History and Meaning of Gotham

New York City was nicknamed Gotham long before the Batman comics. The name, originally an insult meaning 'goat home' or 'village of idiots,' was first used in 1807 by Washington Irving in a satirical magazine. Irving's essays mocked NYC's elite, describing Gotham as an enlightened city. The nickname stuck and became a common reference for NYC.

What was the original meaning of the word 'Gottam'?

• A bustling city

• A goat home

• A place of wisdom

• A place of luxury

Who was the leader of the group that published the magazine Salmagundi?

• Mark Twain

• Washington Irving

• Thomas Jefferson

• Benjamin Franklin

In what year did New York City first become known as Gotham?

• 1900

• 1776

• 1807

• 1940

How did the magazine Salmagundi describe the city of Gotham?

• As a city of crime

• As the most enlightened of all cities

• As a city of darkness

• As a city of fools

What role did the nickname 'Gotham' eventually play for New York City?

• It became a common substitute for New York City

• It was forgotten over time

• It was used only in comics

• It was used only in literature