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Upstate New York is a geographical term that refers to northern New York State. It is usually taken to imply all of the state excluding:
Cities in Upstate New York include:
It includes all of the region known as the Hudson Valley with the exception of the communities in Westchester County.
Residents of Upstate New York use the term differently than outsiders. Only the north-eastern tip of New York is considered to be Upstate New York (also known as The Adirondacks), and the rest of the state is broken down into smaller units, including:
Major universities in Upstate New York include:
Tourist attractions and resort destinations in Upstate New York include:
The headwaters of the Delaware, Susquehanna, and Hudson rivers are located in the region.
Before the arrival of European settlement, the area was inhabited by a mixture of Iroquois-speaking people (mainly west of the Hudson) and Algonquin-speaking people (mainly east of the Hudson). The conflict between the two peoples was an important historical force in the days of the early European colonization.
The region was important beginning in the very early days of the Dutch colonization, where much of the fur trade of the New Netherland colony was located in the upper Hudson Valley. The area was the scene of much of the fighting in the French and Indian War, events which were depicted in the work of James Fenimore Cooper.
The region was strategically important in the American Revolution, and was the scene of several important battles, including the Battle of Saratoga, which is considered to have a signficant turning point in the war.
In the 19th century, with the opening of the Erie Canal, the area became an important component of the manufacturing industry in the United States. In recent decades, with the decline of manufacturing, the area has generally suffered a net population loss.
The area is considered to be more culturally conservative than New York City, and the interplay between them has historically fueled many political struggles in the State Legislature.
Famous political figures who came from the region include:
The region is considered to be the cradle of Mormonism, as well as the Women's Suffrage movement. It was important historically in the Shaker movment.
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