What makes each city different from every other city? When you think of Los Angeles, California, what do you think sets it apart from other cities? Do you think of Hollywood? Orlando, Florida, has Disney World. Paris, France, has beautiful landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower. Every major city has its own distinct personality and landmarks. Cities are known for all kinds of characteristics, such as Chicago’s deep-dish pizza, Boston’s Fenway Park, and London’s double-decker buses in England.
Words to Know
characteristic: a feature of a person, place, or thing.
How do these unique personalities and characteristics develop? How does each city become different from the rest? A city’s characteristics are affected by lots of things, such as location and landscape and what kind of attractions it offers. Cities usually have a mix of historical attractions and places built just to bring visitors.
Words to Know
financial: having to do with money.
stock exchange: a place where people trade shares of businesses.
global: relating to the entire world.
CASHING IN
Some cities are financial centers. New York, London, and Tokyo are the three biggest, followed by Hong Kong, Singapore, and Chicago. To be a financial center, a city has to have a lot of banks, businesses, and stock exchanges that reach the global community. The city also has to have access to a lot of money and a good legal system to control where the money goes.
Wall Street in New York City, home to the New York Stock Exchange, is the oldest and most famous financial center. In Colonial America, Wall Street was built with an earthen wall along it for protection. A huge sycamore tree, called a buttonwood tree at the time, was a gathering place there for traders to make deals. In 1792, these traders made an agreement called the Buttonwood Agreement that said the participants of trades would deal only with each other. This agreement was the beginning of the New York Stock Exchange.
Soon after traders entered into the Buttonwood Agreement, the Erie Canal was built. The canal connected the inland Great Lakes to the East Coast through New York City. As trade through New York increased, Wall Street became the “money capital of America.”
During the Civil War in the 1860s, the South struggled economically while the North became wealthier. New York City became a major banking center, connecting money in Europe with financial growth in North America. In modern times, Wall Street continues to play a major role in the world’s financial community.
KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD
While some cities take themselves very seriously, others embrace how strange they are. The slogan of Austin, Texas, is “Keep Austin Weird.”
The slogan was created to bring visitors to Austin, and it was soon supported by residents who love the idea that their city is especially unique. Residents claim that their city is the “live music capital of the world.” Since 1987, Austin has hosted an annual music and film festival called South By Southwest, which is one of the most respected festivals of its kind.
Austin is also home to a bat colony of 1.5 million bats that live under a bridge. To the delight of visitors and residents, the bats come swooping out each evening.
Austin isn’t the only city known for its quirks. New Orleans’ jazz scene and unique food draw people there all year long. Burlington, Vermont, is home to hipster Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and is a place people visit to experience interesting, locally sourced restaurants and unusual art galleries.
Sometimes a city is known for things that don’t attract visitors. Then those who advertise for the city have to work hard to make their city known for attractive things. When people think about Buffalo, New York, the first thing they might think about is bad weather and disappointing sports teams. Neither of these characteristics gives anyone much of a reason to visit Buffalo.
Advertisers, politicians, sports teams, and other businesses in Buffalo worked together on a new slogan for the city. They came up with “Buffalo. For Real.” Their goal was to take the focus away from massive snowdrifts and disappointing sports teams. The new promotions showed scenes of historic western New York that showcase the history and beauty of Buffalo.
Cities have to work hard to change negative perceptions. When tourists come to a city, they spend money in the city, which helps local businesses thrive. If some of these visitors really like the city and decide to move there, it helps the city grow.
CITY LANDMARKS AND PERSONALITIES
Many cities have landmarks that attract visitors, such as the National Mall and Washington Monument in Washington, DC. Landmarks are buildings or structures that are unique to each city. Some landmarks have been in their city for hundreds of years. But new landmarks may be instantly popular. Below are six cities and their landmarks.
Leaning Tower of Pisa in Pisa, Italy: The builders of the tower didn’t mean to make it lean! Construction started in the year 1173 and continued for hundreds of years. The building started to lean because the foundation was set into soft soil that began to sink almost immediately. For nearly 100 years, construction stopped and the soil settled. When construction resumed, engineers made the upper floors with one side taller than the other to keep the building from toppling completely.
Words to Know
symbol: something that stands for or represents something else.
Statue of Liberty in New York City, New York: The statue was a gift of friendship from the people of France to New York, dedicated as a symbol of freedom and democracy in 1886. The statue was shipped in parts to the United States, where it was reassembled at the entrance to New York Harbor.
Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia: This modern building opened in 1973. With its arching shell design, it is now one of the busiest performing arts centers in the world. More than 3,000 events are attended each year by more than 2 million people.
Forbidden City in Beijing, China: Built in the early 1400s, this was the imperial palace for almost 500 years, the center of Chinese government, and where the emperors lived. Now the Forbidden City is a major tourist attraction and museum.
Elizabeth Tower of the Palace of Westminster in London, England: This famous clock tower was built in 1859 and houses the large bell affectionately named “Big Ben.” At 316 feet (96 meters) tall, it is the third-tallest free-standing clock tower and one of the most popular landmarks in London.
Words to Know
calligraphy: beautiful writing or fancy lettering.
Taj Mahal in Agra, India: This white-domed marble structure was built in the 1630s and 1640s by an emperor as a tribute to his wife. The Taj Mahal is filled with gardens, reflecting pools, calligraphy, and other beautiful details.
MAKE YOUR OWN
REGIONAL RECIPES
SUPPLIES
kitchen with oven, stovetop, refrigerator, and various cooking and baking supplies
adult to supervise and help
Some cities are known for certain foods that tourists come to eat. Here’s your chance to try some popular, regional recipes. Caution: You will be using a knife and the stove, so have an adult help with this project.
BUFFALO WINGS
There are different stories about the origin of Buffalo wings, but the end result is the same—fried chicken wings in a spicy sauce. Even though they’re usually fried, you can bake them at home. Ingredients: chicken wings, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 6 tablespoons hot sauce, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine, celery sticks, blue cheese dressing
1 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (232 degrees Celsius). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat it with cooking spray.
2 Have an adult cut whole wings into two pieces. Toss the wings with the oil and salt.
3 Put the flour in a plastic bag, add the wings, seal it closed, and shake them until the wings are covered in flour.
4 Remove the wings, shake off the excess flour, and spread them out on the foil-lined baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes, then have an adult help you turn the wings over. Cook another 20 minutes or until the wings are cooked through.
5 While the wings are baking, melt the butter and mix it with the hot sauce. This is your Buffalo sauce.
6 After the wings are cooked, put them in a large mixing bowl. Pour the Buffalo sauce over the hot wings and toss to completely coat. Serve with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing.
BALTIMORE CRAB CAKES
Coastal Virginia and Maryland are known for crab cakes. These tasty cakes are usually served with coleslaw. Ingredients: ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 
teaspoon dry mustard, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, ½ teaspoon lemon juice, 1½ teaspoons mustard, 1½ teaspoons melted butter, ½ teaspoon parsley flakes, ¼ cup breadcrumbs, 8 ounces fresh crabmeat
1 In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except for the crabmeat. Gently fold in the crabmeat, being careful not to break up the lumps too much.
2 Shape the mixture into small cakes with your hands, pressing them firmly together. Press them well onto a greased cookie sheet. Refrigerate for an hour.
3 Bake your crab cakes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) until evenly brown, 12 to 15 minutes. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius). Serve hot with coleslaw and enjoy!
COBB SALAD
This California-based salad is hearty enough to serve as a whole meal by itself! Ingredients: 2 slices cooked bacon, ¼ head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces, 1 hard-boiled egg, peeled and chopped, 1 cup diced cooked chicken, ½ avocado, peeled and diced, ½ tomato, chopped, 1 ounce Roquefort cheese, crumbled, teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ clove crushed garlic, pinch of salt, pinch of ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 Whisk together the mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly to form the dressing.
2 Put the lettuce on your plate and arrange the egg, bacon (crumbled), chicken, avocado, tomato, and cheese on top of the lettuce. Drizzle the dressing evenly over the salad and serve immediately.
MAKE YOUR OWN
CITY LANDMARK
SUPPLIES
building materials such as plaster of Paris, clay, drawing paper, wood, cardboard, paper tubes
Even if you live in a city that already has a famous landmark, it’s fun to brainstorm another one. If you live in a city or town without a landmark, make up one that would fit the place you live. Who knows—your design might catch everyone’s interest and become an actual landmark some day!
Words to Know
replica: a copy of an object.
1 Spend some time thinking about your town. What do you like about it? What do you dislike about it? Why do people come to visit your town? What do visitors like the most? Has your town ever been famous for something? Does it have a special food, type of music, or unique sport?
2 Use your imagination to think of a landmark that can symbolize what is special about your town. The Statue of Liberty symbolizes freedom and democracy. Landmarks are more than just a replica of something.
3 Use your materials to construct a small version of your landmark.
Try This! Measure your landmark and use those proportions to figure out how big it should be in real life. Then figure out the best place for your landmark in your town or city.