1609 - Henry Hudson, an English explorer working for the Dutch East India Company, explores the Hudson River and claims the area for the Netherlands.
1624 - The Dutch West India Company establishes a permanent settlement at New Amsterdam (present-day New York City).
1626 - Peter Minuit, the first governor of New Netherland, purchases Manhattan Island from the Lenape Native Americans for 60 guilders (about $24).
1664 - The English take over New Amsterdam and rename it New York in honor of the Duke of York.
1685 - King James II of England grants a charter to the Province of New York, officially establishing it as a royal colony.
1735 - The Zenger Trial takes place in New York City. This landmark case establishes the principle of freedom of the press in the American colonies.
1765 - The Stamp Act is passed by the British Parliament, sparking widespread protest and resistance in the colonies, including New York.
1776 - The Declaration of Independence is signed, declaring the American colonies' independence from Great Britain. New York becomes one of the original thirteen states of the United States.
1788 - New York ratifies the United States Constitution, becoming the eleventh state to join the Union.
1789 - New York City becomes the first capital of the United States under the new Constitution.
1790 - The first United States Census is conducted, showing that New York is home to over 350,000 people.
1825 - The Erie Canal opens, connecting the Hudson River to the Great Lakes and vastly expanding trade and commerce in New York.
1861 - New York sends 70,000 troops to fight for the Union during the American Civil War. The state also becomes a major industrial center, producing war materials.
1898 - New York City becomes a consolidated municipality, combining the five boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island.
1901 - President William McKinley is assassinated in Buffalo, New York.
1911 - The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City kills 146 garment workers, leading to increased awareness of workplace safety and the need for labor reforms.
1920 - Women gain the right to vote in New York State, one of the first states in the country to do so.
1929 - The stock market crash in New York City triggers the Great Depression, which has a devastating impact on the state's economy.
1939 - The World's Fair opens in Flushing Meadows, Queens, attracting over 45 million visitors.
1945 - The United Nations is established in New York City, becoming a global center for diplomacy and international cooperation.
1951 - The Brooklyn Dodgers win the World Series for the first time, ending a 21-year championship drought.
1964 - The Beatles make their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in New York City, electrifying the nation and ushering in the British Invasion of rock music.
1977 - New York City faces a fiscal crisis and is on the brink of bankruptcy, but is rescued by a federal bailout.
1980 - The Statue of Liberty is restored and reopened to the public after a lengthy renovation.
1993 - The World Trade Center bombing kills six people and injures over a thousand, foreshadowing the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
2001 - The September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon claim the lives of nearly 3,000 people and forever change the landscape of New York City.
2011 - Hurricane Irene makes landfall in New York, causing widespread flooding and power outages.
2015 - New York State legalizes same-sex marriage.