New York: A Documentary Film

Episode 1

The Country and The City

Sun, Nov 14, 1999111 mins

Chronicles the rise of New York from its settlement by the Dutch in the early 17th century through the explosion of commercial growth sparked by the completion of the Erie Canal in 1825. Beginning with a consideration of themes to be explored throughout the entire series, it goes on to treat five crucial chapters in New York's fascinating early history: the defining role the Dutch played in establishing the city's character, the impact of the British empire, New York's strange sea fateful role in the American Revolution, its brief tenure as the nation's capital, and the extraordinary burst of entrepreneurial energy that in the early 19th century launched it on its course to becoming the greatest city on earth.