# 15
New York Through the Centuries
Wednesday 10:00 A.M. Winter 2012 ( 14 weeks)
Coordinator: Raquel Lewitt Co-Coordinator: Gordon Gelfond
Course Description
Through this SDG we will study New York City's very beginnings to its present status as possibly the greatest city in the world.
The history of New York begins with the first European documentation off the area by Giovanni da Verrazzano, when he visited the region in 1524. From its 16th-century beginnings as a small Dutch colony to the present New York has been home to millions of fascinating people.
Throughout its history, New York City has served as a main port of entry for many immigrants, and its cultural and economic influences have made it one of the most important urban area in the United States, and the world. New York emerged from the war as the leading city of the world, with Wall Street leading America's ascendancy and, in 1951, the United Nations relocated from its earlier headquarters. During the 1960s, the views of real estate developer and city leader Robert Moses began to fall out of favor as the anti-Urban Renewal views of Jane Jacobs gained popularity. Many famous buildings were built in New York City in the early 20th century. In 2001 tragedy stuck when the World Trade Center was destroyed in a terrorist attack, however New York recovered from the attack.
Today New York is still a busy port. It is also a major industrial and financial center. New York is also, of course, an important tourist destination. Today the population of New York City is 8.2 million people.
Topics
1.- Our first session will review the history of New York up to the 1930s. Starting as a Dutch colony known as New Amsterdam. The role of Peter Styvesant. The significance of the Erie Canal to its growth. The British explorer Henry Hudson.
2.- Immigration: Ellis Island, Lower East Side. Who were the immigrants, where did they come from, why did they come. Recent trends in immigration.
3.- The Burroughs-- Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. What roles does each area play in the make up of New York City?
4.- Wall Street: What made New York become the nation's financial capital? We will discuss the NY Stock Exchange, Corporate Headquarters of Major Corporations.
5.- Infrastructure of New York. Port Authority, tunnels, bridges, parks and transportation. Robert Moses and Jane Jacobs.
6.-. Educational institutions. From pre schools to PhDs, from public schools to private schools. The United Nations.
7.- Neighborhoods: Fifth Avenue, Park Avenue, Broadway, So-Ho, Greenwich Village and the Garment District. What is distinctive about these neighborhood?
8.- Architecture of New York , Art Deco, Skyscrapers. A look at New York's famous buildings.
9.- Crime and the Mafia. The underworld and its effect on the city.
10.- New York Politics. Tammany Hall and the mayors of the city.
11.- Sports teams, players, and ballparks. The teams, the owners, the players and the facilities.
12.- New York Media. Newspapers, magazines, radio and TV.
13.- New York and the Arts. Museums , theatre, dance, music, artists and philanthropists.
14.- The attacks on the World Trade Center. 9/11 Memorial and Freedom Tower. Wrongful-death lawsuits stemming from the Sept.11, 2001 attacks. Controversy about the building of the Muslim Community Center near ground zero.
Bibliography: There is no core book; here is a suggested bibliography
Burns, Rick. New York, an illustrated history.
Shorto, Russell. The Island at the Center of the World.
Daniels, Roger. Coming To America.
Green, Liza M. New York monuments of Manhattan for New Yorkers a historical treasure and guide to the buildings.
Rybczynski, Witold. A clearing in the Distance, Frederick Law Olmstead.
Jacobs, Jane. The Death and Life of Great American Cities.
Caro, Anthony. Power Broker.
Rutherford, Edward. New York.
And various internet sites.
Pre-Meeting: Wednesday, December 14th 10:00 A.M. |