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 CartierRe di Francia

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

Dutch West Indian Company established New Netherland

The first Dutch settlement was established; for 40 years the Dutch ruled over the colony of New Netherland

Peter Minuit buys the island of Manhattan from the Native Americans

The first black slaves arrive in New York

A Swede called Jonas Bronck settles in the Bronx, which is named after him

A settlement is founded at Flushing

The city of New Amsterdam is incorporated. A wall of wooden stakes is built. The street next to it is called Wall Street

The first Jews arrive in New York

Thatched roofs are banned because of the risk of fire

Dutch farmers build a village called Nieuw Haarlem

The first settlement is made on Staten Island

English conquered New Netherland, changed name to New York

The British army conquered the colony of New Netherland, which was then re-named New York, in honor of the Duke of York

Anglo-Dutch war occurred; Dutch captured New Amsterdam

English recaptured New Amsterdam; English and Dutch arrived at peace agreement; New Amsterdam named New York City

Trinity Church is dedicated

New York has a population of about 5,000. Federal Hall is built

Yellow fever epidemic killed over 500

The first shipyard opens in New York

New York gains its first newspaper

The first synagogue in New York is built

New York gains its first theater

A series of fires break out. Some people fear a conspiracy among the slaves and 31 of them are executed

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

New York City hosted the first Colonial Congress, a conference called to discuss the King of England's Stamp Act

St Paul's Chapel is built

Colonists disguised as Indians dumped load of tea into harbor

American Revolution began; Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold took Fort Ticonderoga; New York City shelled by British man-of-war

The Revolutionary War. On May 10, 1775, Ethan Allen, Benedict Arnold, and 83 'Green 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

After serving as a colony of Great Britain for more than a century, New York declared its independence on July 9, becoming one of the original 13 states of the Federal Union

New York declared independence from England; Nathan Hale hung for spying; Declaration of Independence endorsed; fire in New York City destroyed 1,000 homes

New York has a population of about 25,000

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

Battle of Saratoga occurred; British troops left New York City; Revolutionary War ended

George Washington enters New York

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

The Bank of New York is founded

New York City named nation's capitol

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

New York became 11th state

George Washington inaugurated as first U. S. president in New York City

The New York Stock Exchange was founded in New York City

Yellow fever epidemic killed 732

Coffee House Slip Fire destroyed about 50 buildings near Murray Wharf

In January, Albany became the capital of New York State

Great epidemic killled 2,086

St Marks Church-in-the-Bowery is built

New York has a population of about 60,000

The US Military Academy opened at West Point

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

A commission draws up plans for building new streets in New York

War of 1812 occurred

New York City Hall opens

New York has a population of about 23,000

Erie Canal completed

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

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

Slavery abolished in New York

New York's first railroad opened

Horse drawn streetcars run in New York for the first time

Fire in NYC financial district destroyed more than 600 buildings

New York suffers a severe fire

Harlem is connected to New York by railway

Martin Van Buren, born in Kinderhook, became the eighth President of the US

New York Police Force is formed

Madison Square opens

Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and more than 300 other women and men gathered in Seneca Falls for the nation's first women's rights convention

The Astor Place Riot takes place

Millard Fillmore, born in Cayuga County, became the 13th President of the US

The New York Times begins publication

Macy's opens

The State of New York supplied almost one-sixth of all Union forces during the Civil War, which began in 1861

Draft riots take place

Cholera kills 2,000 people

Prospect Park is laid out

The Museum of Natural History is founded

Explosion on Staten Island Ferry Westfield II killed 125

Bloomingdales is founded

Stage fire at Brooklyn Theater killed 276

The first telephones are installed in New York

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

Bryant Park is laid out

The Statue of Liberty is dedicated

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

Great Blizzard of '88 paralyzed eastern seaboard

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

Carnegie Hall opens

Nine-day heatwave in NYC killed 420

Bronx Zoo opens

The State Capitol at Albany was completed

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, Roosevelt became the youngest president in the nation's history

New York City’s first skyscraper was built: the 21-story Flatiron building at 23rd Street and Fifth Avenue

New York City’s first subway line, called the IRT, opened

Steamship General Slocum caught fire, killed over 1,000 passengers

The first line of the New York Subway opens

New York Giants won World Series

Queensboro Bridge is built

A fire at the Triangle Factory kills 146 people

The Woolworth Building is erected. Grand Central Station opens

Great Influenza Pandemic killed 851

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

Wall Street bombing killed 40

Holland Tunnel opens

New York Yankees won World Series

New York Yankees won World Series

New York Stock Exchanged crashed; Great Depression began

The Museum of Modern Art is founded in New York

The Chrysler Building is erected. The Whitney Museum of American Art is founded

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

The Empire State Building is erected

Lake Placid hosted the Olympic Winter Games. The Whiteface Lake Placid Olympic Center at the site features an Olympic Museum and Sports Complex

Franklin D. Roosevelt, born near Hyde Park, became the 32nd President of the US

New York Giants won World Series

Race riots in Harlem killed 3, injured 125

New York Yankees won World Series

New York Yankees won World Series

New England Hurricane struck Long Island, 10 killed

New York Yankees won World Series

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; more than 44 million people attended over two seasons

World's Fair opened in New York City; North Beach Airport (LaGuardia) dedicated; New York Yankees won World Series

New York Yankees won World Series

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

Race riots in Harlem, several looters killed, 500 injured; New York Yankees won World Series

B-25 bomber crashed into Empire State Building, killed 13

New York Yankees won World Series

New York International Airport (JFK) opened

New York Yankees won World Series

New York Yankees won World Series

New York City became the permanent headquarters of the United Nations

United Nations Headquarters completed in New York City; New York Yankees won World Series

New York Yankees won World Series

New York Giants won World Series

Brooklyn Dodgers won World Series

New York City hosted a Subway Series; a Major League baseball championship between the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers

New York Giants move to San Francisco, Brooklyn Dodgers move to Los Angeles

New York Yankees won World Series

New York Yankees won World Series

St. Lawrence Seaway opened

Fire on USS Constellation killed 50, injured 323, $75 million damages

New York Yankees won World Series

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

New York Yankees won World Series

Brush fires on Staten Island destroyed 100 homes

Race riots in Harlem, one person killed, 100 injured; World Fair opened in New York City

The World’s Fair opened (again) in New York City

Black nationalist leader, Malcom X, assassinated; Great Northeast Blackout (power outage)

Fire killed 12 members of NYC Fire Dept

The General Motors Building is erected

New York Mets won World Series

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. Today the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts features a 1960s museum and presents concerts at the site. The New York Mets won the 1969 World Series

40 workers killed in LNG tank explosion

The World Trade Center was completed. Each of the twin towers measured 1,368 feet in height. Lieutenant Governor Malcolm Wilson became Governor of NY upon the resignation of Nelson Rockefeller

Hugh Carey was elected Governor of NY

Bomb exploded in TWA baggage claim area at LaGuardia, killed 11, injured 74

The New York Yankees won the World Series

Major blackout occurred, 9 million people without power for 25 hours; New York Yankees won World Series

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 40 years, reflecting its universal appeal and New York’s cultural and natural wonders

New York Yankees won World Series

Ex-Beatle, John Lennon, murdered in front of home

Lake Placid hosted the Olympic Winter Games for the second time. The Whiteface Lake Placid Olympic Center at the site features an Olympic Museum and Sports Complex

Mario Cuomo was elected Governor of NY

The musical Cats opened on Broadway, beginning a run of nearly 20 years. Winner of the 1983 Tony for Best Musical, this show charmed audiences with spectacular choreography and songs by Andrew Lloyd Webber

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

New York Mets won World Series

The New York Mets won the World Series

The Museum of the Moving Image opens

The musical Phantom of the Opera—now a multi-Tony Award winner and the longest-running show on Broadway—opened

David Dinkins was elected Mayor of New York City. He was the City’s first African-American mayor

David Dinkins becomes the first African American Mayor of New York

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

On February 26, a terrorist attack at the World Trade Center killed six people and injured more than 1000. In 1995, militant Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman and nine 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 was suspected

Terrorist attack killed six, injured over 1000 at World Trade Center

George Pataki was elected Governor of NY

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

The New York Yankees won the World Series

TWA Flight 800 crashed, killed 230; New York Yankees won World Series

New York Yankees won World Series

New York Yankees won World Series

Former first lady Hillary Clinton was elected to the US Senate. She was the first female senator to represent New York

New York Yankees won World Series

9/11 - Terrorists hijacked, then crashed two planes into World Trade Center, nearly 3,000 killed, with billions in property loss. Later in the year, American Airlines plane crash in New York City kills 260

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. Symbolizing our nation’s strength and resilience, it reopened on September 17, setting a record volume of 2.37 billion shares. Today, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum honors the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, at the World Trade Center site; near Shanksville, Pennsylvania; and at the Pentagon; as well as the six people killed in the World Trade Center bombing in February 1993

The World Trade Center is destroyed in a terrorist attack

Power outage across eastern U.S. and Canada; Staten Island ferry crash kills 10, injures 43

Strike by workers shut down New York City transit system

The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor opened in November at the New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site in the Hudson Valley. The facility commemorates the extraordinary sacrifices of America's servicemen and servicewomen who were killed or wounded in combat and 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, now the National September 11 Memorial & Museum

Yankees pitcher, Cory Lidle and flight instructor, killed in airplane crash; first beam of the new Freedom Tower placed

Eliot Spitzer was sworn in as Governor of NY on January 11

Senator Hillary Clinton entered presidential race

Governor Eliot Spitzer resigned after being linked to prostitution ring

In March, Lieutenant Governor David Paterson became Governor of NY, upon the resignation of Eliot Spitzer. He was 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

Investment bank, Lehman Brothers, filed for bankruptcy

Bernard Madoff sentenced to 150 years in prison for masterminding massive fraud robbing investors of $65 billion

In January, NY Senator Hillary 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

The Bank of America Tower is built

US Airways plane with 155 people on board crash-landed in Hundson River after striking bird on takeoff, all aboard were safe

Andrew Cuomo was elected Governor of New York on November 2. Governor Andrew Cuomo’s father, Mario Cuomo, was New York governor from 1983 to 1994

Blizzards struck New York, forced cancellation of flights, disrupted road and rail traffic

Car bomb found parked in Times Square, New York City

On June 24, New York became the sixth state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage. New adventure parks opened at ski mountains across New York, including the Outdoor Adventure Center at Greek Peak, featuring an Alpine Mountain coaster; the Sky High Adventure Park, Aerial Adventure and Mountain Coaster at Holiday Valley; and the New York Zipline at Hunter Mountain, the longest and highest in North America. On September 22, Jane's Carousel was installed in Brooklyn Bridge Park. The first carousel to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it was painstakingly restored by Jane Walentas at her studio in Brooklyn’s DUMBO neighborhood. Set beside the East River between the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges, the elegant 1922 carousel has 48 hand-carved horses and 1200 brilliant lights. Housed in a spectacular Pavilion designed by renowned architect Jean Nouvel, it delights local children and visitors from around the world. The Carousel and Pavilion were a gift from the Walentas family to the people of the City of New York

Protesters moved to Times Square, over 70 arrested

Protests held at Wall Street

Russian arms dealer, Viktor Bout, convicted of conspiracy to kill Americans, provide missiles and material support to terrorist organization

Destiny USA, one of the nation’s largest shopping centers, opened in Syracuse. The 2.4-million-square-foot tourist destination features luxury retailers, premium outlets, diverse restaurants and unique entertainment like an Ice Museum, WonderWorks, and Canyon Climb Adventure. Hurricane Sandy hit New York City on October 29. It was the deadliest and most destructive tropical cyclone of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, as well as the second-costliest hurricane in US history at the time. New Yorkers and many other volunteers pulled together to help clean up, supply food, and provide overall assistance in the City’s recovery. Voluntourism focused on the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy. Jane’s Carousel (see 2011) survived Hurricane Sandy

Horse Race at Saratoga Race Course

Raging waters engulfed the carousel, set on a three-foot-high pavilion that usually stands 30 feet from the river. From seven stories above and a block away, neighbors took a photo of the still-lit pavilion—surrounded by surging tides that threatened to wash it away. Amazingly it survived. The photo of the illuminated carousel surrounded by darkness and crashing waves spread across the Internet, as a symbol of New York City’s resilience

Historic Saratoga Race Course celebrated its 150th Anniversary

The population of New York is 8.3 million

One World Trade Center opens

World Trade Center Transportation Hub opens