subject: United States: The Pre-columbian History Over Years [print this page] The pre-Columbian history of the United States is a poorly understood period. If the archaeological excavations provide valuable information to researchers, the almost total absence of written sources greatly complicates their work. To date, historians are not able to precisely date the arrival of early man in north-eastern United States, and, a fortiori, the territory of the current New York.Scientists estimate that the first settlement may rise to about 10 500 BC .
Before the arrival of Europeans, the territory of present New York was inhabited by the Lenape Indians who belonged to the Algonquin linguistic group .
Different sub-groups had occupied this space. The Manats lived on the island of Manhattan, Canarsie, East Brooklyn, and the Matinecocks Rockaways in Queens. This ancient Native American presence is still apparent today in the names of New York. For example, the name "Manate" is found today in Manhattan, Canarsie is a neighborhood in Brooklyn, near the International Airport John F. Kennedy. There are also references to these people in business names, as the Algonquin Hotel, located in downtown Manhattan
In 1524, Italian navigator Giovanni da Verrazzano, commissioned by King Francis I of France, was the first Renaissance European to explore the territory of today's New York , which he named New Angouleme in the honor of his patron.
Here's how he reported his discovery to the French sovereign:
We found a very pleasant site situated between two small hills that towered. In the middle, a very large river running to the sea His mouth was deep at high tide, we found eight feet, and any vessel under full load goes back to the bottom of the estuary. Having anchored near the coast in sheltered place, we did not want to venture into the mouth without having recognized. Going up the river with the small boat, we went into the country we found very populous. People are almost similar to the other, dressed in feathers of various colors. They came to us cheerfully, with loud shouts of admiration and showing us the safest place to address.
We walked up the river half a league inland, where we saw that it formed a beautiful lake about three miles in circumference. On Lake constant coming and going from all sides about XXX small boats manned by a crowd of people from both sides to see us. Suddenly, as is common in sailing, a gust of contrary wind arose from the sea and forced us to return to the shore.
We would leave this earth with regret, because of its benefits and its beauty, thinking it was not without significant resources, because all the heights seemed equipped minerals. This land was called Angouleme, because of the privilege that Your Majesty was received when less capital, and the gulf formed by the mainland, Santa Margherita, named after your sister, which outweighs the other ladies by his discretion and his mind.
The Dutch colonization began in 1624 under the auspices of the Dutch West India Company. The company had planned to use primarily for the fur trade . The settlers had been assigned to Nuten Eyland Island (Governors Island) while officers of the company undertook to build Fort Amsterdam on the southern tip of Manhattan. When it was found impracticable to support four schools with a handful of settlers, they were transferred between 1625 and 1626 around the new wooden fort. Thus the "New Amsterdam (Nieuw Amsterdam) had she been born .
The year 1626 also marked the purchase of Manhattan Island to the Indians by the new director of the colony Peter Minuit, specifically Lenape clan of Manhattan (or manat) Wappinger group for the equivalent of 60 Dutch guilders beads and other trinkets (or about 700 current market value and not $ 24 ). But knowing that these people had no concept of permanent tenure, one might question the scope of the act, or its context.
Today, a place located near Battery Park on the southern tip of Manhattan is named after Peter Minuit.
