A Brief History
About a hundred years ago, the Dutch East India Company sent Henry Hudson to search for a westward passage. On his 3rd trip in 1611, Hudson sailed into the harbor and journeyed up the river named after him as far as Albany, henceforth establishing Dutch claims to the region. New Netherlands was a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society and now New York is as well. The Dutch considered New Netherlands as a primary source of furs. But even before the English captured New Amsterdam in 1664, many of the colony's residents had been estranged by corruption, on-going conflict with neighbor Indian nations and other conflicts for instability.
Between 1652 and 1674, the Dutch fought three naval wars with England. In 1664, the English sent a fleet to seize New Netherlands, which surrendered without a fight. The English renamed the colony New York, after James, the Duke of York, who had received a charter to the territory from his brother King Charles II. The Dutch briefly recaptured New Netherlands in 1673, but the colony was returned to the English the next year.
The Duke of York, quite generously if we may allow, let Dutch landowners to retain these estates, and gave equally large sects of land to his supporters. By 1703, five families held approximately 1.75 million acres of New York. Now by 1750, these families have become among colonial America's wealthiest land elites.
Between 1652 and 1674, the Dutch fought three naval wars with England. In 1664, the English sent a fleet to seize New Netherlands, which surrendered without a fight. The English renamed the colony New York, after James, the Duke of York, who had received a charter to the territory from his brother King Charles II. The Dutch briefly recaptured New Netherlands in 1673, but the colony was returned to the English the next year.
The Duke of York, quite generously if we may allow, let Dutch landowners to retain these estates, and gave equally large sects of land to his supporters. By 1703, five families held approximately 1.75 million acres of New York. Now by 1750, these families have become among colonial America's wealthiest land elites.
Quick Facts
Fact 1
Year Founded: 1626 by Peter Minuit and others, on Manhattan Island
Fact 2
Major Towns / Cities: New York City, Albany
Fact 3
Geography: Mountains in the northeast, lowlands from Lake Ontario along the Canadian border. Atlantic coastal plain. The general geography of the Middle Colonies had a mix of the New England and Southern features but had fertile soil and land that was suited to farming
Fact 4
Climate: The Middle Colonies had a mild climate with warm summers and mild winters that were suited to farming and agriculture
Fact 5
Religion: Not dominated by a specific religion which gave way to religious freedom for Quakers, Catholics, Lutherans, Jews and others. Refer to Religion in the Colonies
Fact 6
Natural Resources: Good farmland, timber, furs and coal. Iron ore was a particularly important natural resource
Fact 7
Economics and Trade: Exported agricultural products and natural resources but were also able to manufacture iron ore products such as plows, tools, kettles, locks, nails and large blocks of iron which they exported to England
Fact 8
Government: By 1775 New York was governed as a Royal Colony.
Fact 9
Original Name: The original name of the colony was the Province of New York, later New York and Vermont
Fact 10
Reason for Founding: Trade and profits
Fact 11
New York was often referred to as a breadbasket colony because it grew so many crops, especially wheat. The wheat was ground into flour in flour mills then shipped to England.
Fact 12
A typical farm was 50 to 150 acres consisting of a house, barn, yard and fields
Fact 13
In 1638 the Swedish settlement led by Peter Minuit starting the the New Sweden Colony
Fact 14
]In 1646 Peter Stuyvesant (1602-1672) became Dutch Governor of the New Netherlands
Fact 15
In 1655 the Dutch defeat the Swedes on the Delaware and Stuyvesant took possession of the New Sweden Colony .
Year Founded: 1626 by Peter Minuit and others, on Manhattan Island
Fact 2
Major Towns / Cities: New York City, Albany
Fact 3
Geography: Mountains in the northeast, lowlands from Lake Ontario along the Canadian border. Atlantic coastal plain. The general geography of the Middle Colonies had a mix of the New England and Southern features but had fertile soil and land that was suited to farming
Fact 4
Climate: The Middle Colonies had a mild climate with warm summers and mild winters that were suited to farming and agriculture
Fact 5
Religion: Not dominated by a specific religion which gave way to religious freedom for Quakers, Catholics, Lutherans, Jews and others. Refer to Religion in the Colonies
Fact 6
Natural Resources: Good farmland, timber, furs and coal. Iron ore was a particularly important natural resource
Fact 7
Economics and Trade: Exported agricultural products and natural resources but were also able to manufacture iron ore products such as plows, tools, kettles, locks, nails and large blocks of iron which they exported to England
Fact 8
Government: By 1775 New York was governed as a Royal Colony.
Fact 9
Original Name: The original name of the colony was the Province of New York, later New York and Vermont
Fact 10
Reason for Founding: Trade and profits
Fact 11
New York was often referred to as a breadbasket colony because it grew so many crops, especially wheat. The wheat was ground into flour in flour mills then shipped to England.
Fact 12
A typical farm was 50 to 150 acres consisting of a house, barn, yard and fields
Fact 13
In 1638 the Swedish settlement led by Peter Minuit starting the the New Sweden Colony
Fact 14
]In 1646 Peter Stuyvesant (1602-1672) became Dutch Governor of the New Netherlands
Fact 15
In 1655 the Dutch defeat the Swedes on the Delaware and Stuyvesant took possession of the New Sweden Colony .