USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Peter Minuit, Minuit also spelled Minnewit, (born c. 1580, Wesel, Kleve [Germany]-died June 1638, Caribbean Sea), Dutch colonial governor of New Amsterdam who is mainly remembered for his fabulous purchase of Manhattan Island (the nucleus of New York City) from the Indians for trade goods worth a mere 60 guilders.

Detailed explanation-2: -On this day in history…Peter Minuit, Director-General of the Dutch New World colony of New Netherland, sought to claim a legitimate title to the land the colony desired to rule and entered into negotiations with the local Native Americans.

Detailed explanation-3: -Minuit joined the WIC around the mid 1620’s and travelled to New Netherland in 1625 to search for valuable commodities like animal pelts (skins). Minuit was known for his “purchase” of Manhattan, probably in mid-May 1626, supposedly for a moderate amount of trade goods.

Detailed explanation-4: -The first known mention of the historic sale comes from a 1626 letter penned by a Dutch merchant named Pieter Schagen (opens in new tab), who wrote that a man named Peter Minuit had purchased Manhattan for 60 guilders, the Dutch currency at the time. This information fits within a crucial period of New York’s history.

Detailed explanation-5: -In 1664, the English took over New Amsterdam and renamed it New York after the Duke of York (later James II & VII). After the Second Anglo-Dutch War of 1665–67, England and the United Provinces of the Netherlands agreed to the status quo in the Treaty of Breda.