Dutch Americans in New York City

Dutch people have had a continuous presence in New York City for nearly 400 years, being the earliest European settlers. New York City traces its origins to a trading post founded on the southern tip of Manhattan Island by colonists from the Dutch Republic in 1624. The settlement was named New Amsterdam in 1626 and was chartered as a city in 1653.^[1] Because of the history of Dutch colonization, Dutch culture, politics, law, architecture, and language played a formative role in the shaping of New York City culture. The Dutch were the majority in New York City until the early 1700s, and the Dutch language was commonly spoken until the mid to late-1700s.^[2]