To view parent comment, click here.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
Firstly, this is actually a common myth. Secondly, the common myth states it was German (Deutsch), not Dutch (which is actually a misappropriated name anyway.) - though looking at Wikipedia, is seems there is a Dutch version also:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhlenberg_legend
Edit: and the "Dutch" spoken in Pennsylvania is actually German, just so that we are all clear :-)
Edited 2012-04-27 09:43 UTC
From what I remember from my grade school us history, there wasn't a purchase of New Amsterdam as much as the English just sailed in one day and were welcomed as heros by the residents that were tired of the rule of their peg-legged mayor.
Wikipedia, seems to think there were wars fought over it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Amsterdam#1625.E2.80.931674
From the Wikipedia article:
"After the signing of the Treaty of Westminster in November 1674, the city was relinquished to the English and the name reverted to "New York". Suriname became an official Dutch possession in return."
How I, and most people I know, learned it we traded New York for Surinam. From the quoted piece it turns out it was not really a straight trade, but part of a peace treaty.
It does make you wonder why 2 neighbors who have an argument fight it out on the other side of the world.





Member since:
2011-05-12
Apparently when we sold New York (Nieuw Amsterdam) there was a vote what the official language was going to be. English edged out Dutch despite most people over there speaking Dutch.
Imagine if Dutch had become the official language of the States. All those cool sounding names (at least to us) would have become silly sounding ones. That silliness causes me to set all my devices to English.