What is the difference between the Manhattan Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge?

No, they are not the same bridge. Three bridges connect Lower Manhattan to Brooklyn: the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge and Williamsburg Bridge.

The Brooklyn Bridge is the furthest south, the Manhattan Bridge is in the middle, and the Williamsburg Bridge is the furthest north.

The Brooklyn Bridge was originally called the "New York and Brooklyn Bridge," which is perhaps where some of the confusion comes from. But when the bridge opened in 1883, New York City consisted mostly of just Manhattan. It was not until 15 years later, in 1898, that the five boroughs -- Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island -- united to form modern-day New York City.

Before then, Brooklyn was its own city (the other three consisted of small towns and farmland), so the bridge was called the "New York and Brooklyn Bridge" because it united the city of New York and the city of Brooklyn.

Of course, today Brooklyn is part of New York City, so calling it the "New York and Brooklyn Bridge" is redundant.