Delaware Colony

Delaware Colony

 

The Dutch, the Swedish, the Dutch Again, and the English

The Dutch first settled Delaware in 1631, although all of the original settlers were killed in a disagreement with local Indians. Seven years later, the Swedes set up a colony and trading post at Fort Christina in the northern part of Delaware. Today, Fort Christina is called Wilmington. In 1651, the Dutch reclaimed the area and built a fort near present day New Castle. By 1655, the Dutch had forcibly removed the Swedes from the area and reincorporated Delaware into their empire. In 1664, however, the British removed the Dutch from the east coast.

Originally Part of the Pennsylvania Charter

After William Penn was granted the land that became Pennsylvania in 1682, he persuaded the Duke of York to lease him the western shore of Delaware Bay so that his colony could have an outlet to the sea. The Duke agreed and henceforth, Penn's original charter included the northern sections of present-day Delaware, which became known as "The Lower Counties on the Delaware".

100-Year Family Feud

The decision by the Duke angered Lord Baltimore, the first proprietary governor of Maryland, who believed he had the rights to it. A lengthy and occasionally violent 100-year conflict between Penn’s heirs and Baltimore's heirs was finally settled when Delaware's border was defined in 1750 and when the Maryland/Pennsylvania and Maryland/Delaware borders were defined as part of the Mason-Dixon Line in 1768.

Discussion Questions

  1. Which groups tried to settle in Delaware before the English took over?
  2. Why did William Penn want land near the Delaware Bay?
  3. What caused the long border argument between Pennsylvania and Maryland?
  4. How was the argument between the Penn and Baltimore families finally solved?

Glossary

  • Fort Christina – The first Swedish settlement in Delaware, now called Wilmington.
  • Charter – A legal document giving permission to settle land.
  • Duke of York – The English noble who controlled land later given to William Penn.
  • Lord Baltimore – The leader of the Maryland colony who claimed land in Delaware.
  • Mason-Dixon Line – A boundary that helped settle disputes between colonies.

Delaware's Early Settlers

The Dutch first tried to settle in Delaware in 1631, but the settlers were killed after a disagreement with local Native Americans. In 1638, the Swedish built a colony called Fort Christina, now Wilmington. The Dutch took it back in 1651 and took control again in 1655. In 1664, the English took Delaware from the Dutch.

Part of Pennsylvania

In 1682, William Penn got the land that became Pennsylvania. He wanted access to the ocean, so the Duke of York gave him land along the Delaware Bay. This area became known as "The Lower Counties on the Delaware."

A Long Argument Over Borders

Lord Baltimore of Maryland believed the land given to Penn belonged to him. This started a 100-year argument between Penn’s family and Baltimore’s family. The disagreement ended when the borders were settled in 1768 as part of the Mason-Dixon Line.

 
Delaware Colony Activities