Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left Alexander Hamilton Center DeWitt Clinton Right John D. Rockefeller, Jr. (left)
Figures in New York History
Peter Minuit
Sent from the Netherlands in
1626 to govern New Amsterdam,
Peter Minuit (1580-1638) was so
disliked by his subjects that they
welcomed British occupation.
Jacob Riis
Appalled by
immigrant living
conditions, Riis
(1849-1914), a
social reformer,
writer, and photo-
grapher, used
photos taken in tenements to
illustrate his stories, shocking
the middle class and motivating
them to act. His 1888 article,
Flashes from the Slums , and his
book, How the Other Half Lives ,
brought national attention.
Alexander Hamilton
Revolutionary leader and
first Secretary of the Treasury,
Hamilton's (1755-1804) business-
friendly policies were instrumental
in New York's emergence as the
financial center of the U.S. He
lost his life in a duel with political
opponent Aaron Burr and is bur-
ied in Trinity Church graveyard.
John D. Rockefeller, Jr.
The largess of John D.
Rockefeller, Jr. (1874-1960)
helped support housing
in Harlem, the Bronx,
and Queens, created
Fort Tryon Park and the
Cloisters, and provided land
for the United Nations. The
construction of Rockefeller Cen-
ter (see pp12-15) employed
thousands at the height of
the depression and gave the
city an enduring landmark.
William “Boss”
Tweed
The political leader of
Tammany Hall, Tweed
(1823-78) became the
living embodiment of pol-
itical corruption, kickbacks,
and payoffs. It is estimated
that he and his associates
took up to $200 million
from the city. To hide his
crime, he did good works,
building orphanages, public baths,
and hospitals, but died in prison.
William
“Boss”Tweed
Fiorello LaGuardia
Considered the city's best
mayor, after his election in 1933
LaGuardia (1882-1947) modernized
and centralized a chaotic city
government, eliminated waste,
unified the transit system, and
obtained federal funds to help
the city. A man of the people,
he is remembered for reading
the comics on the radio during
a city newspaper strike.
DeWitt Clinton
Mayor of the city, governor
of the state, and U.S. senator,
Clinton (1769-1828) is best
remembered for negotiating the
construction of the Erie Canal in
1817-25. By connecting the
Great Lakes to the Hudson River,
he helped to secure New York's
future as a predominant seaport.
48
 
 
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