Aerial photography of Manhattan - The heart of New York

Manhattan's history is full of exploration, colonization, construction and change. So is the history of Manhattan discovery:

Early exploration and colonization
1609 - English explorer Henry Hudson first discovered Manhattan Island and named it. At this time, Manhattan Island was an unexplored wilderness with a rich ecological environment and a wide variety of wildlife.
1624 - Dutch colonists begin to establish trading posts in Lower Manhattan, marking the official entry of Manhattan into the colonial era. The Dutch established basic order and rules here and tried to trade with the Indians.
1626: The Dutch buy the land rights to Manhattan Island from the Indians at a very low price, a deal later criticized as blackmail, but which lays the foundation for Dutch colonial rule in Manhattan.

Dutch period
Dutch rule of Manhattan lasted about 40 years, a period that can be roughly divided into three phases:
Chaotic Freedom phase: The Dutch fleet established contact with the Indians, but there were frequent armed conflicts between merchant groups over resources.
Manhattan Dutch period: The West India Company is formed, with a monopoly on trade and navigation with North and South America and West Africa, military, legal and administrative privileges. The Dutch decided to establish a permanent settlement in Manhattan and sent engineers to build Fort New Amsterdam.
Opening phase of commerce: As the West India Company's high monopoly was opposed, the New Netherlands gradually returned to the path of freedom, and Manhattan expanded rapidly to become the hub of North America.

Period of British rule
1664 - The English capture Manhattan from the Dutch and rename New Amsterdam "New York". Britain inherited the free trade mechanism pioneered by the Netherlands, and New York gradually developed into a free port.
1785-1790 - New York City is the capital of the United States.

Modern development
Late 19th century: The establishment of the Statue of Liberty marks the arrival of a new wave of immigrants in Manhattan, becoming a world symbol of American ideals of freedom and peace.
1898 - Manhattan officially becomes one of the five boroughs of New York City.
Early 20th century: With the process of industrialization and urbanization, the population of Manhattan soared, and the architectural style began to be influenced by Europe, and a large number of European buildings emerged in Manhattan.
Modern: Manhattan has become one of the most prosperous business and financial centers in the world, with many world-famous landmarks, such as the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center. Manhattan is also one of the most expensive real estate markets in the world, attracting investors and home buyers from all over the world.

Manhattan's history is an epic of exploration, colonization, construction, and transformation. The transformation from wilderness to bustling city has witnessed the progress and development of human civilization.