With the current trend of ripping down and destroying statues representing the history of the United States, I’m finding it more important than ever to talk about our history. In the 1600’s, when the colonies were forming, the North American Continent was occupied by Native American Indians.
A man named Peter Minuit was chosen by the early Dutch settlers as the leader of New Amsterdam, which today, we know as Manhattan. As the story goes, Minuit met with the local Indian chiefs and a deal was reached.
For two boxes of trade goods and 2,400 English cents, the Dutch purchased Manhattan. 2,400 English cents is equivalent to $24. With all the money made in Manhattan today, and the outrageous cost of acreage, the $24 sale will forever go down in history as one of the best deals ever.
Despite the sale, New Amsterdam remained New Amsterdam. It did not become Manhattan until the English showed up and stole it from the Dutch. The Dutch had a lot to offer. Among their many contributions, it was the Dutch, in defense against local Indians, who built the wall in lower Manhattan-the same wall that’s credited for the name Wall Street, but their ownership of the land was short lived.
Thanks For Reading, and Have a Wonderful Day!
Sources: Don’t Know Much About History. Kenneth C. Davis. Harper Collins Publisher, 2003.
