Thomas Hooker - in 1636 left Massachusetts to found a colony in Hartford, Connecticut. Only 7 years after Puritans first arrived in America I think.
Christina Adolphus - monarch of Sweden in 1600s, considered to be one of the most "cosmopolitan and intellectually nimble monarchs in European History" by Russell Shorto.
Peter Minuet - The man who bought Manhattan for $24 (see previous post). One of the early governors of New Amsterdam, and one of the more able. Was unfairly dismissed from his post and sent back to Amsterdam. Returned sometime later to found a Swedish colony on Dutch territory.
Monday, 23 July 2007
More history
I've been watching the first episode of Simon Schama's History of Britain, and also am reading 'Island at the Centre of the World' by Russell Shorto. A few things of interest to read more about and research
Britain
The Venerable Bede - considered the father of English history. Lived around 700AD. Wrote a book on English history up to that date, with an obvious religious slant. Also wrote scientific papers, theology, philopsophy etc.
Alfred the Great - King of Wessex, only English king called 'Great'. First man to unite the majority of England under one rule. Sent to Rome early on in his life, travelled a bit, came back to England to rule, push back the Vikings etc. Sounds a very interesting man.
Skara Brae - The stone age settlement on Orkney. Mentioned it before, but looks very interesting.
America
So far, English explorer Henry Hudson discovered the Hudson River and site of New York, while working for the Dutch. The Dutch set up a colony, a few houses, a fort on Manhatten. Broadway is pretty much what was the main Indian track/path through Manhattan in the earliest days of the colony. The site is strategically very advantageous. Navigable river (by portage) through hundreds of miles into the interior (and ultimately to Lake Erie, Mississipi etc.) Peter Minuit 'buys' Manhattan off the native Indians for the 19th century equivalent of $24. Indians have different concept of land ownership though. They see this as right for Dutch to use land and ally themselves with the Indian tribe who 'sold' it them. Dutch colony not run especially well in the early days. Also sound like quite a dissolute lot (see page 120-124). Right from the early days, the English dispute the Dutch claims on the colony, saying since Henry Hudson was English that the colony belongs to them, and the fact that earlier English settlers in Virginia laid claim to all the East coast!
More in due course.
Britain
The Venerable Bede - considered the father of English history. Lived around 700AD. Wrote a book on English history up to that date, with an obvious religious slant. Also wrote scientific papers, theology, philopsophy etc.
Alfred the Great - King of Wessex, only English king called 'Great'. First man to unite the majority of England under one rule. Sent to Rome early on in his life, travelled a bit, came back to England to rule, push back the Vikings etc. Sounds a very interesting man.
Skara Brae - The stone age settlement on Orkney. Mentioned it before, but looks very interesting.
America
So far, English explorer Henry Hudson discovered the Hudson River and site of New York, while working for the Dutch. The Dutch set up a colony, a few houses, a fort on Manhatten. Broadway is pretty much what was the main Indian track/path through Manhattan in the earliest days of the colony. The site is strategically very advantageous. Navigable river (by portage) through hundreds of miles into the interior (and ultimately to Lake Erie, Mississipi etc.) Peter Minuit 'buys' Manhattan off the native Indians for the 19th century equivalent of $24. Indians have different concept of land ownership though. They see this as right for Dutch to use land and ally themselves with the Indian tribe who 'sold' it them. Dutch colony not run especially well in the early days. Also sound like quite a dissolute lot (see page 120-124). Right from the early days, the English dispute the Dutch claims on the colony, saying since Henry Hudson was English that the colony belongs to them, and the fact that earlier English settlers in Virginia laid claim to all the East coast!
More in due course.
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