Occupied, nearly destroyed by fire and depopulated during the Revolutionary War, the once prosperous city of New York rises again after independence to become the new nation's financial capital. Park historian Steve Laise takes us through the early years of its ascendancy as the city rebuilds, new sources of wealth are developed, and the New York Stock Exchange is established in Part 1 of this two-part episode of Ranger Stories.
Political factions clash over the rights of Tories remaining in New York after the Revolutionary War. While radicals in the Common Council want to expel the Tories and seize their property, Alexander Hamilton and other conservatives take the opposite position, more for the sake of the state's financial security and growth than higher principles. Ultimately, a scandal settles the matter, stability is restored, and New York Citiy assumes its position as America's financial capital in the conclusion to this two-part episode of Ranger Stories.