Manhattan has been a center of commerce and trade since the 17th century, when New
Amsterdam, the dutch settlement, was established on the southern part of the island. At this time, only a part of New York City was inhabited and Manhattan was not yet the home for sky-scraping buildings and an abundance of transportation. According to the map from 1642, New Amsterdam did not yet establish a grid system, in order to get around. There were no subway systems and the access to the East and North River were the main ways of transportation and trade at this time. The texture in the city of this time was a lot different than it is today. The city was not yet as populated and as active that it is now. The population is way less dense and the city is still not developed to the fullest. The access to the bay was a key factor in the neighborhoods and the social relations throughout the city. New Amsterdam was the beginning of what New York City would become.
Manhattan drastically changed between the 17th century and the mid 1800’s. The population greatly expanded, and there was an increased need for accessibility and transportation. The grid system allowed New Yorkers to get around the city easier, and allowed for the boroughs 
to develop. While in New Amsterdam, there were only about 2,000 people inhabiting the south end of what is now New York City, in 1850, the population increased to about 500,000 people. Manhattan is now becoming an active center for opportunity, trade, and the city life. Towards 1888, Manhattan began to implement an underground subway system, allowing for much easier transportation than car. The subway system will become a key factor in Manhattan’s appeal and the ease that is associated with city life. The subway system became a key part of city life, as well as the texture of the city as a whole. The subway system and the grid system that was implemented in the 1800’s allowed for more opportunity, more accessibility, and more motivated and driven sense throughout the city and throughout New Yorker’s daily lives.
Within the 1900’s, New York grew and became more densely populated over time. The population expanded to Brooklyn, Queen, the Bronx, and other neighboring lands. The subway system is a large part of the city life at this time, and the business district also has grown. The texture of the city is very hectic and work driven, but the grid system, subways, and bus system allow for easier transportation. Many people migrate into the city for more opportunity and ease. The concentration of jobs, schools, restaurants, opportunity, and
availability of everything needed is what draws so much attention to the city life. The change of the population and maps of Manhattan represent the changes that the city has gone through over the past decades. The city has grown so much over the years and changed the lives of New Yorker’s in every way possible.
