Definition

Proper noun: * New Amsterdam: A 17th-century Dutch colonial settlement. It was founded at the southern tip of Manhattan Island, near the mouth of the Hudson River. The settlement was later seized by the English in 1664 and renamed New York.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The Dutch West India Company established the colony of New Amsterdam in 1624.
  • Before it was called New York City, the area was known as New Amsterdam.
  • The history of New Amsterdam is a key part of the early colonial story of North America.

Advanced Usage

• Historical Context: The term "New Amsterdam" is used almost exclusively in a historical context to refer to the Dutch period of the settlement that later became New York City. It is not used as a modern place name.
  • The archaeological dig aims to uncover artifacts from the era of New Amsterdam.

Variants and Related Words

• New Netherland (Proper noun): The broader Dutch colonial province of which New Amsterdam was the capital and principal settlement.
  • New Amsterdam served as the capital of the colony of New Netherland.

Synonyms

• Dutch settlement on Manhattan (Descriptive phrase): A phrase describing the same historical entity.
• Pre-1664 New York (Descriptive phrase): Refers to the location before its annexation and renaming.

Related Phrases

• "From New Amsterdam to New York": A common phrase used to denote the transition and change of power in 1664.
  • The book details the city's transformation from New Amsterdam to New York.

Noun

1. a settlement established by the Dutch near the mouth of Hudson River and the southern end of Manhattan Island; annexed by the English in 1664 and renamed New York