Peter
Minuit
was born in Holland in 1580. In 1624
Dutch merchants established a settlement that became known as New
Netherland. The Dutch government gave exclusive trading rights to
the Dutch West India Company.
Minuit was one of those who decided to settle in America and in 1626
became director-general of New Netherland. Minuit purchased Manhattan
Island from Native Americans for $24 worth of trinkets, beads and
knives. Over the next few years other colonists arrived a large settlement
was established on Manhattan Island. The chief port on Manhattan was
named New Amsterdam (later changed to New
York).
In 1638 the Swedish government employed
Minuit to help them establish a colony in America. Soon afterwards
two vessels owned by the Swedish West India Company arrived with 50
colonists and established a small settlement in Delaware Bay. They
named the town Christina in honor of Sweden's young queen. Peter Minuit
died at sea in 1638.
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