Happy Birthday New York!

By Idy Perl

New York is celebrating its birthday this weekend!

On July 26th, 1788, New York was officially named a state when it became the 11th state to ratify the constitution. New York was part of the original 13 colonies that received independence from England in 1776, but when the Constitutional Convention decided in 1787 to address issues with the constitution, each state had to officially agree to the new constitution and was then considered part of the United States. 

 The land that is now New York was first discovered in 1609 by Henry Hudson, who the Hudson River is named for, and was originally populated by many Native American tribes, traces of which can still be found around the state. 

New York is now the 4th most populated state of the US with approximately 19.6 million residents and is the 8th most densely populated. New York is one of the most iconic states and includes New York City, which is often though to be the epicenter of the world. New York City hosts the headquarters of the United Nations and countless iconic landmarks and is one of the most visited cities in the world. 

Many often forget about the rest of New York, but the rest of the state boasts breathtaking scenery, mountains, lakes, cute little towns, and so much more. 

Happy birthday to New York and all of its lucky residents!