New York became the 11th state in 1788 (see STATEHOOD ORDER).
New York's state quarter features 11 stars, an outline of the state showing the Hudson river and Erie canal, the Statue of Liberty, and the caption "Gateway to Freedom" - public domain image on Wikipedia - see 50 STATE QUARTERS.
New York was named after the English Duke of York and Albany (and the brother of England's King Charles II) in 1664 when the region called New Amsterdam was taken from the Dutch. The state was a colony of Great Britain until it became independent on July 4, 1776.
