Colonial delaware
The number of claimants for Delaware is more as compared to other thirteen initial colonies of United States of America. The state of Delaware is considered important for the colonizers due to the fertile land along the Great Bay River. The Dutch were the first to claim this region as they discovered Hudson. The Swedes claimed this region after that and then it was claimed and possessed by the British. Lord Baltimore claimed Delaware first as a division of Maryland and then Duke of York claimed it and sold it to William Penn. After the revolution the inhabitants of the region became the owner. Apart from New York, Delaware was the only one that was not found by the British.
The Dutch were the first to colonize the territory in 1631. They settled near the Delaware Bay however they were massacred as they quarreled with the local Indian people over a trivial matter. The quarrel started with the Dutch setting up a plate that bred the different kinds of arms used in Holland. An Indian without knowing the meaning of the plate destroyed the plate. The Dutch considered it as an insult to their nation and demanded the surrender of the person. This began the whole quarrel and resulted in the destruction of the whole colony.
The Swedes was planning to colonize the western part of Delaware even before this unfortunate incident occurred. The king of Sweden wanted to make Delaware a home for all the oppressed people in the region. However due to the raging war in Germany was on, the plan of Sweden to colonize Delaware was checked for some time. During this war the king of Sweden was killed and the fortunes of the country were in the hands of the chief minister of the dead king. The goal of the king was carried forward by the chief minister who tried to colonize Delaware. The fort Christina was built in Delaware by the Swedes in 1638.
They purchased land from the local population and started developing the surrounding areas. For some time all the people were happy. However, trouble started soon after when the whole of Delaware valley was claimed by the Dutch. At that time Sweden was a powerful country and so the colony was not harmed by the Dutch. In the mean time the Swedes developed the region and the whole region prospered. However, the Dutch were jealous and so they constructed fort Casimir and soon had control of the bay. Soon after, a Swede vessel entered the bay and destroyed the fort. The Dutch were determined to avenge the loss which resulted in a fierce war in which Sweden lost. Over time the Swedes scattered to different parts of the country and in the process lost their language and identity. The British captured the Delaware region in 1664 and it became the property of Duke of York. The British granted some sort of self governance to the people. In 1682, Delaware was bought by William Penn. In 1702, a separate legislature was granted to the region by Penn.
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