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however, assumed the government, which was administered in his
name until the dethronement of James II., in 1689.1 On
this event, the people took the charter from its hiding-place,
"discolored, but not effaced," convened the assembly, and resumed
their former government. See p. 77, ¶ 6.
CHAPTER V.
RHODE ISLAND.2
I.
PROVIDENCE
PLANTATION. -- 1. Roger
Williams,3 banished from Massachusetts, obtained
from 
Canonicus
and Miantonomoh, chief sachems of the Narragansets, a tract of
land at the head of Narraganset Bay, and there, with a few
associates, began a settlement in 1636, which he named
Providence.4
2. The government first
established for the new colony was a pure democracy, its
legislative, judicial, and executive functions being exercised by
the assembled citizens. The will of the majority was the law, yet
"only in civil things." Williams acted upon the principle which he
had advocated in Massachusetts, and which had been the chief
ground of complaint against him in that colony, viz., that the
civil power has no control over the religious opinions of
men. Providence quickly became the refuge of the persecuted in
other colonies; with them Williams shared the lands he had
obtained, reserving to himself "not one foot of land, not one
tittle of political power, more than he granted to servants and
strangers."
II. RHODE
ISLAND PLANTATION --
1. In 1638 William Coddington and eighteen others, being
persecuted
in Massachusetts for their religious tenets, followed Roger
Williams to Providence. By his advice they purchased of the
Narragansets, Aquidneck,5 now Rhode Island,6
and began the Settlement of Portsmouth. The next year
another settlement was commenced, and named Newport. Both
towns belonged to the same colony, which afterwards received the
name of the Rhode Island Plantation.
1 See p. 44 ¶ 10. 2 See Map p. 45.
3 See p. 41, ¶ 6. Though the founder of Rhode Island, Williams was not the first European who dwelt within its limits. William Blackstone, the first white inhabitant of Boston, had removed to the banks of the river that now bears his name, a little above Providence, before that city was founded. He had no intention, however, of establishing a separate colony and acknowledged the jurisdiction of Massachusetts. He removed because he found the authority of the "lords brethren" in Boston as oppressive as that of the "lords bishops" in England.
4 In grateful remembrance of God's merciful providence to him in his distress."
5 Also called Aquiday, Aquetnet, &c. -- Indian names signifying Peaceful Island.
6 An island of a reddish appearance was observed lying within [Narraganset Bay]. This was soon known to the Dutch as Roode or Red Island. From this is derived the name of the Island and State of Rhode Island." -- Brodhead.
QUESTIONS. -- What happened upon the dethronement of James II.? 1. When and by whom was Providence founded? 2. What is said of the government? Upon what principle did Williams act? What did Providence quickly become? 11. 1. What were the first settlements of the Rhode Island Plantation? When and by whom made?
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2. In principle
the government of Rhode Island was the same, both in civil
and religious matters, as at Providence. In form, however, it was
at first, different. In imitation of the Jewish government under
the judges, their chief ruler was styled Judge.
III. THE
UNITED PLANTATIONS.
-- 1. The Providence and Rhode Island colonies remained
distinct for several years, but their proposal to join the New
England Union1 being refused, ostensibly on the ground
that
they had no charter, Williams went to England, and, in 1644,
obtained from Parliament a charter of incorporation, by
which the Plantations were united under one government, with the
full 
control
of their civil and religious affairs. A democratic form of
government was organized, "by which, in 1647, freedom of faith and
worship was assured to all -- the first formal and legal
establishment of religious liberty ever promulgated, whether in
Europe or America." In 1663, under the name 
of
the Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, they obtained from
Charles II. a royal charter similar in its provisions to
that granted to Connecticut.
2. The charter made the Pawcatuck
the western boundary of the Plantations, thus including territory
already granted to Connecticut.2 Rhode Island,
as the united Plantations came at length to be called, found it
difficult to maintain the integrity of her soil against her
neighbors. Connecticut on one side, and Plymouth and Massachusetts
on the other, endeavored to appropriate her territory; and it was
not till near the middle of the next century that her
boundaries were definitely settled.
3. One of the earliest laws passed
by the legislature, under the royal charter, restricted the
right of suffrage to the holders of a certain amount of
real estate, and to their eldest sons. While Rhode Island remained
an agricultural community, this occasioned no complaint; but about
one hundred and eighty years later it threatened to cause a civil
war.3
4. Soon after Andros
assumed the government of New England,4 he repaired to
Rhode Island, abolished the charter, and appointed a council to
assist him in governing the colony. But when news of the
dethronement of James arrived, Rhode Island resumed her charter.
The officers whom Andros had displaced were reinstated, except the
governor, who hesitating to incur the responsibilities of the
office, Henry Bull, "a fearless Quaker," consented to
accept the position. See p. 77, ¶ 6.
1 See p. 41, § IV. 2 See p. 49, ¶ 1. 3 See P. 204, ¶ 4. 4 See p. 44, ¶ 10.
QUESTIONS. -- 2. What is said of the government of Rhode the Providence and Rhode Island Plantations united? What was assured to all? When was a royal charter obtained, and what were its provisions? III. 2. What is said of the boundaries? 3. What is said of the right of suffrage? What can you tell of Andros in Rhode Island? What happened when news of the dethronement of James arrived?
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CHAPTER VI.
NEW YORK1
I.
NEW YORK
UNDER THE DUTCH. --
1. In 1609, Henry Hudson, an Englishman in the
service of the Dutch East India Company, sailed to America to find
a north-west passage to India.2 Failing in this, he
explored the eastern coast of North America, from Chesapeake Bay
to Long Island,3 entered New York harbor, and ascended
the Hudson beyond the present site of Albany. This voyage laid the
foundation of the Dutch claim to territory in America.
4
Dutch merchants soon began to send
out trading vessels to the newly discovered river, and huts for
the shelter of traders were erected at
1 See Map, p. 56. 2 See p. 13. ¶ 2.
3 This region was first visited by Cabot in 1198 (see p. 16, ¶ 1), afterwards by Verrazzani in 1524 (see p. 14, ¶ 1), and by Gomez it in 1525 (see p. 13, ¶ 2).
4 Hudson then sailed for England. James I., hoping to prevent the Dutch from laying claim to the country explored by Hudson, forbade his return to Holland; but the discoverer sent to his employers "a brilliant account" of his voyage. On a subsequent voyage under the patronage of the English, in search of a path to the Pacific, Hudson discovered the bay that bears his name. After this his crew, becoming mutinous, seized him, his son, and seven others, threw them into a shallop, and set them adrift. Nothing more was ever heard of them.
QUESTIONS. -- 1. In whose service and with what design did Hudson sail to America? What harbor and river did he enter? What claim was founded upon this voyage? -- What Dutch merchants soon do?
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its mouth, on Manhattan Island.1 A fort was
constructed on the southern part of the island, probably in 1614,
and about the same time a fortified trading-house was built near
the present site of Albany.
2. In 1621 the States General2
granted to the Dutch West India Company extensive
privileges for trade and colonization, which resulted in their
claiming North America from Cape Henlopen to the Connecticut, and
naming
this region New Netherland. Under the patronage of this
company, colonization began in earnest in 1623. Permanent
settlements were made at New York and Albany, -- the
former called New Amsterdam, and the latter Fort Orange.
3. The first governor of New Netherland
was Peter Minuit, who arrived at New Amsterdam in 1626.
In order to give an impulse to
colonization in their territory, the Dutch West India Company
allowed persons who would plant colonies of fifty settlers, to
select vast tracts of land, which they were to purchase of the
Indians,
and which should descend to their posterity forever. Of this
privilege several availed themselves. Such were called
patroons -- that is, patrons -- or lords of the manor. This
was the foundation for the manors of New York, some of which
remain to this day. Out of the land monopolies thus established
grew, more than two centuries afterwards, serious disturbances,
known as the anti-rent
difficulties.3
4. During the administration of
Walter Van Twiller, who superseded Minuit, in 1633, the.
English gained a foothold on territory claimed by the Dutch in
Connecticut.4 In 1638 Sir William Kieft became
governor. He was a man of enterprise and ability, but haughty and
unscrupulous. The history of his administration is little more
than a chronicle of struggles and contentions with the English on
the Connecticut, the Swedes on the Delaware,5 and the
Indians in his neighborhood.
5. A war with the Indians
was by far the most serious of the troubles of Kieft's
administration. Under his predecessors the Indians near Manhattan
had been friendly; but now they became totally estranged.
Dishonest traders imposed upon 
them.
Kieft himself undertook to exact tribute. In revenge for real and
fancied wrongs, some murders were committed by the Indians. Kieft,
in retaliation, attacked a party of them while sleeping,
unsuspicious of danger. Warrior, squaw, and child were
indiscriminately massacred. This united against the
Dutch
1 This island, the present site of New York, was so called after the Indian tribe of Manhattans. It was purchased of the Indians for sixty guilders, or about twenty-four dollars.
2 This was the title of the government of the Dutch Republic.
3 See p. 204, ¶ 5. 4 See p. 46, Chap. IV., ¶ 2. 5 See p. 59, ¶ 2.
QUESTIONS. -- Where were a fort and trading-house soon erected? 2. What did the States General grant in 1621, and to what company? What claim did the company make under this grant? What permanent settlements were made, and when? 3. Who was the first governor of New Netherland? -- What plan did the Dutch West India Company adopt to colonize their territory? Who were the patroons? 4. What took place during Van Twiller's administration? What is said of Kieft? of his administration? 5. Give an account of the war with the Indians.
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all the neighboring Indians. Villages were laid waste; the
farmer was murdered in his field, and his children carried into
captivity.1 But at length a short-lived reconciliation
was brought about.
6. Confidence, however, was not
restored. The Indians thirsted for further revenge, and the
war was renewed. The Dutch engaged Captain John
Underhill, who had distinguished himself in the Indian wars of New
England, to act as a leader. He defeated the savages on Long
Island and at Strickland's Plain in Greenwich. Finally both
parties became weary of the contest, and peace was established in
1645. The conduct of Kieft was reprobated both in Holland and in
New Netherland. Deprived of his office, he embarked for Europe, in
a ship richly laden with furs; but his vessel was wrecked, and the
guilty Kieft perished.
7. The fourth and last, as well as the
ablest and most noted governor of New Netherland, was Peter
Stuyvesant.
He arranged a boundary with the English
in Connecticut,2 conquered the Swedes on the
Delaware,3 and annexed their territory to New
Netherland. His policy towards the Indians was so conciliatory
that they were generally peaceably disposed during his term of
office. But while he was absent upon his expedition against the
Swedes, the savages ravaged the country about New Amsterdam, and
destroyed the settlements on Staten Island. On his return the
governor purchased, rater than conquered, a peace. In 1663 the
Indians laid waste the Dutch village of Esopus (now Kingston).
Stuyvesant promptly sent a force to chastise them, and they were
compelled to sue for peace.
8. Conquest of New Netherland. -- The
English claimed New Netherland on the ground of the discoveries
of the
Cabots;4 and in 1664 Charles II. granted to his
brother, Duke of York and Albany,5 the territory
extending from the Connecticut to the Delaware.6 The
duke immediately took forcible possession of his province, which,
as well as its principal city, was named New York. Fort Orange was
called Albany. Long Island was united to New York. The grant to
the duke also included the country in the present State of
Maine,7 lying between the Kennebec and the St.
Croix.
When the English squadron entered the
harbor of New Amsterdam,
1 It was at this time that the celebrated Ann Hutchinson, who had been banished from Massachusetts, was murdered. See p. 41, ¶ 6, and note 3.
2 See p. 48, ¶ 8. 3 See p. 501, ¶ 2. 4 See p. 16, ¶ 1. 5 Afterwards James II.
6 The grant of Charles was a flagrant act of injustice, both to Holland, with which country England was then at peace, and to the people of Connecticut, whose chartered rights it violated.
7 The duke's grant in Maine was claimed by the French as a part of Acadia. See p. 15, § III.
QUESTIONS. -- 6. Give an account of the war renewed. Of the establishment of peace. What is said of Kieft? His fate? 7. What is said of Stuyvesant? -- Of his transactions with the English and the Swedes? With the Indians? 8. Why did the English claim New Netherland? What territory was granted by Charles II. in 1664, and to whom? What did the duke immediately do? What change was made in the name of the province and its two principal settlements? What else was included in the duke's grant?
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Stuyvesant resolved to defend the city. But many of the
inhabitants were natives of England, and many of the Dutch, not
being allowed any voice in the affairs of the colony, were willing
to submit to the authority of England, in the hope of obtaining
political privileges, such as were enjoyed by the English colonies
in New England. Thus the governor was not supported by the people,
and was obliged to capitulate.
II.
NEW YORK UNDER THE
ENGLISH. -- 1. The first
governor under the Duke of York was Colonel Nichols. The
people were sadly disappointed in their hope of obtaining greater
liberty. Contrary to all right, the governor declared the Dutch
titles to land invalid, and enriched himself by the fees demanded
for their renewal. Still more odious was the administration of
Francis Lovelace, the successor of Nichols. A remonstrance
against taxation without representation was ordered to be burned
by the common hangman. While Lovelace1 was governor,
the Duke of York extended his authority over the settlements on
the west bank of the Delaware, by light of conquest from the
Dutch.2
2. In 1672 war was declared
between England and Holland; and when, the next year, a
small Dutch 
squadron
appeared off New York, the people, still oppressed by Lovelace,
saw without regret the possessions of the Duke of York return to
the Dutch. At the close of the war, however, all conquests were
restored, and New Netherland became a second time New York.
Edmund Andros,3 afterwards the tyrant of New
England, was appointed first governor of the restored province in
1674, and ruled with arbitrary sway.
1 During the administration of Lovelace, a mail was started between New York and Boston, by way of Hartford. According to announcement, the messenger was to leave New York, January 1, 1672, and complete the journey to Boston and back within the month.
2 See p. 54, ¶ 7 3 See p. 44, ¶ 10.
QUESTIONS. -- Why did the inhabitants refuse to aid Stuyvesant in defending the city? 1. What is said of Nichols and his administration? Of Lovelace? Under his administration where did the duke extend his authority? 2. When was New York recaptured by the Dutch? When restored? What is said of Andros?
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