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 Oregon
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 Oregon
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 the American Civil War
By Tim Lambert THE BACKGROUND OF THE CIVIL WAR The Civil War was not caused just by the question of slavery. North and South were also divided over tariffs. The northern states began to industrialize in the early 19th century. By the middle of the century, the North was becoming an industrial, urban society. Northerners… Continue reading A History of the American Civil War
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 Short History of Alaska
By Tim Lambert Early Alaska The first human beings arrived in Alaska in about 13,000 BC. At that time Alaska was part of a land bridge that extended across to Siberia. People followed the herds of animals they hunted. Europeans arrived in the area in the 18th century. In 1741 a Dane called Vitus Bering… Continue reading A Short History of Alaska