In this episode, we explore two important developments in North America. First, we examine the legendary story of the Pilgrims’ arrival in New England in 1620 and the establishment of the Plymouth Colony. Secondly, we examine the creation of the Dutch settlement in modern-day New York and New Jersey, and we explore how Dutch influenced early American English. We also examine several important developments in England in the early 1620s.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
There is a movie about Squanto. Probably has many inaccuracies but it was good at the time.
https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0111271/
It’s on Disney+
I really enjoyed this episode! I’ve lived in the Hudson Valley my whole life and have sat on many a front stoop. I’m a descendant of a Dutch merchant who originally settled in the Albany area, so the history you discussed really resonated with me.
And maybe this is a little selfish of me but I hope you continue this podcast pretty much forever!
Here are two pictures of maps of Manhattan island from the past. Take accuracy with a grain of salt but they are beautiful & informative.
1.Bien & Johnston’s 1878 Map of Manhattan Island during the Revolutionary War
https://www.geographicus.com/P/AntiqueMap/NewYorkCity-johnsonbien-1878
2. From Wikipedia
The Castello Plan, a 1660 map of New Amsterdam (the top right corner is roughly north) in Lower Manhattan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan#/media/File:Stad_Amsterdam_in_Nieuw_Nederland_(City_Amsterdam_in_New_Netherland)_Castello_Plan_1660.jpg
3. Also From Wikipedia
Redraft of the Castello Plan (drawn in 1916) showing the Dutch city of New Amsterdam at Manhattan’s southern tip in 1660
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Manhattan#/media/File:Castelloplan.jpg
On a different note, as a proud (half-) Irishman, I note the similarity between the Irish (-Gaelic) word for the female third person pronoun (sí — pronounced she) and the equivalent in English. In almost no etymology do I find the old Celtic word given as a possible root of the English word.
Instead, Dutch is often credited with the etymology (zie). And this may also be true.
While I won’t deny the Dutch proximity to London and their importance in commerce & intellectual exchange, it does not surprise me that the academic English establishment would rather Dutch than Irish ancestry for such a core word in the language. Anti-Irish sentiment in England has not completely vanished.
My grandfather, an immigrant from Eastern Europe at age 10, but grew up entirely in New York City after that, used “sliding pond” instead of sliding board, which confused me slightly as a child when he took me to the park. Thanks for the reminder!