City's north and west) who opposed large national institutions. In 1787, Alexander Hamilton , a leading Federalist from New York, wrote the first essay of the Federalist Papers . He published the series in New York City newspapers in support of the proposed United States Constitution . Antifederalists were not swayed by the arguments, but the state ratified it in 1788. [ 19 ] In the early 19th century, New York became a center for advancement in transportation. In 1807, Robert Fulton initiated a steamboat line from New York to Albany, the first successful enterprise of its kind. [ 21 ] By 1815, Albany was the state's turnpike center, [ 22 ] which established the city as the hub for pioneers migrating west to Buffalo and the Michigan Territory . [ 23 ] In 1825 the Erie Canal opened, securing the state's economic dominance. Its impact was enormous: one source stated, "Linking the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes, the canal was an act of political will that joined the regions of the state, created a vast economic hinterland for New York City, and established a ready market for agricultural products from the state's interior." In that year western New York transitioned from " frontier " to settled area. By this time, all counties and most municipalities had incorporated, approximately matching the state's is organized today. [ 19 ] In 1831, the Mohawk and Hudson Railroad started the country's first successful regularly–scheduled steam railroad service. [ 24 ] Advancing transportation