New York: History, Former Names & Timeline
A Dutch trading post renamed New York under English rule, which in the twentieth century became the world's capital of finance and culture.
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Former names of New York
| From | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1625 | Nieuw Amsterdam | |
| 1664 | New York |
Timeline of New York
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1625 | The Dutch West India Company founds New Amsterdam |
| 1664 | England seizes the town and renames it New York |
| 1789 | Washington is sworn in here as the first president |
| 1886 | The Statue of Liberty is dedicated |
| 1929 | The Wall Street Crash |
| 1945 | The United Nations makes New York its headquarters |
| 2001 | The September 11 attacks destroy the World Trade Center |
Who ruled New York
Derived from the border maps; each row runs until the next recorded border change.
| Period | State |
|---|---|
| 500 BC–101 BC | Eastern North American hunter-gatherers |
| 100 BC–499 | Unclaimed / no data |
| 500–1491 | Eastern North American hunter-gatherers |
| 1492–1499 | Munsee Lenape |
| 1500–1599 | Delaware |
| 1600–1649 | Montana |
| 1650–1782 | New Amsterdam |
| 1783–1814 | United States of America |
| 1815–1879 | United States |
| 1880–1913 | United States of America |
| 1914–today | United States |
Landmarks in and around New York
World Trade Center (1973–2001)Lost · 1973
Statue of LibertyStanding · 1886
Famous people of New York
| Lived | Person | |
|---|---|---|
| 1732 – 1799 | George Washington | First president of the United States |
| 1853 – 1895 | José Martí | Cuban poet and independence leader |
Nearby cities
- Philadelphia · about 130 km
- Boston · about 306 km
- Washington, D.C. · about 328 km
Further reading
Questions about New York
What was New York called in the past?
New York has been known as Nieuw Amsterdam (from 1625). Its present name dates from 1664.
Which states have ruled New York?
On the historical border maps from 500 BC to today, New York lies within 7 different states: Eastern North American hunter-gatherers, Munsee Lenape, Delaware, Montana, New Amsterdam, United States of America, United States.
What are the key dates in the history of New York?
1625: The Dutch West India Company founds New Amsterdam. 1664: England seizes the town and renames it New York. 1789: Washington is sworn in here as the first president. 1886: The Statue of Liberty is dedicated. 1929: The Wall Street Crash.
Which famous people are connected with New York?
George Washington (first president of the united states, 1732 – 1799); José Martí (cuban poet and independence leader, 1853 – 1895).
Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.