, this war set the stage for the American Revolution.
1765
New York City hosted the first Colonial Congress, a conference called to discuss the King of England's Stamp Act.
1775 - 1783
The Revolutionary War.
On May 10, 1775, Ethan Allen, Benedict Arnold and 83 œGreen Mountain Boys” surprised the sleeping British garrison at Fort Ticonderoga and took the fort called the Key to a Continent without firing a shot. This was the first American victory of the Revolutionary War.
1776
After serving as a colony of Great Britain for over a century, New York declared its independence on July 9, becoming one of the original 13 states of the Federal Union.
1777
New York's first constitution was adopted on April 20. George Clinton was elected as New York’s first Governor in June.
On October 17, the Americans defeated the British at the Battle of Saratoga, one of the decisive battles of the world. This victory marked the turning point of the Revolution, leading to the Americans’ alliance with the French and eventual victory.
1783
On November 25, the last British troops evacuated New York City, which had been occupied by the British since September 1776. This was the last British military position in the US. After they departed, US General George Washington entered the city in triumph to the cheers of New Yorkers.
1785-1790
New York City became the first capital of the United States. In 1789, it was the site of George Washington's inauguration as the first US President; it remained the nation's capital until 1790.
1792
The New York Stock Exchange was founded in New York City.
1797
In January, Albany became the capital of New York State.
1802
The US Military Academy opened at West Point.
1807
Robert Fulton's North River Steamboat traveled from New York to Albany. This first voyage of significant distance made by a steamboat began a new era in transportation.
1825
The Erie Canal opened in 1825, linking the Hudson River to the Great Lakes and leading to greater development in the western part of the state.
1827
New York outlawed slavery. At the forefront of the Underground Railroad movement, New York had more anti-slavery organizations than any other state and strong abolitionist leaders such as Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass and John Brown. From the early 1800s until the end of the Civil War in 1865, thousands of people passed through New York as they traveled to freedom in Canada.
1837
Martin Van Buren, born in Kinderhook, became the eighth President of the US.
1848
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and more than 300 women and men gathered in Seneca Falls, for the nation's first women's rights convention.
1850
Millard Fillmore, born in Cayuga County, became the 13th President of the US.
1860s
The State of New York supplied almost one-sixth of all Union forces during the Civil War, which began in 1861.
1883
The Brooklyn Bridge, a wonder of design and engineering, opened. P.T. Barnum led a parade of 21 elephants back and forth across the bridge, to demonstrate its sturdiness to skeptics.
1886
The Statue of Liberty, a gift from France to the United States in honor of the Centennial of the American Declaration of Independence, was dedicated on October 28 in New York Harbor.
1890s – 1954
Between 1892 and 1954, more than 12 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island, an immigration facility that is now part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument.
1899
The State Capitol was completed.
1901
When President William McKinley was assassinated in Buffalo, Theodore Roosevelt (born in New York City), was hurriedly sworn in as the 26th president of the US. Not quite 43 years old, TR became the youngest president in the nation's history.
1902
New York City’s first skyscraper was built: the 21-story Flatiron building at 23rd Street and Fifth Avenue.
1904
New York City’s first subway line, called the IRT, opened.
1920
On August 26, the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution extended the right to vote to women. After a long struggle, women could vote in the fall elections, including the Presidential election.
1932
Lake Placid hosted the Olympic Winter Games.
1931
The Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building were completed, and the George Washington Bridge opened, all adding to the New York City's burgeoning skyline.
1933
Franklin D. Roosevelt, born near Hyde Park, became the 32nd President of the US.
1939
The World's Fair opened in New York City, corresponding to the 150th anniversary of George Washington’s inauguration as first President of the US. Many countries around the world participated; over 44 million people attended over two seasons.
1941-1945
World War II. Three WWII ships on display at the Buffalo/Erie County Naval and Military Park include the Destroyer USS The Sullivans, named for five brothers who lost their lives on November 13, 1942 following the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal; the guided missile cruiser USS Little Rock; and the submarine USS Croaker.
1952
New York City became the permanent headquarters of the United Nations.
1956
New York City hosted a Subway Series; a Major League baseball championship between the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers.
1961 - 1975
The Vietnam War. The New York State Vietnam Memorial at the Empire State Plaza in Albany commemorates the military service of New York State residents who served their country in Southeast Asia between 1961 and 1975, including more than 4,000 who lost their lives or were declared missing in action.
1964
The World’s Fair opened (again) in New York City.
1969
The three-day Woodstock Music & Art Fair was held on a former dairy farm in Bethel. The open-air festival featured icons of rock music and attracted half a million fans.
The New York Mets won the 1969 World Series.
1973
The World Trade Center was completed. Each tower measured 1,368 feet in height.
Lieutenant Governor Malcom Wilson became Governor of NY upon the resignation of Nelson Rockefeller.
1974 and 1978
Hugh Carey was elected Governor of NY.
1977
The I LOVE NEW YORK tourism campaign was created. Amid a nationwide recession, Governor Hugh Carey and the NY Department of Commerce made a strategic decision—to market tourism as a means to improve the state’s economy. It started with four little words. I LOVE NEW YORK—slogan, logo, and jingle--created an overall theme that was an instant hit. The clear, simple message has endured for more than 30 years, reflecting its universal appeal and New York’s cultural and natural wonders.
1977 and 1978
The New York Yankees won the World Series.
1982, 1986, and 1990
Mario Cuomo was elected Governor of NY.
1982
The musical Cats opened on Broadway, beginning a run of nearly 20 years.
1984
The New York State Vietnam Memorial was dedicated at the Empire State Plaza in Albany. Commemorating the military service of New York State residents who served their country in Southeast Asia between 1961 and 1975, including more than 4,000 who lost their lives or were declared missing in action, the memorial was the first such state effort in the nation.
1986
The New York Mets won the World Series.
1989
David Dinkins was elected Mayor of New York City. He was the City’s first African-American mayor.
1992
On May 17, the New York Stock Exchange Bicentennial celebrated its 200th anniversary as one of the world’s most vital and enduring financial institutions.
1993
On February 26, a terrorist attack at the World Trade Center killed six people and injured over 1000. In 1995, militant Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman and 9 others were convicted of conspiracy charges, and in 1998, Ramzi Yousef, believed to have been the mastermind, was convicted of the bombing. Al-Qaeda involvement is suspected.
1994
On January 1, Rudolph Giuliani was sworn in as the 107th Mayor of New York City. He was the City’s first Republican mayor in two decades. Among other things, he set out to reduce crime and reinvent the Times Square area as a family-friendly tourist destination.
1994, 1998, and 2002
George Pataki was elected Governor of NY.
1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000
The New York Yankees won the World Series.
2000
Former first lady Hillary Clinton was elected to the US Senate. She was the first female senator to represent New York.
2001
On September 11, terrorist attacks destroyed the World Trade Center. Nearly 3,000 people were killed. The NY Stock Exchange closed for four days--its longest closure since 1933. It reopened on September 17, setting a record volume of 2.37 billion shares.
2006
The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor opened in November at the New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site in the Hudson Valley. The facility shares the stories of America's combat wounded veterans and those who never returned, all recipients of the Purple Heart.
The first beam of the new Freedom Tower was placed at the World Trade Center Memorial Site.
2007
Eliot Spitzer was sworn in as Governor of NY on January 11.
2008
In March, Lieutenant Governor David Paterson became Governor of NY, upon the resignation of Eliot Spitzer. He is New York’s first African-American governor and first legally blind governor, as well as the fourth African-American governor in the US. Governor Paterson is nationally recognized as a leading advocate for the visually and physically impaired.
2009
In January, NY Senator Hilary Clinton was sworn in as US Secretary of State. Appointed by President Barack Obama, she is the first former First Lady to serve in a president’s cabinet.
In May, Pedestrian Malls were created at Times Square and Herald Square on Broadway. Beginning on May 22, New York City’s Broadway was closed to vehicle traffic for five blocks at Times Square, turning part of the "Crossroads of the World" into a pedestrian mall with cafª tables and benches. A second promenade was created at Herald Square, where Macy's dominates the intersection. The plan is part of an experiment to create open spaces for tourists and make the city even more pedestrian friendly.