Why Is New York Called the Empire State?
New York is called the “Empire State” due to its historical significance, economic power, and cultural influence. The nickname is often attributed to a 1785 letter written by George Washington, in which he praised New York for its strength during the American Revolution and referred to it as “the Seat of the Empire.” Washington’s recognition was not merely poetic—it acknowledged the state’s strategic importance. New York’s central location between New England and the Southern colonies, its control of the Hudson River, and access to key ports made it a battleground for control of the East Coast and the North American continent more broadly.
Over time, the state’s importance only grew. By the 19th century, the construction of the Erie Canal and the rise of New York City as a center of finance and immigration made New York a unique driving force in national development. Ellis Island, the port of entry for millions of immigrants, came to symbolize a gateway to America and the opportunity represented by the American Dream. While the idea of American “empire” would later become associated with darker realities—such as the subjugation of other countries and the suffering inflicted on Native American and African American communities—the meaning of “Empire State” is not simply one of conquest. On the contrary, the sonnet inscribed beneath the Statue of Liberty reveals a more inclusive vision of New York’s identity, even as a wide gap persists between its ideals and the socio-economic realities faced by many:
“Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
— “The New Colossus” (1883) by Emma Lazarus
Today, “Empire State” continues to symbolize the ambition and vitality that define Wall Street, Broadway, and Times Square; the globalism of the United Nations headquarters; the hip-hop born in the Bronx that reshaped music worldwide; the creative pulse of Brooklyn’s art scene; and the unmatched diversity of Queens, the most ethnically and linguistically diverse urban area on Earth. Thus, the words “Empire State” embody the energy and possibility that define New York’s place in the world; as Frank Sinatra sang, “If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.”