List of National Historic Landmarks in New York
Historic areas in the United States National Park System
Table:
Landmark name

Image

Date established[14][15]

Location

County

Description

1

Castle Clinton National Monument

August 12, 1946

New York

New York

Circular sandstone fort in Battery Park at the southern tip of Manhattan, New York City

2

Statue of Liberty National Monument

October 15, 1924

Liberty Island

New York

Monument presented to the United States by the people of France in 1886

3

Saratoga National Historical Park

June 1, 1938

Stillwater, Schuylerville and Victory

Saratoga

Site of the 1777 Battle of Saratoga, the first significant American military victory of the American Revolutionary War

4

Women's Rights National Historical Park

December 8, 1980

Seneca Falls and Waterloo

Seneca

Established in 1980 in Seneca Falls and nearby Waterloo, New York; includes the Wesleyan Chapel, site of the Seneca Falls Convention and the Elizabeth Cady Stanton House

5

Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site

May 27, 1977

Hyde Park

Dutchess

Property developed by Eleanor Roosevelt; place that she could develop some of her ideas for work with winter jobs for rural workers and women; includes a large two-story stuccoed building that housed Val-Kill Industries; would become Eleanor's home after Franklin's death

6

Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site

January 15, 1944

Hyde Park

Dutchess

Birthplace, lifelong home, and burial place of the 32nd President of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt

7

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

July 25, 1962

Cove Neck

Nassau

Home of the 26th President of the United States Theodore Roosevelt from 1886 until his death in 1919

8

Saint Paul's Church National Historic Site

July 5, 1943

Mount Vernon

Westchester

Colonial church used as a military hospital during the American Revolutionary War

9

Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site

July 25, 1962

New York

New York

Theodore Roosevelt born on this site on October 27, 1858

10

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

November 2, 1966

Buffalo

Erie

Site of Theodore Roosevelt's oath of office as President of the United States on September 14, 1901

11

Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site

December 18, 1940

Hyde Park

Dutchess

Includes pleasure grounds with views of the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains, formal gardens, natural woodlands, and numerous support structures as well as a 54-room mansion; completed in 1898; perfect example of the Beaux-Arts architecture style

12

Federal Hall National Memorial

May 26, 1939

New York

New York

First capitol of the United States of America; site of George Washington's first inauguration in 1789; place where the United States Bill of Rights passed; original building was demolished in the nineteenth century; replaced by the current structure, that served as the first United States Customs House

13

General Grant National Memorial

April 27, 1897

New York

New York

Mausoleum containing the bodies of Ulysses S. Grant (1822–1885), an American Civil War General and the 18th President of the United States, and his wife, Julia Dent Grant (1826–1902)

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Castle Clinton or Fort Clinton , previously known as Castle Garden , is a circular sandstone fort now located in Battery Park , in Manhattan , New York City . Built from 1808 to 1811 , it was the first U.S. immigration station ( predating Ellis Island ) , where more than 8 million people arrived in the United States from 1855 to 1890 . Over its active life , it has also functioned as a beer garden , exhibition hall , theater , and public aquarium . Castle Clinton National Monument was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15 , 1966 .
New York City ( NYC ) , also known as the City of New York or simply New York ( NY ) , is the most populous city in the United States . With an estimated 2018 population of 8,398,748 distributed over a land area of about 302.6 square miles ( 784 km2 ) , New York is also the most densely populated major city in the United States . Located at the southern tip of the U.S. state of New York , the city is the center of the New York metropolitan area , the largest metropolitan area in the world by urban landmass and one of the world 's most populous megacities , with an estimated 19,979,477 people in its 2018 metropolitan statistical area and 22,679,948 residents in its combined statistical area . A global power city , New York City has been described as the cultural , financial , and media capital of the world , and exerts a significant impact upon commerce , entertainment , research , technology , education , politics , tourism , art , fashion , and sports . The city 's fast pace has inspired the term New York minute . Home to the headquarters of the United Nations , New York is an important center for international diplomacy . Situated on one of the world 's largest natural harbors , New York City consists of five boroughs , each of which is a separate county of the State of New York . The five boroughs - Brooklyn , Queens , Manhattan , The Bronx , and Staten Island - were consolidated into a single city in 1898 . The city and its metropolitan area constitute the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States . As many as 800 languages are spoken in New York , making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world . New York City is home to 3.2 million residents born outside the United States , the largest foreign born population of any city in the world as of 2016 . As of 2019 [ update ] , the New York metropolitan area is estimated to produce a gross metropolitan product ( GMP ) of US $ 2.0 trillion .
Manhattan ( /mænˈhætən , mən-/ ) , often referred to by residents of the New York City area as the City , is the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City , and coextensive with the County of New York , one of the original counties of the U.S. state of New York . Manhattan serves as the city 's economic and administrative center , cultural identifier , and historical birthplace . The borough consists mostly of Manhattan Island , bounded by the Hudson , East , and Harlem rivers ; as well as several small adjacent islands . Manhattan additionally contains Marble Hill , a small neighborhood now on the U.S. mainland , that was connected using landfill to the Bronx and separated from the rest of Manhattan by the Harlem River . Manhattan Island is divided into three informally bounded components , each aligned with the borough 's long axis : Lower , Midtown , and Upper Manhattan . Manhattan has been described as the cultural , financial , media , and entertainment capital of the world , and the borough hosts the United Nations Headquarters . Anchored by Wall Street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan , New York City has been called both the most economically powerful city and the leading financial center of the world , and Manhattan is home to the world 's two largest stock exchanges by total market capitalization : the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ . Many multinational media conglomerates are based in Manhattan , and the borough has been the setting for numerous books , films , and television shows . Manhattan real estate has since become among the most expensive in the world , with the value of Manhattan Island , including real estate , estimated to exceed US $ 3 trillion in 2013 ; median residential property sale prices in Manhattan approximated US $ 1,600 per square foot ( $ 17,000/m2 ) as of 2018 , with Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan commanding the highest retail rents in the world , at US $ 3,000 per square foot ( $ 32,000/m2 ) per year in 2017 . Manhattan traces its origins to a trading post founded by colonists from the Dutch Republic in 1624 on Lower Manhattan ; the post was named New Amsterdam in 1626 . Manhattan is historically documented to have been purchased by Dutch colonists from Native Americans in 1626 for 60 guilders , which equals roughly $ 1059 in current terms . The territory and its surroundings came under English control in 1664 and were renamed New York after King Charles II of England granted the lands to his brother , the Duke of York .
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare , and is also used to solidify rule in a region during peacetime . The term is derived from the Latin fortis ( strong ) and facere ( to make ) . From very early history to modern times , defensive walls have often been necessary for cities to survive in an ever-changing world of invasion and conquest . Some settlements in the Indus Valley Civilization were the first small cities to be fortified . In ancient Greece , large stone walls had been built in Mycenaean Greece , such as the ancient site of Mycenae ( famous for the huge stone blocks of its 'cyclopean ' walls ) . A Greek phrourion was a fortified collection of buildings used as a military garrison , and is the equivalent of the Roman castellum or English fortress . These constructions mainly served the purpose of a watch tower , to guard certain roads , passes , and borders . Though smaller than a real fortress , they acted as a border guard rather than a real strongpoint to watch and maintain the border . The art of setting out a military camp or constructing a fortification traditionally has been called castrametation since the time of the Roman legions . Fortification is usually divided into two branches : permanent fortification and field fortification . There is also an intermediate branch known as semi-permanent fortification . Castles are fortifications which are regarded as being distinct from the generic fort or fortress in that they are a residence of a monarch or noble and command a specific defensive territory .
The Battery , formerly known as Battery Park , is a 25-acre ( 10 ha ) public park located at the southern tip of Manhattan Island in New York City facing New York Harbor . It is bounded by Battery Place on the north , State Street on the east , New York Harbor to the south , and the Hudson River to the west . The park contains attractions such as an old fort named Castle Clinton ; multiple monuments ; and the SeaGlass Carousel . The surrounding area , known as South Ferry , contains multiple ferry terminals , including the Staten Island Ferry 's Whitehall Terminal as well as boat launches to the Statue of Liberty National Monument . The park and surrounding area is named for the artillery batteries that were built in the late 17th century to protect the settlement behind them . By the 1820s , the Battery had become an entertainment destination , with the conversion of Castle Clinton into a theater venue . During the mid-19th century , the modern-day Battery Park was constructed and Castle Clinton was converted into an immigration and customs center . The Battery was commonly known as the landing point for immigrants to New York City until 1890 , when the Castle Clinton immigration center was replaced by one on Ellis Island . Castle Clinton then hosted the New York Aquarium from 1896 to 1941 . In 1940 , the entirety of Battery Park was closed for twelve years due to the construction of the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel and the Battery Park Underpass . The park reopened in 1952 after a renovation , but then subsequently went into decline . The Battery Conservancy , founded in 1994 by Warrie Price , underwrote and funded the restoration and improvement of the once-dilapidated park .
Manhattan ( /mænˈhætən , mən-/ ) , often referred to by residents of the New York City area as the City , is the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City , and coextensive with the County of New York , one of the original counties of the U.S. state of New York . Manhattan serves as the city 's economic and administrative center , cultural identifier , and historical birthplace . The borough consists mostly of Manhattan Island , bounded by the Hudson , East , and Harlem rivers ; as well as several small adjacent islands . Manhattan additionally contains Marble Hill , a small neighborhood now on the U.S. mainland , that was connected using landfill to the Bronx and separated from the rest of Manhattan by the Harlem River . Manhattan Island is divided into three informally bounded components , each aligned with the borough 's long axis : Lower , Midtown , and Upper Manhattan . Manhattan has been described as the cultural , financial , media , and entertainment capital of the world , and the borough hosts the United Nations Headquarters . Anchored by Wall Street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan , New York City has been called both the most economically powerful city and the leading financial center of the world , and Manhattan is home to the world 's two largest stock exchanges by total market capitalization : the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ . Many multinational media conglomerates are based in Manhattan , and the borough has been the setting for numerous books , films , and television shows . Manhattan real estate has since become among the most expensive in the world , with the value of Manhattan Island , including real estate , estimated to exceed US $ 3 trillion in 2013 ; median residential property sale prices in Manhattan approximated US $ 1,600 per square foot ( $ 17,000/m2 ) as of 2018 , with Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan commanding the highest retail rents in the world , at US $ 3,000 per square foot ( $ 32,000/m2 ) per year in 2017 . Manhattan traces its origins to a trading post founded by colonists from the Dutch Republic in 1624 on Lower Manhattan ; the post was named New Amsterdam in 1626 . Manhattan is historically documented to have been purchased by Dutch colonists from Native Americans in 1626 for 60 guilders , which equals roughly $ 1059 in current terms . The territory and its surroundings came under English control in 1664 and were renamed New York after King Charles II of England granted the lands to his brother , the Duke of York .
New York City ( NYC ) , also known as the City of New York or simply New York ( NY ) , is the most populous city in the United States . With an estimated 2018 population of 8,398,748 distributed over a land area of about 302.6 square miles ( 784 km2 ) , New York is also the most densely populated major city in the United States . Located at the southern tip of the U.S. state of New York , the city is the center of the New York metropolitan area , the largest metropolitan area in the world by urban landmass and one of the world 's most populous megacities , with an estimated 19,979,477 people in its 2018 metropolitan statistical area and 22,679,948 residents in its combined statistical area . A global power city , New York City has been described as the cultural , financial , and media capital of the world , and exerts a significant impact upon commerce , entertainment , research , technology , education , politics , tourism , art , fashion , and sports . The city 's fast pace has inspired the term New York minute . Home to the headquarters of the United Nations , New York is an important center for international diplomacy . Situated on one of the world 's largest natural harbors , New York City consists of five boroughs , each of which is a separate county of the State of New York . The five boroughs - Brooklyn , Queens , Manhattan , The Bronx , and Staten Island - were consolidated into a single city in 1898 . The city and its metropolitan area constitute the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States . As many as 800 languages are spoken in New York , making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world . New York City is home to 3.2 million residents born outside the United States , the largest foreign born population of any city in the world as of 2016 . As of 2019 [ update ] , the New York metropolitan area is estimated to produce a gross metropolitan product ( GMP ) of US $ 2.0 trillion .
The Statue of Liberty National Monument is a United States National Monument comprising Liberty Island and Ellis Island in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York . Established in 1924 , it includes the Statue of Liberty ( Liberty Enlightening the World ) by sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi , situated on Liberty Island , as well as the former immigration station at Ellis Island which includes the Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital . The monument is managed by the National Park Service as part of the National Parks of New York Harbor office .
Liberty Island is a federally owned island in Upper New York Bay in the United States . Its most notable feature is the Statue of Liberty ( The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World ) , a large statue by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi that was dedicated in 1886 . Part of New York State , the island is an exclave of the New York City borough of Manhattan , surrounded by the waters of Jersey City , New Jersey . Long known as Bedloe 's Island , it was renamed by an act of the United States Congress in 1956 . Liberty Island became part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument in 1937 through Presidential Proclamation 2250 , signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt . In 1966 , it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of Statue of Liberty National Monument , Ellis Island and Liberty Island .
Saratoga National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park located in the Town of Stillwater in eastern New York , forty miles ( 64 km ) north of Albany . The park preserves the site of the Battles of Saratoga .
Stillwater is a town in Saratoga County , New York , United States , with a population of 8,287 at the 2010 census . The town contains a village called Stillwater . The town is at the eastern border of the county , southeast of Saratoga Springs and borders both Rensselaer and Washington counties . Saratoga National Historical Park is located within the town 's limits . There is a hamlet in Minerva , Essex County , New York with the same name which has nothing to do with this town .
Schuylerville is a village in Saratoga County , New York , United States . The village is located in the northeast part of the Town of Saratoga , east of Saratoga Springs . The Village of Victory is adjacent to Schuylerville to the southwest and the Hudson River forms the village 's eastern border . The population was 1,386 at the 2010 census . The village was incorporated in 1831 and is named after the Schuyler family , a prominent family of Dutch descent in colonial America . Schuylerville was the site of the surrender of the British Army under General John Burgoyne following the Battles of Saratoga ( 1777 ) in the nearby Town of Stillwater . Schuylerville contains several historic buildings , including the General Schuyler House , part of the Saratoga National Historical Park , and Old Saratoga Reformed Church . The schools of the Schuylerville Central School District are located in the village as are the offices of the Town of Saratoga . The village is served by a public library , Fort Hardy Park , a visitor 's center , Schuyler Hose Company volunteer fire department and several churches . Village government consists of a mayor and four trustees . Nearby cultural attractions include the Saratoga Performing Arts Center , Saratoga Race Course , Saratoga National Historical Park and Glens Falls Civic Center . Skidmore College , SUNY Empire State College and Adirondack Community College are also nearby .
Victory is a village in Saratoga County , New York , United States . The population was 544 at the 2000 census . The village is located in the northeast part of the town of Saratoga , southwest of and bordering the village of Schuylerville . Victory is one of the smallest villages in New York .
Saratoga County is a county in the U.S. state of New York . As of the 2018 U.S. Census estimate , the county 's population was 230,163 , representing a 4.8% increase from the 2010 population of 219,607 , representing one of the fastest growth rates in the northeastern United States and the fastest-growing county in Upstate New York . The county seat is Ballston Spa . Saratoga County is included in the Capital District , encompassing the Albany-Schenectady-Troy , New York Metropolitan Statistical Area . Saratoga County 's name was derived from the Native American word sah-rah-ka , or Sarach-togue , meaning the hill beside the river , referring to the Hudson River bordering the county on its eastern flank and the Mohawk River delineating its southern border . Saratoga County , bisected by the toll-free , six-lane Adirondack Northway , serves as an outdoor recreational haven and as the gateway to the Adirondack Mountains and State Park for the populations of the Albany and New York City metropolitan areas . The county is also home to the internationally renowned Saratoga Race Course , one of the oldest venues in horse racing . Saratoga County lies at the heart of eastern New York State 's recognized Tech Valley , a growing center for the computer hardware side of the high-technology industry and its concomitant venture capital investment , with great strides in the nanotechnology sector , digital electronics design , and water- and electricity-dependent integrated microchip circuit manufacturing , involving companies including IBM , GlobalFoundries , Samsung , and Taiwan Semiconductor , among others . The Fab 8 campus of GlobalFoundries , a company specializing in the semiconductor industry , is a multibillion-dollar venture being developed in Saratoga County near a section of the Adirondack Northway .
The Battles of Saratoga ( September 19 and October 7 , 1777 ) marked the climax of the Saratoga campaign , giving a decisive victory to the Americans over the British in the American Revolutionary War . British General John Burgoyne led a large invasion army southward from Canada in the Champlain Valley , hoping to meet a similar British force marching northward from New York City and another British force marching eastward from Lake Ontario ; the southern and western forces never arrived , and Burgoyne was surrounded by American forces in upstate New York . He fought two small battles to break out which took place 18 days apart on the same ground , 9 miles ( 14 km ) south of Saratoga , New York . They both failed . Burgoyne found himself trapped by superior American forces with no relief , so he retreated to Saratoga ( now Schuylerville ) and surrendered his entire army there on October 17 . His surrender , says historian Edmund Morgan , was a great turning point of the war because it won for Americans the foreign assistance which was the last element needed for victory . Burgoyne 's strategy to divide New England from the southern colonies had started well but slowed due to logistical problems . He won a small tactical victory over General Horatio Gates and the Continental Army in the September 19 Battle of Freeman 's Farm at the cost of significant casualties . His gains were erased when he again attacked the Americans in the October 7 Battle of Bemis Heights and the Americans captured a portion of the British defenses . Burgoyne was therefore compelled to retreat , and his army was surrounded by the much larger American force at Saratoga , forcing him to surrender on October 17 . News of Burgoyne 's surrender was instrumental in formally bringing France into the war as an American ally , although it had previously given supplies , ammunition , and guns , notably the de Valliere cannon which played an important role in Saratoga . This battle also resulted in Spain joining France in the war against Britain .
The American Revolutionary War ( 1775-1783 ) , also known as the American War of Independence , was fought primarily between the Kingdom of Great Britain and her Thirteen Colonies in America ; it resulted in the overthrow of British rule in the colonies and the establishment of the United States of America . [ N 1 ] After 1765 , growing constitutional and political differences strained the relationship between Great Britain and its American colonies . Patriot protests against taxation without representation followed the Stamp Act and escalated into boycotts , which culminated in 1773 with the Sons of Liberty destroying a shipment of tea in Boston Harbor . Britain responded by closing Boston Harbor and passing a series of punitive measures against Massachusetts Bay Colony . Massachusetts colonists responded with the Suffolk Resolves , and they established a shadow government which wrested control of the countryside from the Crown . Twelve colonies formed a Continental Congress ( with the exception of Georgia ) to coordinate their resistance , establishing committees and conventions that effectively seized power . British attempts to disarm the Massachusetts militia in Concord led to open combat and a British defeat on April 19 , 1775 . Militia forces then besieged Boston , forcing a British evacuation in March 1776 , and Congress appointed George Washington to command the Continental Army . Concurrently , the Americans failed decisively in an attempt to invade Quebec and raise insurrection against the British . On July 2 , 1776 , the Second Continental Congress voted for independence , issuing its declaration on July 4 . Sir William Howe launched a British counter-offensive , capturing New York City and leaving American morale at a low ebb . However , victories at Trenton and Princeton restored American confidence .
Women 's Rights National Historical Park was established in 1980 , and covers a total of 6.83 acres ( 27,600 m2 ) of land in Seneca Falls and nearby Waterloo , New York , United States . The park consists of four major historical properties including the Wesleyan Methodist Church , which was the site of the Seneca Falls Convention , the first women 's rights convention . The Elizabeth Cady Stanton House , and the homes of other early women 's rights activists ( the M'Clintock House and the Richard Hunt House ) are also on display . The park includes a visitor center and an education and cultural center housing the Suffrage Press Printshop . The Visitor Center lobby houses a large , life-size bronze sculpture , The First Wave , which consists of twenty figures representing women and men who attended the first Women 's Rights Convention . Nine of the sculpture 's figures represent actual participants and organizers of the convention : Elizabeth Cady Stanton , Lucretia Mott , Mary Ann M'Clintock , Martha Wright , Jane Hunt , Frederick Douglass , James Mott , Thomas M'Clintock , and Richard Hunt . The other eleven figures represent the anonymous women and men who participated in the 2-day convention , which took place on July 19 and 20 , 1848 , and which drew over 300 people . Many of the participants signed a Declaration of Sentiments , the convention 's defining document , which declared that all men and women are created equal .
Seneca Falls is a hamlet ( and census-designated place ) in Seneca County , New York , in the United States . The population was 6,681 at the 2010 census . The hamlet is in the Town of Seneca Falls , east of Geneva . It was an incorporated village from 1831 to 2011 . Finger Lakes Regional Airport ( 0G7 ) is south of the hamlet . Seneca Falls was the site of the Seneca Falls Convention , a foundational event in the Women 's Rights Movement . The town is believed by some to have been the inspiration for the fictional town of Bedford Falls , N.Y. portrayed in filmmaker Frank Capra 's classic 1940s film It 's a Wonderful Life .
Waterloo is a town in Seneca County , New York , United States . The population was 7,642 at the 2010 census . The town , as well as its major community , are named after Waterloo , Belgium . There is also a village called Waterloo , the primary county seat of Seneca County . The Town of Waterloo is situated on the west border of the county , east of Geneva , New York .
Seneca County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York . As of the 2010 census , the population was 35,251 . The primary county seat is Waterloo , moved there from the original county seat of Ovid in 1819 . It became a two-shire county in 1822 , which currently remains in effect , using both locations as county seats although the majority of Seneca County administrative offices are located in Waterloo . Therefore , most political sources only list Waterloo as the county seat . The county 's name is from the Iroquois ( Seneca ) that occupied part of the region . Seneca County comprises the Seneca Falls , NY Micropolitan Statistical Area , which is also included in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls , NY Combined Statistical Area .
Methodism is an umbrella term used to describe denominations of Protestant Christianity which follow the line of the Methodist movement . Methodist denominations are historically related and derive their doctrine of practice and belief from the life and teachings of John Wesley . George Whitefield and John 's brother Charles Wesley were also significant early leaders in the movement . It originated as a revival movement within the 18th-century Church of England and became a separate denomination after Wesley 's death . The movement spread throughout the British Empire , the United States , and beyond because of vigorous missionary work , today claiming approximately 80 million adherents worldwide . [ nb 1 ] Wesleyan theology , which is upheld by the Methodist Churches , focuses on sanctification and the effect of faith on the character of a Christian . Distinguishing Methodist doctrines include the new birth , assurance , imparted righteousness , the possibility of entire sanctification , the works of piety , and the primacy of Scripture . Most Methodists teach that Jesus Christ , the Son of God , died for all of humanity and that salvation is available for all ; in theology , this view is known as Arminianism . [ nb 2 ] This teaching rejects the Calvinist position that God has pre-ordained the salvation of a select group of people . However , Whitefield and several other early leaders of the movement were considered Calvinistic Methodists and held to the Calvinist position . In addition to evangelism , Methodism emphasises charity and support for the sick , the poor , and the afflicted through the works of mercy . These ideals , collectively known as the Social Gospel , are put into practice by the establishment of hospitals , orphanages , soup kitchens , and schools to follow Christ 's command to spread the good news and serve all people .
The Seneca Falls Convention was the first women 's rights convention . It advertised itself as a convention to discuss the social , civil , and religious condition and rights of woman . Held in the Wesleyan Chapel of the town of Seneca Falls , New York , it spanned two days over July 19-20 , 1848 . Attracting widespread attention , it was soon followed by other women 's rights conventions , including the Rochester Women 's Rights Convention in Rochester , New York , two weeks later . In 1850 the first in a series of annual National Women 's Rights Conventions met in Worcester , Massachusetts . Female Quakers local to the area organized the meeting along with Elizabeth Cady Stanton , who was not a Quaker . They planned the event during a visit to the area by Philadelphia-based Lucretia Mott . Mott , a Quaker , was famous for her oratorical ability , which was rare for non-Quaker women during an era in which women were often not allowed to speak in public . The meeting comprised six sessions including a lecture on law , a humorous presentation , and multiple discussions about the role of women in society . Stanton and the Quaker women presented two prepared documents , the Declaration of Sentiments and an accompanying list of resolutions , to be debated and modified before being put forward for signatures . A heated debate sprang up regarding women 's right to vote , with many - including Mott - urging the removal of this concept , but Frederick Douglass , who was the convention 's sole African American attendee , argued eloquently for its inclusion , and the suffrage resolution was retained . Exactly 100 of approximately 300 attendees signed the document , mostly women .
The Elizabeth Cady Stanton House is a historic house at 32 Washington Street in the village of Seneca Falls , New York . Built before 1830 , it was the home of suffragist Elizabeth Cady Stanton ( 1815-1902 ) from 1847 to 1862 . It is now a historic house museum as part of Women 's Rights National Historical Park . It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965 .
Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site was established by the U.S. Congress to commemorate the life and accomplishments of Eleanor Roosevelt . Once part of the larger Roosevelt family estate in Hyde Park , New York , today the property includes the 181 acres ( 73 ha ) , buildings and other historic features that Eleanor Roosevelt called Val-Kill . It is located approximately two miles east of Springwood , the Franklin D. Roosevelt home . It is a few hundred feet east of New York State Route 9G , along which runs the Dutchess County bus route C to Tivoli . Eleanor Roosevelt created and shared Val-Kill with her friends Nancy Cook and Marion Dickerman . At Val-Kill , they established Val-Kill Industries to employ local farming families in handcraft traditions . The Roosevelts frequently used Val-Kill 's relaxed setting for entertaining family , friends , political associates , and world leaders . Nancy and Marion sold their interest in the property to Eleanor and moved to Connecticut shortly after the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945 . Val-Kill then became Eleanor Roosevelt 's primary residence and the place most associated with her . After her death , Val-Kill was converted into rental units and later sold to developers . A public campaign ensued to save Val-Kill and it was declared a National Historic Site in 1977 . It is now managed by the National Park Service .
Hyde Park is a town in Dutchess County , New York , bordering the Hudson River north of Poughkeepsie . Within the town are the hamlets of Hyde Park , East Park , Staatsburg , and Haviland . Hyde Park is known as the hometown of Franklin D. Roosevelt , the 32nd president of the United States . His house there , now the home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site , is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places , as are the homes of Eleanor Roosevelt , Isaac Roosevelt , and Frederick William Vanderbilt , along with Haviland Middle School ( formerly Franklin D. Roosevelt High School ) . Hyde Park is home to the main campus of the Culinary Institute of America , a four-year college for culinary and baking and pastry arts , and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum , the first presidential library in the United States . Hyde Park 's population was 21,571 at the 2010 United States Census . In 2016 , it was estimated 21,048 people lived in Hyde Park . U.S. Route 9 passes through the town near the Hudson River .
Dutchess County is a county in the U.S. state of New York . As of the 2010 census , the population was 297,488 . The county seat is the city of Poughkeepsie . The county was created in 1683 , one of New York 's first twelve counties , and later organized in 1713 . It is located in the Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley , north of New York City . Dutchess County is part of the Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown Metropolitan Statistical Area , which belongs to the larger New York-Newark-Bridgeport , NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area .
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt ( /ˈɛlɪnɔːr ˈroʊzəvɛlt/ ; October 11 , 1884 - November 7 , 1962 ) was an American political figure , diplomat and activist . She served as the First Lady of the United States from March 4 , 1933 , to April 12 , 1945 , during her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt 's four terms in office , making her the longest-serving First Lady of the United States . Roosevelt served as United States Delegate to the United Nations General Assembly from 1945 to 1952 . President Harry S. Truman later called her the First Lady of the World in tribute to her human rights achievements . Roosevelt was a member of the prominent American Roosevelt and Livingston families and a niece of President Theodore Roosevelt . She had an unhappy childhood , having suffered the deaths of both parents and one of her brothers at a young age . At 15 , she attended Allenwood Academy in London and was deeply influenced by its headmistress Marie Souvestre . Returning to the U.S. , she married her fifth cousin once removed , Franklin Delano Roosevelt , in 1905 . The Roosevelts ' marriage was complicated from the beginning by Franklin 's controlling mother , Sara , and after Eleanor discovered her husband 's affair with Lucy Mercer in 1918 , she resolved to seek fulfillment in leading a public life of her own . She persuaded Franklin to stay in politics after he was stricken with a paralytic illness in 1921 , which cost him the normal use of his legs , and began giving speeches and appearing at campaign events in his place . Following Franklin 's election as Governor of New York in 1928 , and throughout the remainder of Franklin 's public career in government , Roosevelt regularly made public appearances on his behalf , and as First Lady , while her husband served as President , she significantly reshaped and redefined the role of First Lady . Though widely respected in her later years , Roosevelt was a controversial First Lady at the time for her outspokenness , particularly on civil rights for African-Americans .
Eleanor Roosevelt established Val-Kill Industries in 1927 with Nancy Cook , Marion Dickerman , and Caroline O'Day , three friends she met through her activities in the Women 's Division of the New York State Democratic Party . Val-Kill was located on the banks of a stream that flowed through the Roosevelt family estate in Hyde Park , New York . Eleanor and her business partners financed the construction of a small factory to provide supplemental income for local farming families who would make furniture , pewter , and homespun cloth using traditional craft methods . Capitalizing on the popularity of the Colonial Revival , most Val-Kill products were modelled on eighteenth-century forms . Nancy Cook , a trained artisan and teacher , designed most of the furniture and managed the factory which employed anywhere from three to eight men during its decade-long operation . Eleanor promoted Val-Kill through interviews and public appearances . Dickerman and O'Day were financial investors , but not actively involved in the business . The principal craftsmen at Val-Kill were immigrants , among them Frank Landolfa , Otto Berge , Arnold Berge , and Nelly Johannesen and her son , Karl . Val-Kill Industries never became the subsistence program that Eleanor and her friends imagined , but it did pave the way for larger New Deal initiatives during FDR 's presidential administration .
The Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site preserves the Springwood estate in Hyde Park , New York . Springwood was the birthplace , lifelong home , and burial place of the 32nd President of the United States , Franklin D. Roosevelt . The National Historic Site was established in 1945 .
Franklin Delano Roosevelt ( /ˈroʊzəvəlt/ , /-vɛlt/ ; January 30 , 1882 - April 12 , 1945 ) , often referred to by his initials FDR , was an American politician who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945 . A member of the Democratic Party , he won a record four presidential elections and became a central figure in world events during the first half of the 20th century . Roosevelt directed the federal government during most of the Great Depression , implementing his New Deal domestic agenda in response to the worst economic crisis in U.S. history . As a dominant leader of his party , he built the New Deal Coalition , which realigned American politics into the Fifth Party System and defined American liberalism throughout the middle third of the 20th century . His third and fourth terms were dominated by World War II , which ended shortly after he died in office . He is rated by scholars as one of the three greatest U.S. presidents , along with George Washington and Abraham Lincoln , but has also been subject to substantial criticism . Roosevelt was born in Hyde Park , New York , to a Dutch American family made well known by the reputation of Theodore Roosevelt , the 26th president of the United States , and William Henry Aspinwall . FDR graduated from Groton School and Harvard College and attended Columbia Law School but left after passing the bar exam to practice law in New York City . In 1905 , he married his fifth cousin once removed , Eleanor Roosevelt . They had six children , of whom five survived into adulthood . He won election to the New York State Senate in 1910 , and then served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under President Woodrow Wilson during World War I. Roosevelt was James M. Cox 's running mate on the Democratic Party 's 1920 national ticket , but Cox was defeated by Republican Warren G. Harding . In 1921 , Roosevelt contracted a paralytic illness , believed at the time to be polio , and his legs became permanently paralyzed .
Sagamore Hill was the home of the 26th President of the United States , Theodore Roosevelt , from 1885 until his death in 1919 . It is located in the Incorporated Village of Cove Neck , New York , near Oyster Bay in Nassau County on the North Shore of Long Island , 25 miles ( 40 km ) east of Manhattan . It is now the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site , which includes the Theodore Roosevelt Museum in a later building on the grounds .
The Incorporated Village of Cove Neck is a village located within the town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County , New York , United States . The population was 286 at the 2010 census .
Nassau County ( /ˈnæsɔː/ or /ˈnæsaʊ/ ) is a county in the U.S. state of New York . At the 2010 census , the county 's population was 1,339,532 , estimated to have increased to 1,358,343 in 2018 . The county seat is Mineola and the largest town is Hempstead . Nassau County is situated on western Long Island , bordering New York City 's borough of Queens to the west , and Suffolk County to the east . It is the most densely populated and second-most populous county in New York state outside of New York City , with which it maintains extensive rail and highway connectivity , and is considered one of the central counties within the New York metropolitan area . Nassau County contains two cities , three towns , 64 incorporated villages , and more than 60 unincorporated hamlets . Nassau County has a designated police department , fire commission , and elected executive and legislative bodies . A 2012 Forbes article based on the American Community Survey reported Nassau County as the most expensive county and one of the highest income counties in the United States , and the most affluent in the state of New York , with four of the nation 's top ten towns by median income located in the county . Nassau County high school students often feature prominently as winners of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair and similar STEM-based academic awards .
The president of the United States ( POTUS ) [ B ] is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America . The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces . In contemporary times , the president is looked upon as one of the world 's most powerful political figures as the leader of the only remaining global superpower . The role includes responsibility for the world 's most expensive military , which has the second largest nuclear arsenal . The president also leads the nation with the largest economy by nominal GDP . The president possesses significant domestic and international hard and soft power . Article II of the Constitution establishes the executive branch of the federal government . It vests the executive power of the United States in the president . The power includes the execution and enforcement of federal law , alongside the responsibility of appointing federal executive , diplomatic , regulatory and judicial officers , and concluding treaties with foreign powers with the advice and consent of the Senate . The president is further empowered to grant federal pardons and reprieves , and to convene and adjourn either or both houses of Congress under extraordinary circumstances . The president directs the foreign and domestic policies of the United States , and takes an active role in promoting his policy priorities to members of Congress . In addition , as part of the system of checks and balances , Article I , Section 7 of the Constitution gives the president the power to sign or veto federal legislation .
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( /ˈroʊzəvɛlt/ ROH-zə-velt ; [ b ] October 27 , 1858 - January 6 , 1919 ) was an American statesman , politician , conservationist , naturalist , and writer who served as the 26th president of the United States from 1901 to 1909 . He served as the 25th vice president from March to September 1901 and as the 33rd governor of New York from 1899 to 1900 . Roosevelt emerged as a leader of the Republican Party and became a driving force for the anti-trust policy while supporting Progressive Era policies in the United States in the early 20th century . His face is depicted on Mount Rushmore alongside George Washington , Thomas Jefferson , and Abraham Lincoln . He is generally ranked in polls of historians and political scientists as one of the five best presidents . Roosevelt was a sickly child with debilitating asthma , but he overcame his health problems by embracing a strenuous lifestyle , as well as growing out of his asthma naturally in his young adult years . He integrated his exuberant personality , vast range of interests , and world-famous achievements into a cowboy persona defined by robust masculinity . He was home-schooled , and he began a lifelong naturalist avocation before attending Harvard College . His book The Naval War of 1812 ( 1882 ) established his reputation as a learned historian and as a popular writer . Upon entering politics , he became the leader of the reform faction of Republicans in New York 's state legislature . His wife and his mother both died in rapid succession , and he escaped to a cattle ranch in the Dakotas . He served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under President William McKinley , but he resigned from that post to lead the Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War , returning a war hero .
Saint Paul 's Church National Historic Site is a United States National Historic Site located at 897 South Columbus Avenue in Mount Vernon , New York , just north of the New York City borough of The Bronx . The site was authorized in 1978 to protect Saint Paul 's Church from increasing industrialization of the surrounding area . Saint Paul 's Church is one of New York 's oldest parishes and was used as a military hospital after the American Revolutionary War Battle of Pell 's Point in 1776 . The 5-acre ( 20,000 m2 ) cemetery surrounding the church is also within the historic site and contains an estimated 9,000 burials dating from 1704 .
Mount Vernon is a city in Westchester County , New York , United States . It is an inner suburb of New York City , immediately to the north of the borough of the Bronx . As of the 2010 census , Mount Vernon had a population of 67,292 .
Westchester County is a county in the U.S. state of New York . It is the second-most populous county on the mainland of New York , after the Bronx , ( p6 ) and the most populous county in the state north of New York City . According to the 2010 Census , the county had a population of 949,113 , estimated to have increased to 967,612 by 2018 . Situated in the Hudson Valley , Westchester covers an area of 450 square miles ( 1,200 km2 ) , consisting of six cities , 19 towns , and 23 villages . Established in 1683 , Westchester was named after the city of Chester , England . The county seat is the city of White Plains , while the most populous municipality in the county is the city of Yonkers , with an estimated 199,663 residents in 2018 . The annual per capita income for Westchester was $ 67,813 in 2011 . The 2011 median household income of $ 77,006 was the fifth highest in New York ( after Nassau , Putnam , Suffolk , and Rockland counties ) and the 47th highest in the United States . By 2014 , the county 's median household income had risen to $ 83,422 . Westchester County ranks second in the state after New York County for median income per person , with a higher concentration of incomes in smaller households . Simultaneously , Westchester County had the highest property taxes of any county in the United States in 2013 . Westchester County is one of the centrally located counties within the New York metropolitan area .
Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site is a recreated brownstone at 28 East 20th Street , between Broadway and Park Avenue South , in the Flatiron District of Manhattan , New York City . It is the birthplace and childhood home of 26th President of the United States Theodore Roosevelt .
Manhattan ( /mænˈhætən , mən-/ ) , often referred to by residents of the New York City area as the City , is the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City , and coextensive with the County of New York , one of the original counties of the U.S. state of New York . Manhattan serves as the city 's economic and administrative center , cultural identifier , and historical birthplace . The borough consists mostly of Manhattan Island , bounded by the Hudson , East , and Harlem rivers ; as well as several small adjacent islands . Manhattan additionally contains Marble Hill , a small neighborhood now on the U.S. mainland , that was connected using landfill to the Bronx and separated from the rest of Manhattan by the Harlem River . Manhattan Island is divided into three informally bounded components , each aligned with the borough 's long axis : Lower , Midtown , and Upper Manhattan . Manhattan has been described as the cultural , financial , media , and entertainment capital of the world , and the borough hosts the United Nations Headquarters . Anchored by Wall Street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan , New York City has been called both the most economically powerful city and the leading financial center of the world , and Manhattan is home to the world 's two largest stock exchanges by total market capitalization : the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ . Many multinational media conglomerates are based in Manhattan , and the borough has been the setting for numerous books , films , and television shows . Manhattan real estate has since become among the most expensive in the world , with the value of Manhattan Island , including real estate , estimated to exceed US $ 3 trillion in 2013 ; median residential property sale prices in Manhattan approximated US $ 1,600 per square foot ( $ 17,000/m2 ) as of 2018 , with Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan commanding the highest retail rents in the world , at US $ 3,000 per square foot ( $ 32,000/m2 ) per year in 2017 . Manhattan traces its origins to a trading post founded by colonists from the Dutch Republic in 1624 on Lower Manhattan ; the post was named New Amsterdam in 1626 . Manhattan is historically documented to have been purchased by Dutch colonists from Native Americans in 1626 for 60 guilders , which equals roughly $ 1059 in current terms . The territory and its surroundings came under English control in 1664 and were renamed New York after King Charles II of England granted the lands to his brother , the Duke of York .
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site preserves the Ansley Wilcox House , at 641 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo , New York . Here , after the assassination of William McKinley , Theodore Roosevelt took the oath of office as President of the United States on September 14 , 1901 . A New York historical marker outside the house indicates that it was the site of Theodore Roosevelt 's Inauguration .
Buffalo is the second largest city in the U.S. state of New York and the largest city in Western New York . As of 2018 [ update ] , the population was 256,304 . The city is the county seat of Erie County and a major gateway for commerce and travel across the Canada-United States border , forming part of the bi-national Buffalo Niagara Region . As of the April 1 , 2010 , the metropolitan statistical area ( MSA ) had a population of 1,135,509 ; the combined statistical area ( CSA ) , which adds Cattaraugus County , had a population of 1,215,826 inhabitants . The Buffalo area was inhabited before the 17th century by the Native American Iroquois tribe and later by French colonizers . The city grew significantly in the 19th and 20th centuries as a result of immigration , the construction of the Erie Canal and rail transportation , and its close proximity to Lake Erie . This growth provided an abundance of fresh water and an ample trade route to the Midwestern United States while grooming its economy for the grain , steel and automobile industries that dominated the city 's economy in the 20th century . Since the city 's economy relied heavily on manufacturing , deindustrialization in the latter half of the 20th century led to a steady decline in population . While some manufacturing activity remains , Buffalo 's economy has transitioned to service industries with a greater emphasis on healthcare , research and higher education , which emerged following the Great Recession . Buffalo is on the eastern shore of Lake Erie , at the head of the Niagara River , 16 miles ( 26 km ) south of Niagara Falls . Its early embrace of electric power led to the nickname The City of Light . The city is also famous for its urban planning and layout by Joseph Ellicott , an extensive system of parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted , as well as significant architectural works .
Erie County is a highly populated county in the U.S. state of New York . As of the 2010 census , the population was 919,040 . The county seat is Buffalo . The county 's name comes from Lake Erie . It was named by European colonists for the regional Iroquoian language-speaking Erie tribe of Native Americans , who lived south and east of the lake before 1654 . ( They were pushed out of the area by the more powerful Iroquoian nations . ) Since the late 20th century , Erie County has been considered part of the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area . The county 's southern part is known as the Southtowns .
Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site is a historic house museum in Hyde Park , New York . It became a National Historic Landmark in 1940 . It is owned and operated by the National Park Service . The property , historically known as Hyde Park , was one of several homes owned by Frederick William Vanderbilt and his wife Louise Holmes Anthony . The 54-room Vanderbilt mansion was designed by the preeminent architectural firm McKim , Mead & White . Construction occurred between 1896 and 1899 . The house is an example of the Beaux-Arts architecture style . The interiors are archetypes of the American Renaissance , blending European architectural salvage , antiques , and fine period reproductions representing an array of historical styles . The site includes 211 acres ( 85 ha ) of the original larger property ( once around 600 acres ) situated on a bluff overlooking the Hudson River and includes manicured lawns , formal gardens , woodlands , and numerous auxiliary buildings .
The Hudson River is a 315-mile ( 507 km ) river that flows from north to south primarily through eastern New York in the United States . The river originates in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York , flows southward through the Hudson Valley to the Upper New York Bay between New York City and Jersey City . It eventually drains into the Atlantic Ocean at New York Harbor . The river serves as a political boundary between the states of New Jersey and New York at its southern end . Further north , it marks local boundaries between several New York counties . The lower half of the river is a tidal estuary , deeper than the body of water into which it flows , occupying the Hudson Fjord , an inlet which formed during the most recent period of North American glaciation , estimated at 26,000 to 13,300 years ago . Tidal waters influence the Hudson 's flow from as far north as the city of Troy . The river is named after Henry Hudson , an Englishman sailing for the Dutch East India Company , who explored it in 1609 , and after whom Hudson Bay in Canada is also named . It had previously been observed by Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano sailing for King Francis I of France in 1524 , as he became the first European known to have entered the Upper New York Bay , but he considered the river to be an estuary . The Dutch called the river the North River - with the Delaware River called the South River - and it formed the spine of the Dutch colony of New Netherland . Settlements of the colony clustered around the Hudson , and its strategic importance as the gateway to the American interior led to years of competition between the English and the Dutch over control of the river and colony . During the eighteenth century , the river valley and its inhabitants were the subject and inspiration of Washington Irving , the first internationally acclaimed American author .
The Catskill Mountains , also known as the Catskills , are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains , located in southeastern New York . As a cultural and geographic region , the Catskills are generally defined as those areas close to or within the borders of the Catskill Park , a 700,000-acre ( 2,800 km2 ) forest preserve forever protected from many forms of development under New York state law . Geologically , the Catskills are a mature dissected plateau , a once-flat region subsequently uplifted and eroded into sharp relief by watercourses . The Catskills form the northeastern end of the Allegheny Plateau ( also known as the Appalachian Plateau ) . The Catskills are well known in American culture , both as the setting for films and works of art , including many 19th-century Hudson River School paintings , as well as for being a favored destination for vacationers from New York City in the mid-20th century . The region 's many large resorts gave countless young stand-up comedians an opportunity to hone their craft . In addition , the Catskills have long been a haven for artists , musicians , and writers , especially in and around the towns of Phoenicia and Woodstock .
Beaux-Arts architecture ( /ˌboʊˈzɑːr/ ; French : [ bozaʁ ] ) was the academic architectural style taught at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris , particularly from the 1830s to the end of the 19th century . It drew upon the principles of French neoclassicism , but also incorporated Gothic and Renaissance elements , and used modern materials , such as iron and glass . It was an important style in France until the end of the 19th century . It also had a strong influence on architecture in the United States , because of the many prominent American architects who studied at the École des Beaux-Arts , including Henry Hobson Richardson , John Galen Howard , Daniel Burnham , and Louis Sullivan . :76
Federal Hall is the name given to the first of two historic buildings located at 26 Wall Street in the Financial District of Manhattan , New York City . The original , a Federal style structure completed in 1703 , served as New York 's first City Hall . It was the site where the colonial Stamp Act Congress met to draft its message to King George III claiming entitlement to the same rights as the residents of Britain and protesting taxation without representation . After the American Revolution , in 1785 , the building served as meeting place for the Congress of the Confederation , the nation 's first central government under the Articles of Confederation . With the establishment of the United States federal government in 1789 , it was renamed Federal Hall , as it hosted the 1st Congress and was the place where George Washington was sworn in as the nations first president . It was demolished in 1812 . The current structure , completed in 1842 and one of the best surviving examples of Greek Revival in New York , was built as the U.S . Custom House for the Port of New York . Later it served as a sub-Treasury building . Though never referred to as Federal Hall , today it is operated by the National Park Service as a national memorial and designated the Federal Hall National Memorial to commemorate the historic events that occurred at the previous structure .
The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. or US ) or America , is a country consisting of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions . [ g ] At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) , it is the world 's third or fourth-largest country by total area [ b ] and is slightly smaller than the entire continent of Europe . Most of the country is located in central North America between Canada and Mexico . With an estimated population of over 328 million , the U.S. is the third most populous country in the world . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the most populous city is New York City . Paleo-Indians migrated from Siberia to the North American mainland at least 12,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from the thirteen British colonies established along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies led to the American Revolutionary War lasting between 1775 and 1783 , leading to independence . The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century - gradually acquiring new territories , displacing Native Americans , and admitting new states - until by 1848 it spanned the continent . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the abolition of slavery in the United States . The Spanish-American War and World War I confirmed the country 's status as a global military power .
George Washington ( February 22 , 1732 [ b ] - December 14 , 1799 ) was an American political leader , military general , statesman , and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797 . Previously , he led Patriot forces to victory in the nation 's War for Independence . He presided at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 , which established the U.S. Constitution and a federal government . Washington has been called the Father of His Country for his manifold leadership in the formative days of the new nation . Washington received his initial military training and command with the Virginia Regiment during the French and Indian War . He was later elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses and was named a delegate to the Continental Congress , where he was appointed Commanding General of the Continental Army . He commanded American forces , allied with France , in the defeat and surrender of the British during the Siege of Yorktown . He resigned his commission after the Treaty of Paris in 1783 . Washington played a key role in adopting and ratifying the Constitution and was then elected president ( twice ) by the Electoral College . He implemented a strong , well-financed national government while remaining impartial in a fierce rivalry between cabinet members Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton . During the French Revolution , he proclaimed a policy of neutrality while sanctioning the Jay Treaty . He set enduring precedents for the office of president , including the title President of the United States , and his Farewell Address is widely regarded as a pre-eminent statement on republicanism .
The United States Bill of Rights comprises the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution . Proposed following the often bitter 1787-88 debate over the ratification of the Constitution , and written to address the objections raised by Anti-Federalists , the Bill of Rights amendments add to the Constitution specific guarantees of personal freedoms and rights , clear limitations on the government 's power in judicial and other proceedings , and explicit declarations that all powers not specifically granted to the U.S. Congress by the Constitution are reserved for the states or the people . The concepts codified in these amendments are built upon those found in earlier documents , especially the Virginia Declaration of Rights ( 1776 ) , as well as the English Bill of Rights ( 1689 ) and the Magna Carta ( 1215 ) . Due largely to the efforts of Representative James Madison , who studied the deficiencies of the Constitution pointed out by anti-federalists and then crafted a series of corrective proposals , Congress approved twelve articles of amendment on September 25 , 1789 , and submitted them to the states for ratification . Contrary to Madison 's proposal that the proposed amendments be incorporated into the main body of the Constitution ( at the relevant articles and sections of the document ) , they were proposed as supplemental additions ( codicils ) to it . Articles Three through Twelve were ratified as additions to the Constitution on December 15 , 1791 , and became Amendments One through Ten of the Constitution . Article Two became part of the Constitution on May 5 , 1992 , as the Twenty-seventh Amendment . Article One is still pending before the states . Although Madison 's proposed amendments included a provision to extend the protection of some of the Bill of Rights to the states , the amendments that were finally submitted for ratification applied only to the federal government . The door for their application upon state governments was opened in the 1860s , following ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment . Since the early 20th century both federal and state courts have used the Fourteenth Amendment to apply portions of the Bill of Rights to state and local governments . The process is known as incorporation .
The United States Customs Service was an agency of the U.S. federal government that collected import tariffs and performed other selected border security duties . In March 2003 , as a result of the homeland security reorganization , the U.S. Customs Service was renamed the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection , and most of its components were merged with the border elements of the Immigration and Naturalization Service , including the entire U.S. Border Patrol and former INS inspectors , together with border agriculture inspectors , to form U.S. Customs and Border Protection , a single , unified border agency for the U.S . The investigative office of U.S. Customs was split off and merged with the INS investigative office and the INS interior detention and removal office to form Immigration and Customs Enforcement , which , among other things , is responsible for interior immigration enforcement . The United States Customs Service had three major missions : collecting tariff revenue , protecting the U.S. economy from smuggling and illegal goods , and processing people and goods at ports of entry .
Grant 's Tomb , officially the General Grant National Memorial , is the final resting place of Ulysses S. Grant , 18th President of the United States , and his wife , Julia Grant . It is a classical domed mausoleum , located in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Upper Manhattan in New York City . The structure is located in the median of Riverside Drive at 122nd Street , across from Riverside Church to the southeast and Riverside Park to the west . On Grants death in 1885 , his widow declared that he had wished to be buried in New York , and a new committee , the Grant Monument Association , appealed for funds . Progress was slow at first , since many believed that the tomb should be in Washington D.C. , and because there was no architectural design to show . Eventually they selected a proposal by John Hemenway Duncan for a tomb of unmistakably military character , modeled after the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus , with twin sarcophagi based on Napoleons tomb at Les Invalides . The tomb was completed in 1897 , and has been under the management of the National Park Service since 1958 . After a period of neglect , it has been restored and rededicated . It is open to the public from Wednesdays through Saturdays .
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or people . A monument without the interment is a cenotaph . A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb , or the tomb may be considered to be within the mausoleum .
Ulysses S. Grant ( born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27 , 1822 - July 23 , 1885 ) was an American soldier and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877 . Before his presidency , Grant led the Union Army as Commanding General of the United States Army in winning the American Civil War . As president , Grant worked with the Radical Republicans in the Reconstruction of the Union while having to deal with corruption in his administration . Raised in Ohio , young Grant possessed an exceptional ability with horses , which served him well through his military career . He was admitted to West Point and graduated from the U.S. military academy in 1843 . Grant served with distinction in the Mexican-American War . In 1848 , he married Julia Dent , and together they had four children . Grant abruptly resigned his army commission in 1854 and returned to his family , but lived in poverty for seven years . During the Civil War , he joined the Union Army in 1861 , and led the Vicksburg campaign , which gained control of the Mississippi River in 1863 . After Grant 's victory at Chattanooga , President Abraham Lincoln promoted Grant to Lieutenant General . For thirteen months , Grant fought Robert E. Lee during the high casualty Overland Campaign and at Petersburg . On April 9 , 1865 , Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox .
The American Civil War ( also known by other names ) was a civil war in the United States from 1861 to 1865 , fought between the northern United States ( loyal to the Union ) and the southern United States ( that had seceded from the Union and formed the Confederacy ) . [ e ] The civil war began primarily as a result of the long-standing controversy over the enslavement of black people . War broke out in April 1861 when secessionist forces attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina shortly after Abraham Lincoln had been inaugurated as the President of the United States . The loyalists of the Union in the North , which also included some geographically western and southern states , proclaimed support for the Constitution . They faced secessionists of the Confederate States in the South , who advocated for states ' rights in order to uphold slavery . Of the 34 U.S. states in February 1861 , seven Southern slave states were declared by their state governments to have seceded from the country , and the Confederate States of America was organized in rebellion against the U.S. constitutional government . The Confederacy grew to control at least a majority of territory in eleven states , and it claimed the additional states of Kentucky and Missouri by assertions from native secessionists fleeing Union authority . These states were given full representation in the Confederate Congress throughout the Civil War . The two remaining slave states , Delaware and Maryland , were invited to join the Confederacy , but nothing substantial developed due to intervention by federal troops . The Confederate states were never diplomatically recognized as a joint entity by the government of the United States , nor by that of any foreign country . [ f ] The states that remained loyal to the U.S. were known as the Union . [ g ] The Union and the Confederacy quickly raised volunteer and conscription armies that fought mostly in the South over the course of four years .
Julia Boggs Grant ( née Dent ; January 26 , 1826 - December 14 , 1902 ) was the First Lady of the United States and wife of Ulysses S. Grant . Her time as First Lady marked a turning point in her life , when she became a national figure .