New York City During the Revolutionary War! -With Peter Aigner

In this episode, Kelly is joined by NYC Historian Peter Aigner! He is the director of the Gotham Center for New York City History, and the co-founder of “Echos of Revolution: NYC,” A new immersive walking tour experience that uses geolocation to put you in the world of historic New York.

Join them, as Peter talks to Kelly about the process of obtaining his PHD. Peter talks about why he decided to pursue higher education, and talks a bit about the history of the study of history and why it was important for him in his family. Peter talks about his family's chocolate shop and how it's been around for 100 years! He talks about the legacy of the shop and being a part of it while he was growing up.

Kelly and Peter talk about some important figures and time periods in NYC history. Peter talks about how we are currently in the second Gilded Age and makes comparisons to the first one. Peter talks about Daniel Patrick Moynihan and the book that he's writing about him: what his legacy was, how he was a scholar, as well as his influence on modern politics. They also talk a bit about the history of transportation in America and the significance of the Highway Act.

Kelly asks Peter about Echoes of Revolution. Peter talks about the inspiration behind the project. He talks about how he got involved with Niantic and Ubisoft, bringing them together to revolutionize the tour business. Peter talks about how the app works and what people will get from using it. He talks about the process of designing the tours and how they wanted the experience to work, and how being in person enhances the experience for the users.

Kelly asks Peter about New York City during the time of the revolution. Peter talks about how many people lived in the city at the time, what percentage of them were revolutionaries, loyalists, or in between. Peter talks about what the city limits were at that time, and how New York was impacted by the battles, the invasion, and the fires. He talks about why New York was such an important city during the Revolutionary Era and how it was left out of the conversation nationally.

Finally, Kelly asks Peter some quickfire questions about his favorite historical spots, his favorite historical figures who came from New York City, and what NYC means to him in one word.

But above all else; Peter Aigner is a New Yorker!

Kelly's Social Media

@NewYorkCityKopp

Peter's Social Media

@gothamcenternychistory

Jae's Social Media

@Studiojae170

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Meet The New Yorkers
• (00:02:43) - Peter Eigner on Growing Up in Queens
• (00:05:36) - Long Island: The Gold Coast
• (00:10:00) - What is the Gotham Center?
• (00:14:30) - NYC resident on mass suburbanization
• (00:18:49) - Bookmark: Daniel Patrick Moynihan
• (00:21:36) - The Life of Daniel Patrick Moynihan
• (00:23:53) - New York's role in the American Revolution
• (00:28:20) - The First Battle of New York
• (00:29:46) - The darkest years of New York City's history
• (00:36:48) - The Story of New York
• (00:42:42) - New York City History: The Discovery App
• (00:48:15) - The Story of New York in the US
• (00:53:46) - George Washington and the Liberty of Slaves
• (00:56:45) - NYC on History of the American Revolution
• (00:58:36) - Most Underrated NYC Historical Spot
• (01:02:20) - What It Means To Be A New Yorker
• (01:05:36) - The New Yorkers: Thank You!