New York is known for its skyscrapers, busy streets, and landmarks like the Statue of Liberty. It’s also known for being a city. But what if it were also a country? In some ways, New York feels like its own country. Many people see it as a very separate place from the rest of the United States. Many New Yorkers have different values than other Americans, and the state has its own government with its own laws. Many people even say that “If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere” when they leave New York because they think that living in New York is so difficult. So is New York really a different country? What would happen if we saw it as one? Let’s look at some pros and cons.
Is New York A Country?
No, New York is not a country. New York is a state located in the northeastern part of the United States. There are 560 counties in the United States, but only 36 of them are called ‘counties’. The rest are called ‘county-equivalents’ or ‘independent cities, which are political entities that are not part of any county. There are 16 such county-equivalents in the state of New York.
Why Isn’t New York A Country?
New York is not a country, because it’s part of the United States
This is perhaps the most obvious reason why New York isn’t a country. But before we get into the details of why this is the case, let’s first start off with a basic overview of what the United States is in the first place. Essentially, the United States is a federal constitutional republic consisting of 50 individual states. The United States was founded in 1776, following the end of the American Revolutionary War. The country’s Constitution was ratified in 1789, and its first president – George Washington – was inaugurated in 1789. The United States has been a major political player on the global stage ever since and has a population of around 325 million people. The US dollar is the world’s reserve currency, and the country has a strong economy with a gross domestic product of around $20 trillion. The United States also has a head of state the president – and a head of government – the president.
New York isn’t a country, because it doesn’t have independence or sovereignty
As many people are aware, New York City was once an independent city-state before it became part of the United States. The British takeover of the territory is largely responsible for this change – but contrary to what many people believe, it wasn’t the United States that forced the hand of the British and subsequently took control of New York. In fact, the United States wasn’t even an independent nation at that time – it was still part of the British Empire. As such, the city of New York hasn’t had any form of sovereignty or independence for well over a century. And even when it did have its own autonomy, it was only ever a city-state – not a country.
New York isn’t a country, because it doesn’t have its own military or police force
If New York was a country, it would need to have its own military and police force. It would also have to have a system in place for recruiting and training its own soldiers and officers, as well as a way to fund and maintain these armed forces. However, New York has no such military or police force. Instead, it relies on the United States military and police force.
New York isn’t a country, because it doesn’t have its own currency
One of the most obvious signs that a place is an independent country is the fact that it has its own currency. And while New York does have its own currency – the New York dollar – it is not an autonomous currency. So, if New York was a sovereign country and had its own currency, then the New York dollar would be the official currency of New York. However, this is not the case. Instead, the United States government and Federal Reserve still control New York’s currency – and the New York dollar is simply one of the many local currencies that exist in the United States.
New York isn’t a country, because all of its citizens are still Americans and follow American laws
This is perhaps the most obvious sign that New York is still a part of the United States. If New York was a sovereign nation, then it would have its own laws – but it doesn’t. Instead, New York residents are still subject to American laws. Although New York does have its own mayor, this person is not the leader of a sovereign nation. He or she is simply the leader of one city within the United States.
History Of The New York
- The first people to live in the area of the city were the Lenape Native Americans. They called this area, “Manahatta”. They lived there until 1654 when they were forced out by the Dutch.
- In 1664, a group of Englishmen who had been expelled from Boston, Massachusetts, by the Puritans, arrived in New Amsterdam. The English settlers named their settlement “New York”, after their home city of New York City, England (which is also called “New York”).
- In 1683, Manhattan was officially incorporated as a city. However, at that time it was merely a small trading post with about 100 residents and a business district along Wall Street (now Broadway). In 1788 New York City was renamed “The City of Albany” in honor of Alexander Hamilton’s father-in-law and former governor of New York State, George Clinton (1739–1812). It became known as “The City of New York” again in 1873 when it was incorporated as one of the five boroughs of New York City.
- New York was the largest city in the United States from 1790 to 1870, when it was surpassed by Philadelphia.
- The first subway line in the world opened in 1904, connecting Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn with parts of Queens and the Bronx. The first elevated railway line opened in 1868, running from City Hall (now called “City Hall Park”) to East Harlem and West Harlem. This was followed by a rapid transit railroad service that ran from Brooklyn to Manhattans’s Lower East Side via Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn (1875–1886). In 1878 an elevated railway service began running along 14th Street also known as “the Bowery”. This line has since been dismantled and replaced with street-level service. The last elevated railways were removed between 1917 and 1924, leaving only the IRT Flushing Line.
Pros Of New York As A Country
- New York is a great place to live. There are so many things to do here. You can go to the movies, go shopping in the city, go to a concert or a play, or just relax and enjoy some time at home.
- New York is a great place to find work because there are so many people looking for jobs here.
- New York is a great place for families because there are many things to do with children and you can also keep them busy while you work.
- New York is a great place for retired people because they can live in peace and enjoy the city’s beauty in their leisure time.
- New York City has a good public transportation system that helps commuters move from one area of the city to another without having to use their cars very much or wait for long hours for buses or trains that take too long on their way to their destinations.
Cons Of New York As A Country
- The New York population is not very educated
- There are many people who are homeless
- Many people in New York don’t have jobs
- In New York, there are many crimes have happened since the year 2000
Final Words
New York has a unique culture, and visitors can see that as soon as they pass through the Hudson River or fly into JFK Airport. As the saying goes, if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. While New York is a great city, it would be challenging to be a country. Other countries would benefit from learning from New York, but it would be difficult to sustain such a large population.
