Wall Street facts for kids
Wall Street is a very famous street in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It stretches from Broadway all the way to the East River. This street is known worldwide as a center for business and money. It is home to the New York Stock Exchange, which is the biggest stock exchange in the world. Many other important financial offices, like those for Nasdaq and NYMEX, are also found on Wall Street.
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Wall Street: A Famous Street
Wall Street is more than just a street. It's a symbol for the entire financial world of the United States. When people talk about "Wall Street," they often mean the big banks, investment firms, and stock exchanges that are located there. It's where important decisions about money and business are made every day.
Where is Wall Street?
Wall Street is located in a part of New York City called the Financial District. This area is at the southern tip of Manhattan Island. It's a busy place with tall buildings and lots of people working in finance. The street itself is not very long, but its influence is felt all over the world.
What Happens on Wall Street?
Wall Street is where companies raise money and people buy and sell parts of companies. This is done through something called a "stock exchange." It's like a marketplace where shares of companies are traded.
The New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is the most famous building on Wall Street. It's a huge place where people used to shout orders to buy and sell stocks. Now, much of the trading happens electronically. When you buy a "stock," you are buying a tiny piece of a company. If the company does well, your stock might become worth more money. The NYSE is a very important part of the global economy.
Federal Hall: A Historic Place
Right across from the New York Stock Exchange is Federal Hall. This building has a lot of history. It was the first capitol building of the United States. George Washington was sworn in as the first president here in 1789. Today, Federal Hall is a national memorial. It reminds us of the early days of America.
Wall Street's History
Wall Street got its name from a real wall. In the 1600s, when New York was called New Amsterdam, Dutch settlers built a wooden wall. This wall was meant to protect the settlement from attacks. The street that ran alongside this wall became known as Wall Street. Over time, it grew into a center for trade and finance.
Images for kids
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Street sign
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The original city map called the Castello Plan from 1660, showing the wall on the right side
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An engraving from 1855, showing a view of Wall Street, including the original Federal Hall, as it probably looked at the time of George Washington's inauguration, 1789.
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View of Wall Street from corner of Broad Street, 1867. On the left is the sub-Treasury building, now the Federal Hall National Memorial.
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A crowd at Wall and Broad streets after the 1929 crash. The New York Stock Exchange is on the right.
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1 Wall Street, at Wall Street and Broadway
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Trinity Church looking west on Wall Street.
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US headquarters of Deutsche Bank on Wall Street in 2010.
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Street sign for Wall Street at the corner with Broadway, in front of 1 Wall Street
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Pier 11
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See also
In Spanish: Wall Street para niños
