Dutch in New York City, Essay Example

Favorable Settlement Conditions for the Dutch in New York City

Geographic conditions and historical developments made the area now known as New York City favorable for settlement by the Dutch in 1614. Under the direction of Henry Hudson, the fertile soil and the abundance of furs in the region made the prospects for favorable settlement more feasible. Hudson’s name now is attached with the historic river he identified as potentially beneficial for Dutch settlers. The tone is set through assigned website as it states: “The center of one of the world’s largest and most built-up cities was once a natural landscape of hills, valleys, forests, fields, freshwater wetlands, salt marshes, beaches, springs, ponds and streams, supporting a rich and abundant community of wildlife and sustaining people for perhaps 5000 years before Europeans arrived on the scene in 1609” (The Manhatta Project). The fertile soil and an abundance of furs in the region were understood well by the local Indian group, the Lenape people. Understanding the biological and ecological landscapes of the region, the name Manhatta, as opposed to Manhattan, is referenced to identify both the original and the contemporary aspects of the area.

Similarly, local information through fur trade networks proved to be favorable for the merchant class settlers. This group identified that raw fur could be attained for extremely cheap prices from local Indians, and intern could be refined into finished goods, and subsequently sold on the world market for very expensive prices. This process was part of historical developments that made Dutch settlement in New York favorable as well.

Works Cited

The Manhatta Project. Wildlife Conservation Society, 2008-2009. Web. 11 June 2010.

Valentine, David. T. Dutch Settlement of New York. History World International, n.d. Web. 11 June 2010.