History | emily

New York History

New York is a very historical place. Before the explorers came to invade New York, Native Americans roamed the land such as The Mohicans, Abenaki, and the Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga who made up the lroquois League . The explorer’s influential in making New York what it is today. The Erie Canal helped immigrant to get one place to the other and helped people sale things and get money. However, with great popularity comes great devastation. In 2001, tragedy hit when the two twin towers were attacked and moments later came crashing down killing more than 3,000 people.

The First People

Before European explorers and settlers appeared in what is now New York, the land had been inhabited by Native Americans. Mohicans lived near the Hudson River Valley. Native Americans, including the Mohicans, hunted big game including deer, bear, and moose, as well as smaller game such as squirrel, rabbit, duck and turkey. They would also eat fish, lobster and shellfish. They farmed squash, beans, and corn, which together are known as the three sisters because their nutrients compliment each other. They would also gather berries and mushrooms.

For transportation, they would use rivers as they had no horses or other work animals. The Native Americans who inhabited New York lived in wigwams. The wigwam was a one room rounded structure, which was built to withstand the harsh winter climate.

The Abenaki, who were from eastern New York and present day Long Island, were one of five tribes that made up the Wabanaki Confederacy. The Wabanaki Confederacy helped the tribes to defend themselves against the powerful Iroquois League. The name Wabanaki means dawn land in their native language.

The Iroquois League was made up of the Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, and Seneca tribes. The Iroquois league formed by taking the advice of a peace-seeking man named Deganawida. They stopped warring with each other and formed an alliance. The league was friendly to the French and would trade furs with them. Sometimes the league would be strained because of the self interest of each individual tribe. They played an important role in the French and Indian War, where they shifted allegiances between the French and the English. By the time of the American Revolution, they did not know who to support.

The Explorers

The explorers who found New York plays a big part of New York’s history. Giovanni da Verrazzano, was an Italian navigator and explorer. GIovanni da Verrazzano was probably the first European to visit the New York region. Many people believe Verrazzano may have sailed into New York’s Bay and reached the Hudson River around the year 1524. In 1609, Henry Hudson, an Englishman employed by the Dutch, sailed up the Hudson River. Henry was looking for a Northwest Passage to the Orient. Hudson's voyage gave the Netherlands a claim to the territory covering much of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and part of Connecticut. The territory was later named New Netherland. In 1609, French explorer Samuel de Champlain entered the northeast part of New York from Quebec. His visit gave France a claim to the land. He helped colonize French North America, once known as New France. Champlain is often called the "Father of New France.”