New York History
Dominated by the nation’s most heavily populated city, New York has been an area of economic and political importance since the earliest years of the United States. Its position between the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes made it a major area of population movement to the west, and New York City attracts emigrants from around the world.
Early History. The first humans to reside in the area arrived about ten thousand years ago and hunted bison and other large game. Thousands of years later, the culture known as the Mound Builders grew crops in southwestern New York. By the time Europeans arrived in the New World, the Atlantic coast was inhabited by the Mohegans and the Munsees, members of the Algonquian language group. Farther inland resided the Onondaga, the Oneida, the Seneca, the Cayuga, and the Mohawk tribes, members of the Iroquois language group. In 1570, these five peoples united into the Iroquois League, a powerful confederation that dominated the area for two centuries.
Exploration and Settlement. The first European to visit the area was the Italian navigator Giovanni da Verrazano. Working for the French, Verrazano explored the Atlantic coast from North Carolina to Canada, including New York Harbor, in 1524. The French explorer Samuel de Champlain journeyed from Canada to northern New York and reached Lake Champlain in 1609. The same year, the English navigator Henry Hudson, working for the Dutch, sailed up the Hudson River about as far as the modern site of Albany. Despite this early exploration, settlement of New York began slowly.
The Dutch established Fort Orange, later known as Albany, in 1624 as the first permanent European settlement in the area. The next year they established New Amsterdam, later known as New York City, on Manhattan Island. By 1650, the Dutch colony had about one thousand residents. In 1664, an English fleet sailed into New York Harbor and captured the colony without a fight. At this time the area had about eight thousand colonists, including Dutch, English, French, Germans, Finns, Swedes, Jews, and African slaves.
A view of lower Manhattan while the World Trade Center towers were still standing. With more than eight million residents, New York City has a larger population than that of all but eleven states.
img32_004.jpg
(David Raboin/iStockphoto)
The colony was granted by English King Charles II to his brother, the duke of York and Albany, later King James II. After approving a charter adopted by the colonists in 1683, James II revoked it after he became king in 1685. Instead, he united New York and the colonies of New England to the north under a single administration. Strong resistance to the unification of the colonies led to a rebellion in 1689, after a political crisis in England forced James II to abdicate. Jacob Leisler, the leader of the rebellion, controlled New York until 1691, when the new king, William II, sent in a new royal governor, who had Leisler hanged for treason.
The next several decades brought conflict between the French and the English in the area. The French made a number of raids from Canada into central and northern New York, limiting settlement beyond Albany. An important factor in England’s ability to retain control of the colony was an alliance with the Iroquois League. The struggle for control of North America led to the French and Indian War (1754–1763), which ended with the English in firm control of New York. The war also weakened the power of the Iroquois League, which ceded much of its land to the colonists.
Revolution and Population Growth. The British victory in the war encouraged settlement of the area. By the start of the American Revolution (1775–1783), New York had a population of 163,000. About one-third of the battles of the Revolution took place in New York. American forces under Ethan Allen captured Fort Ticonderoga, in the northeastern part of the colony, in 1775. The British captured New York City in 1776 and recaptured Fort Ticonderoga in 1777. One of the most important events in the war took place in New York on October 17, 1777, when British general John Burgoyne surrendered his army at Saratoga, between Fort Ticonderoga and Albany. This American victory, often considered the turning point in the Revolution, helped bring France into the war against the British.
New York adopted its first state constitution on April 20, 1777, with Kingston, located between Albany and New York City, as the first state capital. After the war, New York City served as the capital of the United States from 1785 to 1790. It became the most populous city in the nation in 1790. New York officially became the eleventh state of the Union in 1788, when it ratified the U.S. Constitution. The state capital was moved to Albany nine years later.
Migration to the state from New England made New York the second most heavily populated state in 1800 and the most heavily populated state in 1810. The opening of the Erie Canal between the Hudson River and Lake Erie in 1825, linking New York to new territories in the west, contributed to the state’s rapid growth.
The Civil War and Tammany Hall. New York abolished slavery in 1827 and was a center of the antislavery movement. Although the state was firmly on the side of the Union during the Civil War (1861–1865), violent draft riots in New York City in 1863 led to two thousand deaths, including those of many African Americans. Despite this crisis, the war was generally good for the state’s growing economy.
Meanwhile, New York City became a stronghold of political corruption with the rise of Tammany Hall. This group had been founded in 1789 to represent the interests of the middle class against the policies of the Federalist Party. It later evolved into an organization that dominated the Democratic Party in New York City, giving it control of the city government. Tammany Hall reached its greatest power during the middle of the nineteenth century, when William “Boss” Tweed took control in 1857. Tweed stole millions of dollars from the city treasury. Tammany Hall lost much of its power when Tweed was arrested in 1872, but it continued to have an influence in city politics well into the twentieth century.
Economic Growth and Immigration. New York’s position as one of the most economically important states in the nation began soon after statehood. Dairy farming, long the most important agricultural activity in the state, was established before the American Revolution. Poultry and egg production, as well as fruit and vegetable farming, also began at an early date and would remain important parts of the state’s economy.
Investment and finance, which began with the founding of the New York Stock Exchange in 1817, would remain centered in New York City’s Wall Street. The textile industry began during the 1820’s. International trade was also established at an early date, with New York handling half of the nation’s imported goods as early as 1831.
The first railroad in the state was completed in 1831. The growth of the New York Central Railroad Company throughout the nineteenth century was a major factor in the rise of industry in the state. After the Civil War, during the so-called Gilded Age, rapid economic growth created many millionaires and led to the founding of nationally important companies such as Westinghouse, General Electric, and Eastman Kodak.
Meanwhile, the first of many waves of immigration brought large numbers of Germans and Irish to New York during the 1840’s. During the late nineteenth century, new residents from around the world arrived, particularly from eastern and southern Europe. New York’s Ellis Island was the center of immigration in the United States from 1892 to 1943.
Large numbers of African Americans began to arrive in New York during World War I, followed by an even larger number during and after World War II. New York’s African American population rose from less than 5 percent during the early 1940’s to more than 20 percent by the end of the century. During the 1950’s and 1960’s, large numbers of Puerto Ricans arrived in the state. Later decades brought an increase in immigration from Asia and the Middle East.
New York City’s Empire State Building nearing completion in 1930.
img32_006.jpg
The Twentieth Century. New York, long dominant in national politics, began a new era with the election of Franklin Delano Roosevelt as governor in 1928. Roosevelt’s policy of increased government spending on social services, particularly after the stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression, continued when he served as president of the United States from 1933 to 1945. This trend continued in New York City after World War II, leading to a financial crisis in 1975, when federal funds of $4.5 billion were needed to protect the city from bankruptcy.
In 1970, California surpassed New York in population. Between 1970 and 1980, New York was one of the few states to decrease in population. Despite a decline in manufacturing during the same decade, the rise of service industries led to economic growth during the late 1970’s and 1980’s. This growth came to a sudden halt in late 1987, when a stock market crash led to a recession. In addition to economic problems, New York City faced an increase in racial violence during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. Although New York City managed to lessen its image as a center of crime and poverty during the late 1990’s, it still faced numerous challenges in the twenty-first century.
2000 General Elections. The most sensational political development in New York in 2000 was undoubtedly the victory of First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton in her race for the U.S. Senate. This victory fed speculation that she would eventually make a bid for the presidency. In the simultaneous presidential polling, New York went solidly for Al Gore over George W. Bush by a 60-35 percent victory, with Ralph Nader taking 5 percent.
Also in 2000, New York experienced a number of unexpected negative surprises. In February, a small bomb exploded near Wall Street in lower Manhattan. In July, a gunman seized a plane at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Long Island and took two hostages, surrendering the next day. The same month, the West Nile virus reappeared in Manhattan after its original appearance in August, 1999.
9/11. On the morning of September 11, 2001, several coordinated terrorist attacks and one attempted attack on iconic targets in Manhattan, northern Virginia, and Washington, D.C., took place involving hijacked passenger jets that were crashed into the intended targets. These attacks included two planes, each of which hit one of the 110-floor Twin Towers of the World Trade Center (WTC) in lower Manhattan, destroying both. In the WTC attacks, 2,749 persons died, including 343 New York City firefighters and 23 police officers, as well as 37 Port Authority police. Some two hundred persons jumped to their deaths from the burning towers, but most of those in the towers at the time of the attacks were successfully evacuated. In the wake of the WTC attacks, five other buildings at the site were destroyed or badly damaged; in all, twenty-five buildings were damaged. The attacks caused widespread terror and confusion. In the New York City area, most schools and many businesses closed for the day. New Yorkers, however, were soon rallied by Mayor Rudi Giuliani.
Giuliani’s leadership role catapulted him into national prominence and soon earned him the honorific title “America’s mayor.” Time magazine named him the 2001 Person of the Year. He became a constant and reassuring public presence during the crisis. Paying little attention to his own security, he modeled courage and grace under fire. He managed the response of the agencies of city government and made or delegated hundreds of key decisions. He also coordinated efforts of the city and with those of state and federal governments. He reassured New Yorkers that their city would be rebuilt and would literally and figuratively “stand tall” again. A work by composer John Adams commemorating the tragedy, “On the Transmigration of Souls,” debuted on September 19, 2002. In 2003, new plans for a “freedom tower” to be built on the WTC site were unveiled, though to mixed reviews.
Anthrax Attacks. New acts of terrorism began on September 18, 2001, a week after the 9/11 attacks. Anthrax-laced letters were sent to the news organizations of several major television networks, as well as the New York Post. Another was sent to Florida, and other such letters were later sent to two senators in Washington, D.C. One of the five persons to die of the anthrax-caused disease was a New Yorker. Despite extensive efforts, the persons responsible were not identified. To make matters worse, on November 12, 2001, only two months after the 9/11 attacks, an American Airlines Airbus crashed on takeoff from Kennedy International Airport, killing all on board and five on the ground— some 260 persons in all. Despite initial fears that foul play was involved, after exhaustive investigation, the crash was ruled in 2004 to have been caused by pilot error.
Elections. The election for mayor of New York City was held in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Mayor Giuliani, who could not run again because of term limits, endorsed billionaire businessman Michael Bloomberg for the job. Bloomberg, a liberal Republican, narrowly defeated Democrat Mark Green 50-48 percent. Bloomberg was reelected to the post in 2005, gaining 57 percent of the vote.
In the gubernatorial election of 2002, Governor George Pataki was reelected with 48 percent of the vote, over two opponents, one of whom—billionaire Blaise Thomas Golisano—spent $70 million of his fortune but gained just 14 percent of the ballots cast. In 2004, John Kerry swept the state with 58 percent of the vote for U.S. president to George W. Bush’s 41 percent, while Democratic senator Chuck Schumer trounced his Republican opponent, 71-25 percent.
As in prior decades, New York State and New York City elected political figures with major national reputations. Elected to the U.S. Senate from New York in 2000, Hillary Clinton was the first former first lady to run for office. After an unsuccessful bid for the Democratic Party nomination for president in 2004, she joined the cabinet of President Barack Obama to serve as secretary of state.
In the 2006 race for governor, Democrat Eliot Spitzer was elected, succeeding Republican Governor George Pataki. Pataki was a three-term incumbent and did not choose to run for a fourth term. Spitzer was elected to serve between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2010. However, he announced his resignation on March 12, 2008, facing public revelation of his involvement in a prostitution scandal. Spitzer was succeeded on March 17 by Lieutenant Governor David Paterson. In 2010, the election was won by Democrat Andrew Cuomo.
Also attracting national attention was Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City. First elected in 2001 as a Republican, Bloomberg switched parties, was re-elected in 2005 as a Democrat, and was elected in 2009 for a third term as an Independent. Bloomberg’s city administration became noted for many controversial measures. Among them was Bloomberg’s proposal to ban the sale of soft drinks larger than 16 ounces in restaurants.
On March 12, 2013, just before the ban was to take effect, the State Supreme Court struck the measure down, ruling that the rule was “arbitrary and capricious.” The city appealed the decision, and despite the fact that the decision was upheld in the Appellate Division, Bloomberg announced the city would appeal. Bloomberg’s policies which have been described as an effort to create a “nanny state.”
Superstorm Sandy. New York State was heavily affected by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the second-costliest hurricane in United States history after Katrina. Although it made landfall as a Category 2 storm, the storm had become the largest Atlantic hurricane on record to date, as measured by diameter, some 1,100 miles. Estimates as of damage in 24 U.S. states and six foreign countries ran to more than $68 billion, with some $65 billion in the United States.
New York City’s Manhattan borough is the most densely populated major residential area in the nation, but its crowding is relieved by Central Park, which stretches from 59th Street to 110th Street and from Fifth Avenue to Eighth Avenue.
img32_007.jpg
As the storm came ashore, it came to be known as “Superstorm Sandy.” The storm surge hit New York City on October 29, flooding streets and subway lines and cutting power in and near the city. Governor Cuomo declared a statewide state of emergency and asked for a national disaster declaration on October 26, which President Obama signed that day. Airports, bridges, rail lines, and tunnels into New York City were closed. Evacuations were ordered on Long Island, including mandatory evacuations of Fire Island and six towns. In New York City, public schools and the stock market were closed, as were subways, PATH train service, and the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
Notes for Further Study
Published Sources. A good, basic source of information on the state is New York (2005) by Ann Heinrichs, which discusses New York’s geography, plants, animals, history, economy, and people. A broad discussion of the many issues facing New York in the future, including education, the environment, and the economy, can be found in New York State in the Twenty-first Century (1999), edited by Thomas A. Hirschl and Tim B. Heaton. The Empire State: A History of New York (2001), edited by Milton M. Klein, begins in the early seventeenth century, when the region was still populated solely by Native Americans, and concludes at the year 2000.
By far the largest number of books available deal with New York City. Two excellent histories of the city are American Metropolis: A History of New York City (1998) by George J. Lankevich and Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898 (1999) by Edwin G. Burrows and Mike Wallace. A History of New York (2004) by Françoise Weil (translated by Jody Gladding) provides a fascinating look at the cultural, economic, and social development of New York City from the early seventeenth century and into the twenty-first century. New York: An Illustrated History (Rev. ed., 2003) by Ric Burns, Lisa Ades, and James Sanders serves as the companion text to the 1999 Public Broadcasting System (PBS) network series on America’s iconic city. Hundreds of rare photographs, paintings, lithographs, prints, and period maps complement the narrative. An updated version of a classic work dealing with the many different ethnic groups in the city is found in Beyond the Melting Pot: The Negroes, Puerto Ricans, Jews, Italians, and Irish of New York City (1990) by Nathan Glazer. A detailed account of the attempt in the 1990’s to transform the city’s most famous area from a place of crime and poverty to a tourist attraction is provided by Alexander J. Reichl in Reconstructing Times Square: Politics and Culture in Urban Development (1999). Aimed at middle-school students, The Natural History of New York (2002) by Stan Freeman and Mike Nasuti is also appropriate for general audiences interested in the state’s flora and fauna. New York Politics: A Tale of Two States (2001) by Edward Schneier and John Brian Murtaugh and Governing New York State (5th ed., 2006), edited by Robert F. Pecorella and Jeffrey M. Stonecash, both offer solid discussions on the state’s political process and institutions.
Web Resources. As might be expected for the state with the largest city in the United States, an enormous variety of Web sites exist relating to New York. A good place to start is with the state government’s official Web site (www.state.ny.us) provides information about government services and discussions of important issues such as crime, education, the economy, the environment, health care, and welfare. A site with information for each county is found at New York GenWeb Project (www.rootsweb.com/~nygenweb/). Tourist attractions in the state are the subject of I Love New York (http://iloveny.com/).
The Bear Mountain Bridge over the Hudson River. Linked to the Erie Canal, the Hudson was an important transportation route during the nineteenth and early twentieth centries.
img32_009.jpg
Statistical information for the state can be found at New York QuickFacts (quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/36000.html), provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. Of the many Web sites dealing with the state’s history, one of the best for the student new to the subject is the New York Historical Society (www.nyhistory.org/exhibitions). To find more historical details, search the New York State Archives site (www.archives.nysed.gov/aindex.shtml).
Among the countless Web sites dealing with New York City, the official New York City site (http://www.nyc.gov/html/) is the best place to start, while the Gotham Center for New York City History (www.gothamcenter.org/) provides many sections on the city’s history. Sites dealing with two of the city’s most famous institutions are the New York Stock Exchange (www.nyse.com) and The New York Times on the Web (nytimes.com).
Survey Says…
This section presents current rankings from dozens of public and private sources. It shows how this state ranks in a number of critical categories, including education, job growth, cost of living, teen drivers, energy efficiency, and business environment. Sources include Forbes, Reuters, U.S. News and World Report, CNN Money, Gallup, and Huffington Post.
-
New York ranked #37 in a government study measuring real gross domestic product (GDP)—the output of goods and services produced by labor and property located in the United States. The ranking is based on the percentage change compared with 2011 GDP.
U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, June 2013; www.bea.gov
-
New York ranked #3 in a government study measuring real gross domestic product (GDP)—the output of goods and services produced by labor and property located in the United States. The ranking is based on the dollar value of its GDP.
U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, June 2013; www.bea.gov
-
New York ranked #3 in the 17th edition of “Quality Counts; State of the States,” Education Week's “report card” surveying key education indicators, policy efforts, and educational outcomes.
Education Week, January 4, 2013 (online) and January 10, 2013 (print); www.edweek.org
-
SERI (Science and Engineering Readiness Index) weighs the performance of the states' K-12 schools in preparing students in physics and calculus, the high school subjects considered most important for future scientists and engineers. New York ranked #5.
Newsletter of the Forum on Education of the American Physical Society, Summer 2011 issue; www.huffingtonpost.com, July 11, 2011; updated October 1, 2012
-
Business website 24/7 Wall St. identified the states with the highest and lowest percentages of residents 25 or older with a college degree or higher. Of “America's Best Educated States,” New York ranked #9 (#1 = best).
247wallst.com, posted October 15, 2012; consulted July 18, 2013
-
MoneyRates.com ranked New York #47 on its list of the best to worst states for making a living. Criteria: average income; inflation; employment prospects; and workers' Workplace Environment assessments according to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index.
www.money-rates.com, posted April 1, 2013
-
Forbes analyzed business costs, labor supply, regulatory environment, current economic climate, growth prospects, and quality of life, to compile its “Best States for Business” rankings. New York ranked #23.
www.forbes.com. posted December 12, 2012
-
In “The States People Are Fleeing in 2013,” Forbes reported the results of United Van Lines's thirty-sixth annual survey of its “customer migration patterns.” In percentage of outbound moves, New York ranked #4(1= most).
www.forbes.com, posted February 7, 2013
-
The 2012 Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, surveyed American's opinions on economic confidence, workplace perceptions, community climate, personal choices, and health predictors to assess the “future livability” of each state. New York ranked #34.
“Utah Poised to Be the Best State to Live In,” Gallup Wellbeing, www.gallup.com, August 7, 2012
-
On CNBC's list of “America's Top States for Business 2013,” New York ranked #35. Criteria: measures of competitiveness developed with input from the National Association of Manufacturers, the Council on Competitiveness, and other business groups weighed with the states' own marketing criteria.
www.cnbc.com, consulted July 19, 2013
-
New York ranked #44 on MoneyRates list of “Best-and Worst-States to Retire 2012.” Criteria: life expectancy, crime rate, climate, economic conditions, taxes, job opportunities, and cost of living.
www.money-rates.com, October 22, 2012
-
New York ranked #33 on the 2013 Bankrate “Best Places to Retire” list ranking the states and District of Columbia on various criteria relating to health, safety, and cost.
www.bankrate.com, May 6, 2013
-
Reuters ranked New York #2 on its list of the “Ten Most Expensive States in America.” Rankings are based on the U.S. Commerce Department's prototype cost-of-living index comparing price levels across the states for a standardized mix of goods and services.
www.huffingtonpost.com, posted June 12, 2013
-
New York ranked #8 on the Social Science Research Council's “American Human Development Report: The Measure of America,” assessing the 50 states plus the District of Columbia on health, education, and living-standard criteria.
The Measure of America 2013–2014, posted June 19, 2013; www.measureofamerica.org
-
New York ranked #10 on the Foundation for Child Development's (FCD) Child Well-being Index (CWI). The FCD used the KIDS COUNT report and the National Survey of Children's Health, the only state-level source for several key indicators of child well-being.
Foundation for Child Development, January 18, 2012; fcd-us.org
-
New York ranked #29 overall according to the 2013 KIDS COUNT Data Book, a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Criteria: children's economic well-being, education, health, and family and community indicators.
KIDS COUNT Data Center's Data Book, released June 20, 2013; http://datacenter.kidscount.org
-
New York ranked #3 5 in the children's economic well-being category by the 2013 KIDS COUNT Data Book, a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
KIDS COUNT Data Center's Data Book, released June 20, 2013; http://datacenter.kidscount.org
-
New York ranked #19 in the children's educational opportunities and attainments category by the 2013 KIDS COUNT Data Book, a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
KIDS COUNT Data Center's Data Book, released June 20, 2013; http://datacenter.kidscount.org
-
New York ranked #9 in the children' s health category by the 2013 KIDS COUNT Data Book, a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
KIDS COUNT Data Center's Data Book, released June 20, 2013; http://datacenter.kidscount.org
-
New York ranked #33 in the family and community circumstances that factor into children's well-being category by the 2013 KIDS COUNT Data Book, a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
KIDS COUNT Data Center's Data Book, released June 20, 2013; http://datacenter.kidscount.org
-
New York ranked #30 in the 2012 Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. Criteria: emotional health; physical health; healthy behavior; work environment; basic access to food, shelter, health care; and a safe and satisfying place to live.
2012 State of Well-Being, Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, released February 28, 2013; www.well-beingindex.com
-
U.S. News and World Report's “Best States for Teen Drivers” rankings are based on driving and road safety laws, federal reports on driver's licenses, car accident fatality, and road-quality statistics. New York ranked #14.
U.S. News and World Report, March 18, 2010; www.usnews.com
-
The Yahoo! Sports service Rivals.com ranks the states according to the strength of their high school football programs. New York ranked #26.
“Ranking the States: Where Is the Best Football Played?,” November 18,2011; highschool.rivals.com
-
iVillage ranked the states by hospitable living conditions for women. Criteria: economic success, access to affordable childcare, health care, reproductive rights, female representation in government, and educational attainment. New York ranked #7.
iVillage, “50 Best to Worst States for Women, ”March 14, 2012; www.ivillage.com
-
The League of American Bicyclists's “Bicycle Friendly States” ranked New York #43. Criteria: legislation and enforcement, policies and programs, infrastructure and funding, education and advocacy, and evaluation and planning.
“Washington Tops the Bicycle-Friendly State Ranking,” May 1, 2013; bicycling.com
-
The federal Corporation for National and Community Service ranked the states and the District of Columbia by volunteer rates. New York ranked #50 for community service.
“Volunteering and Civic Life in America 2012,” www.volunteeringinamerica.gov, accessed July 24, 2013
-
The Hospital Safety Score ranked states and the District of Columbia on their hospitals' performance scores. New York ranked #32. Criteria: avoiding preventable harm and medical errors, as demonstrated by 26 hospital safety metrics.
Spring 2013 Hospital Safety Score, May 8, 2013; www.hospitalsafetyscore.org
-
GMAC Insurance ranked the states and the District of Columbia by the performance of their drivers on the GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test, comprised of DMV test questions. New York ranked #45.
“2011 GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test,” www.gmacinsurance.com, accessed July 23, 2013
-
New York ranked #37 in a “State Integrity Investigation” analysis of laws and practices intended to deter corruption and promote accountability and openness in campaign finance, ethics laws, lobbying regulations and management of state pension funds.
“What's Your State's Grade?,” www.publicintegrity.org, accessed July 23, 2013
-
New York ranked #13 among the states and the District of Columbia in total rail miles, as tracked by the Association of American Railroads.
“U.S. Freight Railroad Industry Snapshot: Railroads and States: Total Rail Miles by State: 2011”; www.aar.org, accessed July 23, 2013
-
According to statistics compiled by the Beer Institute, New York ranked #48 among the states and the District of Columbia in per capita beer consumption of persons 21 years or older.
“Shipments of Malt Beverages and Per Capita Consumption by State 2012;” www.beerinstitute.org
-
According to Concordia University's “Public Education Costs per Pupil by State Rankings,” based on statistics gathered by the U.S. Census Bureau, which includes the District of Columbia, New York ranked #2.
Concordia University Online; education.cu-portland.edu, accessed July 24, 2013
-
New York ranked #7 among the states and the District of Columbia in population density based on U.S. Census Bureau data for resident population and total land area. “List of U.S. States by Population Density.”
www.wikipedia.org, accessed July 24, 2013
-
In “America's Health Rankings, 2012 Edition,” by the United Health Foundation, New York ranked #18. Criteria included: rate of high school graduation; violent crime rate; incidence of infectious disease; childhood immunizations; prevalence of diabetes; per capita public-health funding; percentage of uninsured population; rate of children in poverty; and availability of primary-care physicians.
United Health Foundation; www.americashealthrankings.org, accessed July 24, 2013
-
The TechNet 2012 “State Broadband Index” ranked New York #10 on the following criteria: broadband adoption; network quality; and economic structure. Improved broadband use is hoped to promote economic development, build strong communities, improve delivery of government services and upgrade educational systems.
TechNet; www.technet.org, accessed July 24, 2013
-
New York was ranked #3 among the states and District of Columbia on the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's “State Energy Efficiency Scorecard” for 2012.
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy; aceee.org/sector/state-policy/scorecard, accessed July 24, 2013
Statistical Tables
DEMOGRAPHICS
Resident State and National Population, 1950–2012
Projected State and National Population, 2000–2030
Population by Age, 2012
Population by Race, 2012
Population by Hispanic Origin and Race, 2012
VITAL STATISTICS
Death Rates by Leading Causes, 2010
Death Rates by Selected Causes, 2010
Abortion Rates, 2009
Infant Mortality Rates, 1995–2009
Marriage and Divorce Rates, 2000–2011
ECONOMY
Nominal Gross Domestic Product by Industry, 2012
Real Gross Domestic Product, 2000–2012
Personal Income Per Capita, 1930–2012
Non-Farm Employment by Sector, 2012
Foreign Exports, 2000–2012
Energy Consumption, 2011
LAND AND WATER
Surface Area and Federally-Owned Land, 2007
Land Cover/Use of Non-Federal Rural Land, 2007
Farms and Crop Acreage, 2012
HEALTH AND MEDICAL CARE
Medical Professionals, 2012
Health Insurance Coverage, 2011
HIV, STD, and Tuberculosis Cases and Rates, 2011
Cigarette Smoking, 2011
HOUSING
Home Ownership Rates, 1995–2012
Home Sales, 2000–2010
Value of Owner-Occupied Homes, 2011
EDUCATION
School Enrollment, 2011
Educational Attainment, 2011
Public College Finances, FY 2012
TRANSPORTATION AND TRAVEL
Motor Vehicle Registrations and Drivers Licenses, 2011
Domestic Travel Expenditures, 2009
Retail Gasoline Prices, 2013
Public Road Length, 2011
CRIME AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
Full-Time Law Enforcement Officers, 2011
Prison Population, 2000–2012
Crime Rate, 2011
GOVERNMENT AND FINANCE
Local Governments by Type, 2012
State Government Revenue, 2011
State Government Expenditures, 2011
State Government General Expenditures by Function, 2011
State Government Finances, Cash and Debt, 2011
POLITICS
Composition of the Senate, 1995–2013
Composition of the House of Representatives, 1995–2013
Composition of State Legislature, 2004–2013
Voter Participation in Presidential Elections, 1980–2012
Governors Since Statehood
