out again, the assembly met, and the "Finis" was erased from their minute-book. As for Rhode Island, its government had not been disturbed.

King William's System.-In 1692, King William took New England in hand. Connecticut and Rhode Island were allowed to keep their charters and elect their governors. Massachusetts retained her old system of government, but the king ordained that others besides Puritans might preach, vote, and hold office, and that the governors should be appointed by the crown.1

A New Charter.-Massachusetts received a new charter, uniting the colonies of Massachusetts, Plymouth, Maine, and Nova Scotia,-which was then in English hands. But this charter so restricted the power of the people that the colony was really a royal one. From that time on trouble ruled. The people were never content with their royal governors. Quarrels began between governor and legislature, and the spirit of opposition continued until 1775, when the reign of royalty in America came to an end.

1 An interesting story is told concerning one royal governor. In 1693, Governor Fletcher, of New York, was given command of the militia of Connecticut. Fletcher made his way from New York to Hartford, summoned the militia, and began to read to them his royal commission. In a moment Captain Wadsworth, of charter oak fame, ordered the drums to be beaten. Fletcher commanded silence, and began to read again. "Drum!" cried Wadsworth, and the noise was renewed. Silence!" shouted Fletcher, and it ceased. "Drum, I say!" cried the captain, and, turning to Fletcher, he said, meaningly, "If I am interrupted again I will make the sun shine through you in a minute." The governor left the remainder of the commission unread, and made his way in defeat back to New York.

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3. NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY.

NEW NETHERLAND.

Dutch Trading-Posts.-The discovery of Hudson River by Henry Hudson was soon followed up by the enterprising people of Holland, in whose service he had sailed. It had been found that the Indians possessed valuable furs, which they would be glad to exchange for articles which the Dutch made in abundance. So it was not long before that active commercial people sent vessels across the ocean to trade for furs. One came in 1610 and others the next year, and about 1614 a trading-post, composed of a few huts, was built on an island at the mouth of the river. On this island, which the Indians called Manhattan, afterward arose the city of New York. Trading-stations were built up the river also, and where Albany now stands a wooden "strong house," called Fort Nassau, was built. The whole country was named New Netherland, after Netherland, the official title of Holland.

Settlements Made.-A colony was sent out in 1623, and small settlements were made on the Hudson, which the Dutch called the North River, and on the Delaware, which they called the South River. A settlement was also made on the Connecticut. Most of the colonists, however, went to Albany, where they built Fort Orange, to replace the old Fort Nassau. A new Fort Nassau was built on the Delaware, just below where Camden now stands.

New Amsterdam.-Peter Minuit was sent out as governor in 1626 to take charge of the settlements, which were growing prosperous from their rich fur-trade with the Indians. He took the wise course of buying Manhattan Island from the original owners. It came very cheap, being paid

for with beads, buttons, and cloth, worth in all about twentyfour dollars. It would not be easy to state how many millions it is worth now. He built there a fort, a warehouse, and a cluster of log huts, and made it his seat of government. It was at first called Manhattan, its Indian title, but was afterward named New Amsterdam.

The Fur-Trade. The great interest in New Netherland was the fur-trade. Farming was neglected. It was a much easier road to riches to buy valuable furs with cheap trinkets, or such useful tools to the Indians as knives and hatchets. The Dutch were wise enough to take no land from the savages without paying for it, and to make a treaty with the Iroquois, the powerful confederacy whose tribes held most of the country west of the Hudson. This treaty was sacredly kept by the Indians, and greatly helped to give prosperity to the new settlements.

Great Estates.-The New Netherland Company was organized in 1614. It was eager to bring settlers into the country, and offered to any member who would bring or send out fifty settlers the valuable prize of an estate with a front of sixteen miles on the Hudson or other river. Nothing was said about how far it might run back. If estates were taken on both sides of the river they were to be eight miles wide. But it was wisely required that the new owners should pay the Indians for the land taken.

The Patroons.-These proprietors were called " patroons." Their estates were like little kingdoms. They held courts of their own, and lived like the barons of Europe in the olden times. One of the patroons, named Van Rensselaer (rèn'sèl-lèr), had an estate near Albany extending twenty-four miles on each bank of the Hudson and twice that distance back. It was added to till it became much larger than the whole colony of Rhode Island. Over

these great estates, inhabited by emigrants and slaves, the patroons reigned sole lords, their will being the only law.

An Indian Massacre.-Some of the Algonquin Indians near New Amsterdam were badly treated by one of the Dutch governors, and in consequence broke out in 1643 in a sudden insurrection. Many of the settlers were killed, and a war was started which lasted till 1645, and nearly ruined the colony. Fortunately for the Dutch, the Iroquois continued friendly. These shrewd savages had learned enough now to trade furs for muskets and ammunition, which they used against their French foes in Canada.

The Last Dutch Governor.-In 1645 a new governor of New Netherland was appointed, the famous Peter Stuyvesant (sti'vē-sănt). He was the fourth and last, and the most honest and sensible governor of the province. Being a onelegged veteran, he wore a wooden leg bound with silver, which gained him the name of "Old Silverleg."

Stuyvesant was arbitrary and hot-tempered, but was determined to keep order in the colony. Liberty to vote their own taxes was demanded by the people, but stoutly resisted by the governor. Freedom of worship was likewise interfered with. The Dutch Protestant Church was the established religion, and no one was permitted to preach or listen to other doctrines under heavy penalties. Some Quakers who entered the colony were cruelly treated. It is true that orders came from Holland that every one should be free to worship as he pleased, but the tyrannical governor was too far off to be easily dealt with, and he interpreted these orders as best pleased himself.

New Amsterdam.-At that time there were about one thousand persons in New Amsterdam, partly made up of English and French, and many of them negro slaves. They occupied the south end of the island, and Stuyvesant had

a high and strong palisade built across from river to river, as a defence against possible Indian raids. This ran along the line of what is now Wall Street, one of the money centres of the world. The city grew rapidly under his rule, its wealth and population greatly increasing.

New Sweden. In 1638 a colony of Swedes was planted on the Delaware, their settlement being called New Sweden. A fort called Christina was built by them near the site of Wilmington. This region, however, was claimed by the Dutch, and in 1655 Stuyvesant sent some armed ships there, took possession of the Swedish settlements, and annexed them to New Netherland.

The Coming of the English.-All the land thus occupied by the Dutch was claimed by the English, under the far-off discovery of the Cabots. The claim was not a very sound one, as the discovery had not been followed by settlement, but the Hudson River country was of great importance, and Charles II. coolly made a present of it to his brother James, Duke of York, despite the fact that Eng

land and Holland were at peace and that the Dutch had long possessed it.

PETER STUYVESANT.

One day in 1664 an English fleet suddenly appeared off New Amsterdam and demanded its surrender. Governor Stuyvesant was furious. He swore he would never surrender. But he was taken by surprise, his military force was much smaller than that of the English, and the citizens, hoping to under the English, refused to aid him. So, despite his oath, he was forced to submit. The Dutch flag was hauled down, the English flag was run up, and New Amsterdam became New York, so named in honor of the new proprietor.

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