The origin of Wall Street

Today, Wall Street is the centre of the American financial markets. When you think of Wall Street, the iconic New York Stock Exchange is what first comes to mind. But the origin of Wall Street goes much further back... ...to the 17th century. Back then, Dutch settlers erected a wall to defend themselves against the British. They called it De Waalstraat - Dutch for The Wall Street. Years later, the wall was removed, but the name stuck. Later, in the 18th century, traders and speculators gathered at Wall Street to trade securities under a buttonwood tree. In 1792, the historic Buttonwood agreement was signed, laying the foundations for the NYSE. It streamlined trading and made it more organized. Over the next few years, the financial district at Wall Street expanded by leaps and bounds. Today, it is America's foremost financial district and home to the NYSE and some of the largest banks and brokerages in the US. So, that's the story of Wall Street. Head to the next chapter in this module to learn about how you can invest in American stocks.