Dutch West India Company (1621)

This segment from Dutch New York describes the formation of the Dutch West India Company, which established some of the earliest settlements in North America.

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English Ships (1664)

This segment from Dutch New York describes how, in 1664, the Dutch Colony of New Amsterdam became the English colony of New York.

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Freedom of Conscience

This segment from Dutch New York describes how the Dutch allowed settlers in New Netherland colony to practice any religion, free from the threat of persecution.

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Henry Hudson

In this video from Dutch New York, Henry Hudson’s voyage on the Half Moon is fueled by a quest for a trade route to the East.

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I'll Take Mannahatta

In this lesson students learn about the original ecology of Manhattan and about the Lenape, the native people who inhabited the island for thousands of years before the arrival of the Dutch in 1609.

Mannahatta 1609

Learn about the rich and diverse ecosystem of early Manhattan in this video from Dutch New York.

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The Myth of Pocahontas

This video segment adapted from NOVA introduces the popular story of how Native American princess Pocahontas rescued colonist John Smith.

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New Amsterdam: The Early Years (1621 - 1647)

In this segment from Dutch New York, learn how the Dutch West India Company governed New Amsterdam from 1624 to 1664.

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Pocahontas Revealed

In this video adapted from NOVA, examine a historical version of the story of Pocahontas and John Smith.

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Slaves in New Amsterdam

This video from Dutch New York uncovers the story of enslaved Africans, some of New Netherland’s earliest yet unrecognized residents.

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The Story of Pocahontas

In this lesson designed to enhance literacy skills, students explore what may have happened when Pocahontas and John Smith met by comparing popular and historical versions of the famous story.

Trade and Commerce

In this segment from Dutch New York, learn about the fur trade in New Netherland as well as the purchase of Manhattan Island.

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