New Netherland

 

 

          

In 1609, the English explorer Henry Hudson discovered the land, which is southern New York. In 1633, the Dutch West India Company took the land for the fur trade. Shortly after setting up camp, Peter Minuit traded trinkets to the Indians for Manhattan, which at present day is New York City. They called the land New Amsterdam.

New Netherland didn’t make their own laws. Instead the Dutch West India Company hired governors to come to come to New Netherland to make the laws. One of the most famous governors was Peter Stuyvesant, who I’ve already talked about.

          In England, when Charles II came to the throne, the English became interested in the Dutch colonies. In 1644, Charles II sent a powerful military unit to New Netherland and Peter Stuyvesant was forced to surrender. Charles II gave the land of New York to his brother, the Duke of York. Some Dutch were able to stay there and became citizens of New York

          The Dutch left some cultural contributions such as Santa Claus and Easter eggs. The Dutch citizens began telling the English about Santa and Easter Eggs. The way we know about it is because the English became Americans and they started telling a lot of people.