A Beginner's History. William H. Mace
Questions. 1. What part of North America did France first settle? 2. Who was Champlain? 3. Tell the story of his first battle with the Iroquois. 4. What things in New France did Champlain help? 5. What was Champlain's blunder? 6. Who were Joliet and Marquette? 7. Tell the story of Joliet and Marquette. 8. How did they get back to Canada? Near what place in Illinois did Marquette preach?
Suggested Readings. Champlain: Wright, Children's Stories in American History, 269–280; McMurry, Pioneers on Land and Sea, 1–34.
Joliet and Marquette: McMurry, Pioneers of the Mississippi Valley, 1–15; Thwaites, Father Marquette.
WHAT THE DUTCH ACCOMPLISHED IN THE COLONIZATION OF THE NEW WORLD
HENRY HUDSON, WHOSE DISCOVERIES LED DUTCH TRADERS TO COLONIZE NEW NETHERLAND
34. Hudson's Explorations. One year after the men of New France had founded the city of Quebec the Dutch began the colony which became the Empire State. About the time John Smith was working hard for Jamestown, his friend Henry Hudson was sailing for some Dutch merchants in search of a northern sea route to India (1609).
The discovery of the Hudson by the Dutch
One bright fall day Hudson sailed into the mouth of the great river which now bears his name. He hoped that he had entered the arm of the sea which might carry him to India. He turned the prow of his vessel, the Half Moon, up stream.
HENRY HUDSON
From the painting by Count Pulaski in the Aldermanic Chamber of the City Hall, New York
What Hudson and his men saw
Soon the beauty of the river, the rich colors of the great forests, the steep sides of the palisades, the slopes of the highlands, the strange Indians in their bark canoes, so took the attention of Hudson and his crew that, for a time, they forgot all about a route to India.
What a flutter of excitement the Half Moon must have caused among the Indians! They came on board to give welcome and presents to Hudson and his men.
On the return, probably near the present city of Hudson, an old chief came on board and invited Hudson to visit the little village of wigwams located on the river. There these Dutchmen saw beautiful meadows, fields of corn, and gardens of pumpkins, grapes, and plums.
The chief showed Hudson his palace of bark, and spread a feast of roasted pigeons and other Indian food before him. In spite of such kind treatment, Hudson would not stay over night with the Indians, who even broke their bows and arrows and then threw them into the fire to prove that they meant no harm to the white man, but Hudson and his men were still afraid.
Indians kind but Hudson cruel
Indeed, Hudson had every reason to fear the Indians, for he had treated them badly and his men had even murdered some. In less than a month, Indian friendship had been turned into Indian hatred.
INDIANS WELCOMING THE "HALF MOON," HUDSON'S SHIP
The next year Hudson sailed in an English vessel in search of the long-wished-for passage. On he went, far to the northward, past Iceland and Greenland, into the great bay which bears his name. In this desolate region, surrounded by fields of ice and snow, Hudson and his men spent a fearful winter.
Fate of Hudson and his men
In the spring his angry sailors threw him and a few faithful friends into a boat and sent them adrift. Nothing more was ever heard of them. In Irving's "Rip Van Winkle" the story tells of nightly scenes in the Catskills in which the ghosts of Hudson and his friends were the actors.
A trading post on Manhattan
35. Dutch Traders and the Indians. Just as soon as the news of Hudson's first voyage reached Holland, the Dutch merchants claimed all the region explored by Hudson and his men and hastened to open up trade with the Indians. As early as 1614 a trading post was established on Manhattan Island—the beginning of a great city, New York.
Other posts were soon located: one up the Hudson became Fort Orange, another on the Delaware was named Fort Nassau, and a fourth was placed where Jersey City now stands. Later the Dutch traders went as far east as the Connecticut Valley.
A lasting Indian treaty
The Dutchmen treated the Indians kindly and early made a great treaty with the Iroquois, or Five Nations. The chiefs of many tribes came to Fort Orange dressed for the event. Their bows and arrows and tomahawks were decorated, their garments tasseled and fringed, and on their heads they wore nodding plumes of many sorts, while their faces were hideous with paint. A peace belt of deer skin covered with beads was held at one end by the chiefs and at the other by the Dutch traders. They "smoked the pipe of peace, buried the tomahawk," and made vows of everlasting friendship.
THE TREATY BETWEEN THE DUTCH AND THE INDIANS AT FORT ORANGE
The Indians liked the Dutch
The fur trade
The Indians liked the Dutch, who often visited them in their wigwams and sat around their camp fires. The fur trade grew rapidly. The Indians hunted and trapped as never before. They paddled up the Hudson, and crossed over to lakes George and Champlain. They went up the Mohawk far beyond where Schenectady now is, plunged deeper into the unbroken forests, and even climbed the mountains in search of fur-coated animals. The favorite fur-bearing animal was the beaver. Besides, the otter, mink, and weasel were hunted.
When the fur pack was made up the dusky hunters from every direction made their way to the nearest trading post. There they traded their furs for guns, powder, and ball, and for whatever else the white trader had that pleased Indian fancy. Great Dutch ships came every year to carry to Amsterdam and other Dutch cities rich cargoes of furs.
THE HOME OF A PATROON
The old Van Rensselaer House at Greenbush, New York
Peter Minuit bought Manhattan Island for twenty-four dollars
36. The Settlement of New Netherland. Already a great company of Amsterdam merchants were sending settlers, as well as fur traders, to the new colony, which now was called New Netherland. Peter Minuit, the first governor, bought the island of Manhattan from the Indians for twenty-four dollars' worth of glass beads and other trinkets, built a town of log cabins on the end of the island, and named it New Amsterdam.
THE SALE OF MANHATTAN TO THE DUTCH
Peter Minuit, who made the trade with the Indians, is known as the founder of New York City
But settlers did not come rapidly enough, so the company offered its members large tracts of land and