How do you see New York's National Role?

Recently, Chicago's national role was discussed. Putting aside the greatest city ever founded by Americans.....let's turn our thoughts to EX-colonial ports that maintain a major influence on the nation. Let's start with New York. Not the old York, back in England, but the new one cobbled together by enterprising colonisers. The city, founded (renamed) in 1664, has now spent over 70% of its history as officially part of the American Republic.... this 70% threshhold of NYC history could be seen as an opportune moment to assess how this once European colonial enclave, has managed to achieve a 'national' role within the new nation that would eventually become the ever-expanding United States.>