By Tim Lambert 17th Century New York An Italian, Giovanni da Verrazano, discovered New York Harbor in 1524. In 1609, an Englishman, Henry Hudson, sailed up the Hudson River. Then, in 1624, the Dutch founded the first permanent trading post. In 1626, the first governor, Peter Minuit, bought the island of Manhattan from the Native… Continue reading A History of New York City
Category: History of American states and cities
A History of Philadelphia
By Tim Lambert Early Philadelphia In 1681 King Charles II granted a large amount of land in North America to a Quaker named William Penn. He established the colony of Pennsylvania. Penn sailed to North America in 1682. When he arrived he founded the city of Philadelphia. By 1701 Philadelphia was a flourishing little town.… Continue reading A History of Philadelphia
A History of Portland
By Tim Lambert Dedicated to Audrey Benton The Foundation of Portland The city of Portland was founded in 1843 on the banks of the Willamette River. Portland was incorporated in 1851 and it soon became a major port. Amenities in Portland gradually improved. Portland gained gas supply in 1857 and Washington Park was created in… Continue reading A History of Portland
A History of San Diego
By Tim Lambert The Foundation of San Diego The first European to visit the region was a Spaniard named Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo. In 1542 Cabrillo led an expedition that sailed along the coast of California. So on 27 June 1542, Cabrillo set sail from La Navidad in Mexico. On 28 September 1542 Cabrillo anchored in… Continue reading A History of San Diego
A History of San Francisco
By Tim Lambert Before Europeans arrived two groups of Native Americans lived in the San Francisco area, the Ohlone and the Miwok. They were hunter-gatherers and they lived by hunting animals, fishing, and collecting shellfish nuts, and fruit. Francis Drake anchored his ship off Point Reyes in 1579 yet he failed to discover San Francisco… Continue reading A History of San Francisco
A History of Savannah, Georgia
By Tim Lambert Early Savannah The city of Savannah was founded in 1733 by a group of colonists led by a man named James Oglethorpe (1696-1785). The new town was laid out in a grid pattern, with broad streets and several public squares. Herb House was built in 1734. The Pirate’s House opened as a… Continue reading A History of Savannah, Georgia
A History of Seattle
By Tim Lambert Early Seattle The great city of Seattle was founded in 1851. At first, Seattle was very small but the little settlement was incorporated in 1869. However, in 1870 Seattle only had a population of a little over 1,000. Nevertheless, the population of Seattle grew rapidly in the late 19th century. By 1890… Continue reading A History of Seattle
A History of Texas
By Tim Lambert Early Texas The Spanish mapped the coast of Texas in 1519. However, although they claimed the area the Spanish left Texas virtually untouched till the 18th century. The Spanish began building missions in Texas. One of them was The Mission San Antonio de Valero which was founded in 1718. However, in 1810… Continue reading A History of Texas
A History of the Salem Witch Trials
By Tim Lambert The Background to the Witch Trials Belief in magic is, of course, as old as mankind. People have always believed you could use magic to improve your crops or heal illnesses. In Greek and Roman times belief in magic was widespread. However, it was not always used for good. People believed they… Continue reading A History of the Salem Witch Trials
A History of the State of Georgia
By Tim Lambert Early Georgia Before Europeans arrived the Cherokee lived in northern Georgia. The Creek lived further south. The first European to visit the area was a Spaniard named Hernando de Soto in 1540. In 1566 the Spanish settled on St Catherine Island. However, after the English attacks, the Spanish abandoned their settlements. Then… Continue reading A History of the State of Georgia