History of New York City (1784–1854)

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2012}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2012}}

{{History of NYC}}

{{History of NYC}}

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[[File:Washington's entry into New York 1783, Currier and Ives 1857.jpg|thumb|[[George Washington]] enters New York in triumph following the [[Evacuation Day (New York)|British evacuation of America]].]]

[[File:Washington's entry into New York 1783, Currier and Ives 1857.jpg|thumb|[[George Washington]] enters New York in triumph following the [[Evacuation Day (New York)|British evacuation of America]].]]

The '''history of [[New York City]] (1784–1854)''' started with the creation of the city as the capital of the United States under the [[Congress of the Confederation]] from January 11, 1785, to Autumn 1788, and then under the United States Constitution from its ratification in 1789 until moving to [[Philadelphia]] in 1790. The city grew as an economic center with the opening of the [[Erie Canal]] in 1825; the growth of its railroads added to its dominance. [[Tammany Hall]] began to grow in influence with the support of many Irish immigrants, culminating in the election of the first Tammany mayor, Fernando Wood, in 1854. The city had become the nation's most important port and financial center and competed with Boston as the center of high culture.Edward K. Spann, ''The New Metropolis: New York City, 1840-1857'' (Columbia University Press, 1983)

The '''history of [[New York City]] (1784–1854)''' started with the creation of the city as the capital of the United States under the [[Congress of the Confederation]] from January 11, 1785, to Autumn 1788, and then under the United States Constitution from its ratification in 1789 until moving to [[Philadelphia]] in 1790. The city grew as an economic center with the opening of the [[Erie Canal]] in 1825; the growth of its railroads added to its dominance. [[Tammany Hall]] began to grow in influence with the support of many Irish immigrants, culminating in the election of the first Tammany mayor, Fernando Wood, in 1854. The city had become the nation's most important port and financial center and competed with Boston as the center of high culture.Edward K. Spann, ''The New Metropolis: New York City, 1840-1857'' (Columbia University Press, 1983)

===As a capital city===

===As a capital city===

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[[File:Federal Hall, Wall Street, 1789 (cropped).jpg|thumb|City Hall (later [[Federal Hall]]), 1789]]

[[File:Federal Hall, Wall Street, 1789 (cropped).jpg|thumb|City Hall (later [[Federal Hall]]), 1789]]

With the signing of the [[Treaty of Paris (1783)|Treaty of Paris]] in 1783 and the resulting [[Evacuation Day (New York)|withdrawal of British troops from the city]], the [[Congress of the Confederation]] moved to [[Federal Hall]] on [[Wall Street]] in 1785. The first [[government of the United States]], operating under the [[Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union]] since its ratification in 1781, was soon found inadequate for the needs of the new nation. However, certain successes were achieved while in New York, including the passage of the [[Northwest Ordinance]], which laid the framework for the addition of new states into the Union.

With the signing of the [[Treaty of Paris (1783)|Treaty of Paris]] in 1783 and the resulting [[Evacuation Day (New York)|withdrawal of British troops from the city]], the [[Congress of the Confederation]] moved to [[Federal Hall]] on [[Wall Street]] in 1785. The first [[government of the United States]], operating under the [[Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union]] since its ratification in 1781, was soon found inadequate for the needs of the new nation. However, certain successes were achieved while in New York, including the passage of the [[Northwest Ordinance]], which laid the framework for the addition of new states into the Union.

===As a federal city===

===As a federal city===

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The city's and state's status within the new union under the [[United States Constitution]] written in 1787 was under question when Governor [[George Clinton (vice president)|George Clinton]] proved reluctant to submit state power to a strong national government and was opposed to ratification. Some New York City businessmen proposed [[New York City secession]] as an alternative to joining the union separately, but Alexander Hamilton and others argued persuasively in the [[Federalist Papers]], published in city newspapers, for state ratification, which after much dispute finally passed in 1788. [[George Washington]] was inaugurated as the first [[President of the United States]] on the balcony of [[Federal Hall]] in 1789, and the [[United States Bill of Rights]] was drafted in the city. The [[Supreme Court of the United States]] sat for the first time in New York. After 1790, Congress left for Philadelphia.

The city's and state's status within the new union under the [[United States Constitution]] written in 1787 was under question when Governor [[George Clinton (vice president)|George Clinton]] proved reluctant to submit state power to a strong national government and was opposed to ratification. Some New York City businessmen proposed [[New York City secession]] as an alternative to joining the union separately, but Alexander Hamilton and others argued persuasively in the [[Federalist Papers]], published in city newspapers, for state ratification, which after much dispute finally passed in 1788. [[George Washington]] was inaugurated as the first [[President of the United States]] on the balcony of [[Federal Hall]] in 1789, and the [[United States Bill of Rights]] was drafted in the city. The [[Supreme Court of the United States]] sat for the first time in New York. After 1790, Congress left for Philadelphia.

==Rise of the immigrant city==

==Rise of the immigrant city==

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[[Image:NYC 1848.jpg|thumb|300px|New York City and the [[East River]], 1848.]]

[[Image:NYC 1848.jpg|thumb|300px|New York City and the [[East River]], 1848.]]

[[File:Birds-eye view of New York, 1851.png|thumb|300px|Bird's-eye view of New York City, 1851]]

[[File:Birds-eye view of New York, 1851.png|thumb|300px|Bird's-eye view of New York City, 1851]]