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No other city has such a global influence on art, fashion, business and media than New York. The vibrant, dynamic and fast-paced lifestyle in the Big Apple is a constantly changing and evolving adventure which excites and enchants its visitors. There is always something new to explore - whether visiting the iconic sights, world-renowned museums, taking a trip to the theatre or simply wandering the culturally diverse streets, New York has it all.

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New York City is a major global center of international finance, politics, communications, film, music, fashion, and culture, and is among the world's most important and influential cities. It is home to many world-class museums, art galleries, and theaters. Many of the world's largest corporations have their headquarters here. The headquarters of the United Nations is in New York and most countries have a consulate here. This city's influence on the world and all its inhabitants is hard to overstate, as decisions made within its boundaries often have impacts and ramifications around the globe.

Immigrants (and their descendants) from over 180 countries live here, making it one of, if not the most cosmopolitan city in the world. Travelers are attracted to New York City for its culture, energy and cosmopolitanism.

History

The first human settlers are believed to have arrived in the area at around 7000 BC, though this settlement was later abandoned. A subsequent wave of settlers, known as the Lenape people, would then arrive at around 1000 BC. Although they have been largely wiped out from the area since the days of European settlement, many of the thoroughfares used by them, such as Broadway, continue to be in use to this day.

The first Europeans to settle in the area were the Dutch in 1609, who named the colony New Amsterdam (Dutch: Nieuw Amsterdam). The colony was conquered by the British in 1664, who re-named the colony New York. Columbia University, the most prestigious in the city, and one of the most prestigious in the United States, was founded during the British colonial period in 1754.

For much of the War of Independence, New York City remained a British stronghold. The British only withdrew from the city in 1783, allowing George Washington's troops to march in and claim it for the United States of America. New York City became the first capital of the United States of America in 1789, though this status was short-lived as the capital was transferred to Philadelphia only a year later. Nevertheless, during that period, the first United States Congress was convened at what is now Federal Hall on Wall Street, and George Washington was also inaugurated as the first President of the United States on the steps of Federal Hall. The Supreme Court of the United States was first convened at the now-demolished Royal Exchange Building, which was adjacent to Federal Hall.

Orientation

The borough of Manhattan is a long, narrow island nestled in a natural harbor. It is separated from The Bronx on the north east by the Harlem River (actually a tidal strait); from Queens and Brooklyn to the east and south by the East River (also a tidal strait); and from the State of New Jersey to the west and north by the Hudson River. Staten Island lies to the south west, across Upper New York Bay.

In Manhattan, the terms “uptown” and “north” mean northeast, while “downtown” and “south” mean to the southwest. To avoid confusion, simply use “uptown” and “downtown.” Street numbers continue from Manhattan into the Bronx, and the street numbers rise as one moves farther uptown (however, in the Bronx, there is no simple numerical grid, so there may be 7 blocks between 167 St. and 170 St., for example). Avenues run north and south. In Brooklyn, street numbers rise as one moves south. Queens streets are laid out in a perpendicular grid – street numbers rise as one moves toward the east, and avenues run east and west. Staten Island's grid system is small and insignificant, only covering one neighborhood.

The term “the city” may refer either to New York City as a whole, or to the borough of Manhattan alone, depending on the context. The other boroughs - Brooklyn, The Bronx, Staten Island, and Queens - are sometimes referred to as the "outer boroughs.”

Climate

New York City has a humid continental climate and experiences all four seasons, with hot and humid summers (Jun-Sept), cool and dry autumns (Sept-Dec), cold winters (Dec-Mar), and wet springs (Mar-Jun). Average highs for January are around 38°F (3°C) and average highs for July are about 84°F (29°C). However, temperatures in the winter can go down to as low as 0°F (-18°C) and in the summer, temperatures can go as high as 100°F (38°C) or slightly higher. The temperature in any season is quite variable and it is not unusual to have a sunny 60°F (16°C) day in January followed by a snowy 25°F (-3°C) day. New York can also be prone to snowstorms and nor'easters (large storms similar to a tropical storm), which can dump as much as 2 feet (60 cm) of snow in 24–48 hours. Although snowstorms are a regular occurrence during the winter months, the snow rarely lies more than a few days before it partially melts. Major snowstorms can happen as early as Thanksgiving (the fourth Thursday in November) and as late as the second week in April, though this is not the norm. Tropical storms can also hit New York City in the summer and early fall.

People

The diverse population runs the gamut from some of America's wealthiest celebrities and socialites to homeless people. New York's population, formed by hundreds of thousands of immigrants, has been diverse since the city's founding by the Dutch, and successive waves of immigration from virtually every nation in the world make New York a giant social experiment in cross-cultural harmony.

The city's ethnic heritage illuminates different neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs. Manhattan's Chinatown remains a vibrant center of New York City's Chinese community, though the very large Chinese community in Flushing, Queens, has rivaled if not eclipsed it in importance, and three other Chinatowns have formed in New York City: the Brooklyn Chinatown in Sunset Park; the Elmhurst Chinatown in Queens; and the Avenue U Chinatown in the Homecrest section of Brooklyn. Traces of the Lower East Side's once-thriving Jewish community still exist amid the gentrified neighborhood's trendy restaurants and bars, but there are Chasidic communities in Borough Park, Crown Heights and Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Harlem has been gentrifying and diversifying and remains a center of African-American culture in New York. East (Spanish) Harlem, though also significantly gentrified, still justifies its reputation as a large Hispanic neighborhood. Little known to most tourists are the large Dominican neighborhoods of Hamilton Heights and Washington Heights in upper Manhattan. Brooklyn's Greenpoint is famous for its formerly large and vibrant Polish community, of which only a bit remains, and the Flatbush section - once home to the Brooklyn Dodgers - is today a huge and thriving Caribbean and West Indian section. Queens and Brooklyn are known for being home to many of New York's immigrant groups, which since 1990 have included large numbers of Russians, Uzbeks, Chinese, Irish, French, Filipinos, Yugoslavians, Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Japanese, Koreans, Thais, Africans, Arabs (from throughout the Middle East and northern Africa), Mexicans, Dominicans, Ecuadorians, Brazilians, Colombians and Jamaicans.

Economy

New York City is home to 46 Fortune 500 companies. Its gross metropolitan product of $1.7 trillion is the largest of any American city and represented approximately 9% of the American economy. If it were a nation, the city would have the 16th-highest GDP in the world.

New York is the national center for several industries. It is the home of the three largest U.S. stock exchanges (NYSE, NASDAQ, and AMEX) and many banking and investment firms. Though these companies have traditionally been located in the area around Wall Street in Financial District, many have offices in other parts of the city, such as Midtown. New York is the hub of the country's publishing, fashion, accounting, advertising, media, legal, theater, and art industries. The city boasts several top-tier hospitals and medical schools, which train more physicians than those in any other city in the world.

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Characterised by its excellent educational institutions, as well as sporting legacies, good food and a vibrant culture, Bostonians boast their city as one of the most diverse and influential in the USA. A city that helped to shape the North American identity, Boston works hard to preserve its history, but is also constantly renovating and revitalising. The student population, attracting great minds from across the world, has also helped to shape Boston into a modern city with a liberal outlook.

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History

The first people to arrive here discovered an archipelago of islands and isthmuses, filled with fruits of the land and sea. They called the land Shawmut, and would use fishweirs and tidal flows to catch their dinners. Calling themselves Massachusett, meaning "people of the great hills" they chased the seasons, heading inland to hunker down in winter hunting camps, while fishing and foraging by the coast during summer. These eponymous great hills are today known as the Blue Hills, located in nearby Milton.

Founding

The first European immigrant to appear was William Blaxton, an English priest who began living alone atop Beacon Hill in 1629. The following year the flagship Arbella and her fleet sailed from England, bringing hundreds of Puritan families across the Atlantic. Designated governor by the Massachusetts Bay Colony, John Winthrop quickly acquired Blaxton's land. He dubbed the area Boston after his boyhood home. Winthrop then delivered a powerful speech to his fellow settlers—one of the first examples of American Exceptionalism—proclaiming Boston to be "as a city upon a hill". This sermon would inspire those seeking to live life as "a model of Christian charity", and over the next decade close to 10,000 additional Puritans would reach the colony.

Differing somewhat from the English, the new Puritan arrivals to Boston placed an extreme value on literacy. Legislation was drafted during town meetings, requiring residents to be able to read and understand the Bible and the laws of the land. Boston Latin School and Harvard College were established early on as means to that end. This early commitment to education and system of small town governance are values that continue to endure throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts today.

While forward thinking in some ways, Puritans were exceedingly intolerant in other aspects of life. Anne Hutchinson, a charismatic Puritan, was banished and excommunicated in 1637 for her strong anti-establishment religious convictions. Mary Dyer was less fortunate, and in 1660 was hanged in Boston Common for the "crime" of being a Quaker. And yes, Christmas celebrations really were banned in Boston from 1659-1681 for being "satanical" and "sacrilegious".

Over the following 100 years, the New England colonists would war with remaining native Indian tribes, suffer deadly bouts of smallpox, and choose to rebuild after devastating fires and earthquakes. When in 1691 the colony expanded into the Province of Massachusetts Bay, Boston remained the capital of the region. Its position as the closest American city to England coupled with a high birth rate ushered in a boom time for the population and the economy.

Revolution

In direct competition with New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, Boston spent years improving its infrastructure. Investing in wharves, storage, and lighthouses helped Boston to become one of the world's wealthiest port cities. The trade in slaves, rum, salted cod, and tobacco were particularly important over the years. When, in the mid 1760s, taxes were levied on items Bostonians held most dear, the colonists' shared experiences and common religious background fostered a resistance unexpected to the far-off British Parliament.

Resistance came to a boiling point on March 5, 1770 when Redcoats fired into a crowd of colonists, shooting Crispus Attucks and four others dead by the steps of the Old State House. An illustration by Paul Revere of what would become known as The Boston Massacre called American colonists up and down the coast to throw off the yoke of colonial oppression. On the night of April 18, 1775, Revere rode out of Boston famously yelling: "The British are coming, the British are coming!", helping to raise the alarm of British attack throughout the countryside. After victories at Lexington and Concord, General George Washington arrived on the scene to help the Continental Army break the siege of Boston. The British were finally expelled in 1776, when after an overnight flurry of activity, cannons were fortified atop a hill and trained on the Crown's ships. For these pivotal events in American history Boston is often referred to as The Cradle of Liberty.

19th century

Now unencumbered by a foreign power and boasting a successful economy, Boston grew quickly, becoming a city in 1822. An elite class of community leaders developed, calling themselves Boston Brahmins. Families with the names Delano, Revere, and Adams would prize the arts; and became widely known for their rarefied literary culture and lavish patronage. Other contemporary Bostonians, no less privileged but with an alternative outlook on life, called themselves Transcendentalists. They believed in the inherent goodness of people and nature.

These groups would work together with Abolitionists to shape American liberal thought throughout the century. Calling Boston "The Athens of America", they helped drive unprecedented scientific, educational and social change that would soon sweep the country. Bostonians still think of the city as Brahmin Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. once put it, "The Hub of the Universe". This half-serious term is all you need to know to understand Boston's complicated self-image.

One of the most visible historical events to shape the city of Boston was the Irish potato famine during the late 1840s. A massive number of Irish escaped their homeland and found quarters in a new city. "The Boston Irish" would go on to reshape the city, building Catholic Boston College and giving birth to a powerful political dynasty, the Kennedys. Even the local basketball team is named "The Celtics". Today, imagining the city of Boston without the Irish is an impossible task.

Immigrants kept on arriving throughout the 1800s, not only from Ireland, but from Italy, eastern Europe, and beyond. The city needed space to put them all, so it began annexing nearby towns and undertaking land reclamation projects. Boston would eventually grow to become over 40 times its original size! Boston's economy would continue to expand along with its landmass, but not as quickly, and profits would not be distributed evenly.

Modern

By the close of World War II, Boston was on the decline. Poorly thought out urban renewal policies demolished hundreds of acres of ethnic neighborhoods. Factories were closing, no large buildings were under construction, and anti-Jewish and anti-black violence was on the rise. A court order forced Boston Public Schools to integrate, flaring racial tensions throughout the city. White flight was in full swing, as wealthier white Bostonians fled the city. A widely circulated photograph, The Soiling of Old Glory, depicted a young white student thrusting a flagpole at a restrained black man, reinforcing Boston's reputation for discrimination. But there were seeds of hope planted during the 1970s as well.

As the market began to open up in the 1970s, Boston did well in the mutual fund and financial industries. The healthcare sector grew, and many hospitals in Boston began to lead the nation in medical innovation and patient care. Higher education also became more expensive, and the best and brightest were attracted to Boston's powerful universities. Graduates from MIT in particular founded many profitable high-tech and bio-tech companies.

After the completion of the Big Dig in 2007, Boston began to step back into the spotlight on the national stage. Racial tensions have eased dramatically, and city streets once again echo with the sounds of activity and construction not seen for decades. Other cities look to Boston for how they handle health care, police violence, and civil rights issues. In the new millennium Boston is once again becoming a "hub" of intellectual, technological, and political thought.

Climate

Almost any time of the year is a good time to visit Boston. The springtime offers a window into renewal. Especially during May, blooms and blossoms are out and colors are at their brightest. Summer is summer of course, and June to September is the height of the tourist season. Every corner of the city takes advantage of the warm weather and is packed with festivals and special events. During fall, Mother Nature is on full display. She puts on such a show during October and November, many visitors choose this time to holiday over all others. If you are a snow lover, winter could be the season for you. Most residents, however, dread the cold temps and scant daylight hours found from December through March, sometimes extending into April.

Although far north for an American city, the nearby Atlantic Ocean offers a moderating effect. Winters are slow to take hold, while conversely, spring is slow to take root. One thing about the North Atlantic, it never really gets warm. Never. No matter how hot it is at the beach, you can bet that ocean water will be cold! The Atlantic also has the unlikely potential to create a Nor'easter, kind of a less powerful hurricane. Nor'easter's generally happen from September to April, when the cold Arctic air meets with warmer air over the Atlantic. Boston might get anywhere from 0-2 of these events a year, and is well prepared for them. So just hunker down for the day while the windy deluge passes by.

When the snow comes, and it will come, it alters the rhythm of life in the city. Sidewalks become slippery and narrow. The sun sets at 4pm The mercury drops below freezing and can stay there for months. It can dip even lower to 0°F (-18°C) for weeks at a time. For a few days each winter, however, warm Caribbean air pushes up into the Bay State, bringing with it a much welcomed respite from the cold. This helps keep the snow from piling up, so seeing more than a foot of accumulation is rare. The 2014-15 winter was an incredible exception, when over of snow fell on Boston in 18 days. The city dumped it in piles as high as , and had to wait until July 14th for the last of it to finally melt away. Boston is not well equipped to handle snowfall to that degree, so expect similar extensive transit disruptions if that amount ever drops again.

Film

Good Will Hunting (Gus Van Sant, 1996). If you're only watching one movie about Boston, make it this one. While the tale of Romeo & Juliet has been told many times, this telling of star crossed "blue collar" and "ivory tower" lovers could only happen in Boston. Powerful Academy Award winning performances and quotable dialogue make this a standout film. Good Will Hunting was a breakout success for Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, and you'll hear some great accents and see the city as it was before the current building boom. The Departed (Martin Scorsese, 2006). Loosely based on the exploits of Irish mobster Whitey Bulger and corrupt FBI agent John Connolly. This star studded tale of murder and deception won four Oscars including best picture. For a more biographical take on the mobster, don't miss Black Mass directed by Scott Cooper in 2015. Glory (Edward Zwick, 1989). Among other sources, Glory is based on the personal letters of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, commander of the first all-black regiment during the Civil War. OK, so there's a bit of a White savior thing going on, and it's not set in Boston; but still it's a great film and accurately depicts the feelings many Bostonians had about slavery during this time. Mystic River (Clint Eastwood, 2003). This critically acclaimed film deals with the horrific fallout of child abuse, rampant in Boston during the 1970s. Exploring where people's loyalties really lie, and asking how far you would go to protect what is yours. Principal photography took place on location in Boston. Ted (Seth MacFarlane, 2012). On the lighter side, this hilarious buddy comedy features all the toilet humor and Boston accents you can shake a stick at. Fenway Park of course gets involved somehow, along with a few original (off-color) songs. Spotlight (Tom McCarthy, 2015). Following The Boston Globe's "Spotlight" team, this film pursues the investigation into cases of widespread and systemic child sex abuse in the Boston area by numerous Roman Catholic priests. Based on a series of stories that earned The Globe a Pulitzer Prize in 2003. Patriots Day (Peter Berg, 2016). Shot in Boston and Quincy, Patriot's Day deals with the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the subsequent terrorist manhunt. While the film was well received, it was criticized in Boston for being made too soon and glamorizing the events it was based upon.

Literature

Often, Boston isn't at the center of a novel, but repeatedly makes memorable cameo appearances. Perhaps owing to the academic magnet effect that attracts bright minds here for a few short years. See David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest or Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury for examples. Another masterwork, The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, is also set in Boston. The Scarlet Letter (Nathaniel Hawthorne, 1850). Exploring themes of legalism, sin, and guilt; the book tells the tale of Hester Prynne, who conceives a daughter through an affair and struggles to create a new life in 17th century Boston. The Bell Jar (Sylvia Plath, 1963). Esther Greenwood a young woman from the suburbs of Boston experiences a series of setbacks and struggles with depression as she struggles to choose between doing what's expected or what is in her heart. Semi-autobiographical. Common Ground (J. Anthony Lukas, 1985). Winning the Pulitzer Prize for general non-fiction, this novel follows the lives of three families as they experience race relations in Boston during the 1960s and 70s. It briefly recounts how each family came to live in their neighborhood before narrowing in on racial and class conflicts. The Rascal King (Jack Beatty, 2000). Hero or hooligan? Boston mayor James Michael Curley (1874-1958) could certainly be either. During his four terms he built schools, playgrounds and beaches; even while imprisoned under a fraud conviction. Dark Tide (Stephen Puleo, 2003). In this book Puelo seeks to uncover the structural reasons for the occurrence of the great Boston molasses flood of 1919. See this infobox for more. A Short History of Boston (Robert Allison, 2004). The chair of Suffolk University’s history department brings Boston's history alive in 128 pages. Covering everything from the Puritan theocracy to the Big Dig and beyond. Another Bullshit Night in Suck City (Nick Flynn, 2004). A memoir by playwright and poet Nick Flynn, describing his reunion with his estranged father, Jonathan, an alcoholic resident of the homeless shelter where Nick was a social worker in the late 1980s. The Given Day (Dennis Lehane, 2008). A historical novel set in Boston during the turn of the last century. One of the story's main characters is Aiden "Danny" Coughlin, an ethnic Irish Boston Police patrolman. Lehane is also the author of other Boston based books frequently turned into films. You may have heard of Shutter Island, Gone, Baby, Gone, Mystic River, and many others. The Gardner Heist (Ulrich Boser, 2009). On the night of March 18, 1990 two men committed the largest art theft in history. A dozen masterpieces worth over $500 million went missing, and remain at large today. See this infobox for more.

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted in any restaurant or bar in the metro Boston area.

Talk

Often used in film and television as shorthand for "blue-collar" or "working-class" stereotypes, the Boston accent remains alive and well in the region. Known for dropping "R"s, the accent is believed to be a continuation of the English accent imported by the first colonists. Today it's on life support within the city itself, as long time residents move out and younger (accentless) transplants from around the world move in. Listen in to conversations of police, fire or construction workers for your best chance to hear it in the city. If you have time, pay a visit to the north or south shore where you're much more likely to hear it in action.

The word "wicked" is still strongly in use, functioning as an amplifier in place of "very". You'll also hear "packie" for a liquor (package) store and "blinkers" for the turn signals on your car. And some of our English friends might recognize a "rotary" as a roundabout. There are many others, but these are the most commonly used today. Feel free to try out "wicked" as often as you like, it's a fun way to get in on the culture. Try not to go overboard — saying stuff like "Pahk tha cah in Hahvid yahd" is a dead giveaway for tourists. Avoid saying "pisser" — you'll see it printed on t-shirts but no one really says it anymore.

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© Sourced from Wikivoyage