American History
Lesson 4
Middle Colonies
Dutch Settle New Netherlands
- Henry Hudson – employed by Dutch – 1609 – explored the
area Æ actually an English sailor.
- 1621 – created New Netherlands for hunting
- New Amsterdam was the capital
A. Diverse Colony
1. fur traders made large profits
2. not many colonists - just hunters
- allowed FR & GER colonists
to settle in New Netherlands
3. good relationship with Nat. Americans
- lots of trade
B. English Takeover
1. New Netherlands was in the middle
of North & South Eng. colonies
2. King Charles II told his brother “Duke of York”
to drive the Dutch out!
- Peter Stuyvesant – Gov. of New
Netherlands – asked men to fight Eng.
- no one showed – Stuyvesant surrendered
without a shot.
3. Duke of York became the proprietor (owner)
- renamed the colony New York
- gave part of it to his friends (New Jersey)
Quakers settle Pennsylvania
A. Penn’s Holy Experiment
- William Penn Æ Quaker – hated religion in England
- believed in “Holy Spirit”
- dressed simple
- opposed war
1. Each male settler received 50 acres & right to vote
2. “Holy Experiment” – no land owning aristocracy
3. Philadelphia is capital Æ “Brotherly Love”
4. Delaware – too far South – became independent!
B. Native American Relations
1. setup friendships with Ind.
- created a court system with Ind. & colonists
- no conflicts with Ind. for 50 years
C. Thriving Colony
1.
2.
3.
4.
open the colonies to all people, countries, etc.
sent advertisements to other countries
lots of industry, farming, etc. Æ people prospered
slaves arrive Æ even Quaker farmers owned slaves
D. 13 Colonies
1. George Calvert wanted a Catholic
colony - Maryland
- He died, so son Cecil
(Lord Baltimore) took over.
2. Noblemen started North & South Carolina
3. James Oglethorpe 1732 – set up Georgia as a prison
colony for debtors.
- prohibited slavery & drinking
- king repealed the law when no one
wanted to go to Georgia
Now there are 13 colonies!!!