Our History: How it all began
Our colony was founded in 1626 by a Dutch man named Peter Minuit. He had control of New York, which was then called New Amsterdam. New Amsterdam was a very rich land, prefect for planting crops, farming, and all agricultural enterprises. King Charles II of England wanted the land, and he sent troops into New Amsterdam to claim it for him. However, the Dutch were peaceful and surrendered immediately. After King Charles II gained control of the land, he gave it to his brother, whose name was James the Duke of York. James would later become King James II. Our land was eventually split into the Province of New York and the Province of Pennsylvania. Our colony is a Royal colony under the rule of the Duke of York, the brother of the King of England. The government includes the governor, Colonel Richard Nicolls, appointed by the King of England, and a council of advisors. The governor has guaranteed that the colonists continue to enjoy religious freedom, property rights and Dutch customs of inheritance. He is making efforts to ensure smooth transition to a royal colony.
The elite colonists during this period developed huge mansions along the banks of the Hudson River. This occurred during the earlier part of the 18th century. The manors represented more than half of our undeveloped land. Our province thrived greatly during this period, and our economy was strengthened a great deal by the Long Island and Hudson Valley agriculture. We traded bread, lumber, and sugar and we still do. We export most of our goods and make profit from them in England.
Many of our landowners own slaves. In fact, much of our incredible infrastructure is due to the help of slaves on plantations in our colony. In 1712, some of our slaves rebelled against us, declaring that a life of slavery was worse than death. This was known as the Slave Rebellion of 1712.
We've always had relatively peaceful relations with the Native Americans. We collaborate with the nearby native tribes for the fur trade.
Our population grew significantly over the 18th century because of all this trade. From 1698 to 1771, our province grew tenfold, from 18,067 residents to 168,007. ♥
The elite colonists during this period developed huge mansions along the banks of the Hudson River. This occurred during the earlier part of the 18th century. The manors represented more than half of our undeveloped land. Our province thrived greatly during this period, and our economy was strengthened a great deal by the Long Island and Hudson Valley agriculture. We traded bread, lumber, and sugar and we still do. We export most of our goods and make profit from them in England.
Many of our landowners own slaves. In fact, much of our incredible infrastructure is due to the help of slaves on plantations in our colony. In 1712, some of our slaves rebelled against us, declaring that a life of slavery was worse than death. This was known as the Slave Rebellion of 1712.
We've always had relatively peaceful relations with the Native Americans. We collaborate with the nearby native tribes for the fur trade.
Our population grew significantly over the 18th century because of all this trade. From 1698 to 1771, our province grew tenfold, from 18,067 residents to 168,007. ♥
What's in it for you?
When you move to our Middle Colonies, you'll have the chance to start a new life with a successful business and wondrous trade exports. Our colony is famous for its agricultural products and natural resources. In fact, we're often called the "breadbasket colony" because we grow so many crops, especially wheat. Most of our wheat is ground into flour and then shipped to England to sell.
To learn more about our resources and location, please visit the "Resources and Maps" page. Start your journey now! ♥
To learn more about our resources and location, please visit the "Resources and Maps" page. Start your journey now! ♥