8　The Empire State

Several countries together are called an“Empire.”So New York State is often called the Empire State, because it has as many people, who do as much business and make as much money, as several countries put together.

Down at the corner of New York State is New York City, the second largest city in the World, with more shops, more hotels, more people, and more money than any other city on this side of the World, and with more tall buildings than on any side of the World. It was named after a city across the ocean called York, but New York is now hundreds of times bigger than old York.It is the city of millionaires and millions who are not.People from all over the world come to New York hoping to be millionaires too.Some used to think the streets were paved with gold, and were disappointed when they found them just asphalt.

The main part of New York City is on an island which the Indians called Manhattan. White men bought it from the Indians and paid them about$24 for the whole island—not in money, for the Indians didn't know what money was, but in beads and ornaments worth$24.A piece of ground only large enough to stand on would now cost many times more than what the whole island once cost.That may seem a big price for a small piece of ground, but a plot of ground is not like a sheet of paper, without thickness.The owner