By Tim Lambert
1624
The Dutch build the first permanent trading post in New York
1626
Peter Minuit buys the island of Manhattan from the Native Americans
1628
The first black slaves arrive in New York
1639
A Swede called Jonas Bronck settles in the Bronx, which is named after him
1645
A settlement is founded at Flushing
1653
The city of New Amsterdam is incorporated. A wall of wooden stakes is built. The street next to it is called Wall Street.
1654
The first Jews arrive in New York
1657
Thatched roofs are banned because of the risk of fire
1658
Dutch farmers build a village called Nieuw Haarlem
1661
The first settlement is made on Staten Island
1664
New Amsterdam surrenders to the British
1698
Trinity Church is dedicated
1700
New York has a population of about 5,000. Federal Hall is built.
1720
The first shipyard opens in New York
1725
New York gains its first newspaper
1730
The first synagogue in New York is built
1732
New York gains its first theater
1741
A series of fires break out. Some people fear a conspiracy among the slaves and 31 of them are executed.
1766
St Paul’s Chapel is built
1776
New York has a population of about 25,000
1783
George Washington enters New York
1784
The Bank of New York is founded
1799
St Marks Church-in-the-Bowery is built
1800
New York has a population of about 60,000
1811
A commission draws up plans for building new streets in New York
1812
New York City Hall opens
1832
Horse-drawn streetcars run in New York for the first time
1835
New York suffers a severe fire
1837
Harlem is connected to New York by railway
1845
New York Police Force is formed
1847
Madison Square opens
1849
The Astor Place Riot takes place
1851
The New York Times begins publication
1858
Macy’s opens
1863
Draft riots take place
1866
Cholera kills 2,000 people
1867
Prospect Park is laid out
1869
The Museum of Natural History is founded
1872
Bloomingdales is founded
1878
The first telephones are installed in New York
1883
Brooklyn Bridge opens
1884
Bryant Park is laid out
1886
The Statue of Liberty is dedicated
1891
Carnegie Hall opens
1899
Bronx Zoo opens
1902
The Flatiron Building is erected
1904
The first line of the New York Subway opens
1909
Queensboro Bridge is built
1911
A fire at the Triangle Factory kills 146 people
1913
The Woolworth Building is erected. Grand Central Station opens.
1927
Holland Tunnel opens
1929
The Museum of Modern Art is founded in New York
1930
The Chrysler Building is erected. The Whitney Museum of American Art is founded.
1931
The Empire State Building is erected
1968
The General Motors Building is erected
1988
The Museum of the Moving Image opens
1990
David Dinkins becomes the first African American Mayor of New York
2001
The World Trade Center is destroyed in a terrorist attack
2009
The Bank of America Tower is built
2013
The population of New York is 8.3 million
2014
One World Trade Center opens