States from A-Z: New York and North Carolina

New York is the Empire State:

The state is located in the Northeast of the United States. Together with New Jersey and Pennsylvania, New York is part of the Mid-Atlantic states and covers 54,556 square miles. With a population of 19.3 million (2007) it is the third largest state in population after California and Texas. It is also referred to as the Empire State. That name probably goes back to a quote by George Washington from a time he traveled through the state and was impressed with its economic power and wealth. The capital of New York is Albany, but the largest city is the metropolis New York City.

With a population of 8 million, New York is the most populous city in the US – more than twice the size of runner-up Los Angeles (CA). Its total area of 304.8 square miles, however, only makes it to place 26 in the ranking – since in New York, as is generally known, buildings tend to be more high than wide. The impressive Manhattan skyline is the best example for that. For many visitors, Manhattan is a synonym for New York. Over 90% of New York’s tourist attractions are located there, e.g. Broadway, the Empire State Building, Central Park, Wall Street, and the Guggenheim Museum.

The state of New York has many scenic and interesting areas. In addition, there are a number of historic sights, such as the Fort Stanwix National Monument near Rome and the Saratoga National Historical Park near Stillwater; both are locations where battles were fought in 1777 between American and British troops during the War of Independence. Another historical sight is the Castle Clinton National Monument at the southern tip of Manhattan, where the main entry facilities for about eight million immigrants were located between 1855 and 1892. And finally there is the Statue of Liberty National Monument on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, the central part of which is the Statue of Liberty. The American Museum of Immigration is located in the base of it.

New York ratified the United States Constitution on July 26, 1788, it was the eleventh state of the original thirteen colonies to do so. For a long time, the state set the tone concerning politics, culture and economics within the US. Despite economic trouble in the seventies and eighties that especially hit New York City and other urban regions, the state is still leading in areas like production, trade, foreign trade, communication and finance. New York was named in the 1760s after the Duke of York, future James II of England.

Numerous rivers and lakes can be found in the state of New York. The Great Lakes are in the western part of the state, as is the St. Lawrence River that flows right through the center past the Finger Lakes, the Tug-Hill Plateau and parts of the Adirondacks, as well as the far north of the state. Other well-known rivers are the Genesee, Black, Niagara, Oswego, Hudson, Mohawk, Allegheny, Susquehanna and Delaware. Of the many waterfalls, the Niagara Falls are the best known.

New York City is the cultural capital of the US and is the location of world-famous museums, opera houses, concert halls, orchestras, theater and dance companies, libraries and many more. Between 1825 and the start of the American Civil War, New York City became the production center of the American textile industry, the center of trade for cotton, and a center for banks, insurance, the stock market and import. Economic growth attracted more and more immigrants from Ireland, Germany and Canada. When the Civil War broke out, however, fewer immigrants came and business opportunities improved. Since New York had close ties with the cotton market, the population was not in favor of starting a war with the South. Military conscription in July 1863 led to draft riots in New York City.

Until the 1960s New York was the most populous state in the US. The seventies and eighties, however, were a period of economic decline. New York City especially was suffering from high unemployment, constant financial difficulties, run-down districts and a decline in population. Despite all that, New York City remained the center of the US stock market, the center of advertising, banking and finance and the headquarters of many national and international enterprises. Despite high-grade industrialization and urbanization, New York is still important as an agricultural region. Until the late 19^th century New York had been the leading state in butter and corn production.

 

North Carolina: The Old North State

North Carolina is located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern part of the US. In addition, it is on of the original 13 colonies, which makes it one of the original founding states of the US. It was named Carolina after King Charles I of England. Raleigh has been the capital since 1710, the city was named after Sir Walter Raleigh who discovered the coast of North Carolina. During the American Civil War (1861-1865) North Carolina was part of the Confederacy and is counted among the Southern states.

North Carolina is often also referred to as “the Old Northern State” or “Tar Heel State” – the North Carolinians are also called Tar Heels. The exact etymology of the term is unclear, but most experts believe the term to come from the extraction of tar, pitch and turpentine from the vast pine forests of the former British colony.

Due to its geographical position and its history, North Carolina has a number of cultural and historical attractions, as well as a beautiful scenery and many national parks. The state offers a variety of recreational facilities and activities, including Ocracoke Lifeguard Beach, Outer Banks, that was rated number 1 by the famous beach tester Stephen Leatherman alias Dr. Beach.

The Appalachian Mountain range forms a natural border in the West. The highest point is High Rock Mountain with a height of only 1,119 feet above sea level. In between the mountains are valleys with rich soil, with a lot of rivers and streams. The mountains themselves are covered with vast forests, just a few mountain tops are bare with prairie-like vegetation. While agriculture is still a vital economic factor in this region, tourism is becoming increasingly important and has developed into the largest economic sector in the mountain region.

In 1584, Elizabeth I granted Sir Walter Raleigh permission to establish a British colony. The first settlements in the early 1580s failed, the next was established in the spring of 1587. A group of 110 people settled on Roanoke Island. Virginia Dare was born there on August 18, 1587 as the first child born in the new world to English-speaking parents. As the leader of the settlers returned from a trip he had taken in 1590, he found the settlement deserted. Nobody ever found out what had happened to the settlers. This second failed settlement, the Lost Colony, is to this date one of the most mysterious chapters in American history.

Around 1650, English settlers came from the North to settle in the Albemarle Sound area. In 1663 Charles II granted permission to start a new colony. He gave the land to eight Lord Proprietors and named it after his father Charles I (Latin: Carolus), Carolina. Bath, the first city in what is today North Carolina, was founded in 1705. In 1710 Carolina started to split because of disputes concerning the form of government, North Carolina and South Carolina came into existence. The latter became English Crown Colony in 1729, which officially finalized the separation. On April 12, 1776, the Provincial Congress of North Carolina decided to declare independence from the British. Thus North Carolina was the first colony to instruct its delegates to the Continental Congress to vote for independence from the British crown, through the so-called Halifax Resolves. The date in the flag and seal of North Carolina reminds of this event.

Throughout its history, North Carolina has always been an agricultural state. Rice, cotton and tobacco was grown on plantations. Forestry also was important, the vast forests were useful to create tar and turpentine. As in most of the Southern states, the structural change to an industrialized society happened very slowly after the War of Secession ended. Even today agriculture and forestry are still a major part of North Carolina’s economy. After losing a lot of production jobs due to globalization, North Carolina has repeatedly tried to attract research and technology companies. In addition to a highly positive development in the finance industry, high-tech companies are now counted among the most important employers in the former low-wage region. The real GDP per capita was $ 36,489 in 2006. This makes North Carolina a middle-ranking state, and, compared to all 50 states, puts it in 20^th place.