Albany is a city in the state of New York in the northeastern United States. It is the capital of New York and is in the central region of the eastern part of the state. The land was first discovered by explorer Henry Hudson in 1609 and was soon settled by Dutch merchants and established as a key entry point to Canada.http://www.albany.org/aboutalbany/History.aspx It is the second-oldest city in the United States and the oldest surviving European settlement in the original 13 American colonies.http://books.google.com/books?id=DqCeHOJyK0wC&dq=albany%20guide%20book&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q&f=false Albany’s city charter was ratified in 1686, making it the oldest active city charter in the United States and one of the oldest documents governing municipal power used in the Western Hemisphere.http://albarchive.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=5926696

Albany is part of the Tech Valley, a section of eastern New York that stretches from the Canadian border to just north of New York City.http://acchamber.org/abouttheregion/techvalley.aspx The city, along with neighboring towns, encourages the development of technology companies and research facilities in the area through a variety of means, including financial incentives for technology companies.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Northeast/Albany-Economy.html The Tech Valley region is home to 1,000 companies that employ 50,000 people.http://acchamber.org/abouttheregion/techvalley.aspx The State University of New York Albany campus funds research programs in the area such as the Albany NanoTech center.http://www.albanyny.org/Businesses/EconomicDevelopment/TechValley/Nanotech.aspx

In 1629, Albany was developed by the Dutch West India Company as an outpost called Fort Orange. http://www.albanyny.org/government/cityhistory.aspx By 1664, more than 10,000 Dutch settlers occupied the fort when it was captured by British soldiers and claimed for King Charles II.http://www.albany.com/albany-history.cfm http://www.albanyny.org/government/cityhistory.aspx. The Dutch influence would continue despite England’s control of the area; of the 74 mayors of Albany since Pieter Schuyler was appointed the first mayor in 1686, 34 have been of Dutch decent.http://www.albanyny.org/government/cityhistory.aspx

In the 18th century, Albany became a center for commerce and trade, including the slave labor trade. http://www.albanyny.org/government/cityhistory.aspx. After the American Revolution, Albany was named the state capital of New York in January 1797 http://www.albany.com/albany-history.cfm Albany’s role as a center of transportation grew in the 19th century due to its key placement on the Erie Canal and its position as a major depot for railway lines in the northeastern United States.http://www.albanyny.org/government/cityhistory.aspxM

Albany is located in the Capital Region of New York, which stretches from the Adirondack mountain range to the Hudson Valley.http://www.albany.org/AboutAlbany.aspx Its location is at the confluence of the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers. Land in the city rises from near-sea level at the riverbanks to a height of 127 feet.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Northeast/Albany-Geography-and-Climate.htmlhttp://www.city-data.com/city/Albany-New-York.html It takes up an area of 21.4 square miles. Its center located at a latitude of 42.66 N and a longitude of 73.78 W.http://www.city-data.com/city/Albany-New-York.html

Albany is cold in the winter and experiences a sharp difference in daytime and nighttime weather during the summer.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Northeast/Albany-Geography-and-Climate.html The city receives an average of 38.6 inches of rain and 64.1 inches of snow each year. It has one of the highest percentages of sunny days in New York.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Northeast/Albany-Geography-and-Climate.html

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• William Kennedy: Authorhttp://www.albany.edu/writers-inst/wjkennedybio.html