This week, we’re diving into the fascinating stories of the Dutch and Swedish settlers who shaped early America. Did you know New York was originally called New Amsterdam? How cool is that? Plus, ever wondered what Wall Street is named after?
Our hands-on history lessons for kids with fun activities make learning exciting and memorable, and I can’t believe how much we’ve discovered already! This is part of our lesson on america original colonies which includes Jamestown worksheets and pilgrim activities.
Dutch & Swedish Settlers History
Here’s a little history for you to set the stage. After Henry Hudson explored the area looking for a Northwest Passage to India the Dutch, being savvy business people, wanted to begin trading with the Native Americans. They wanted beaver pelts. When the Dutch New Indies Company tried to get settlers to go to New Amsterdam they had trouble as many Dutch didn’t want to come. The Dutch actually lived very comfortable with religious freedoms & government representatives at home! So New Holland ended up having a mix of many other European nations who were eager to come live in New Amsterdam. The Dutch New Indies Company then offered to give patrons a large piece of land if they provided 15 colonists to live & work it. But the colony was not well run; there were outhouses on the street, pigs running loose, lots of drinking & fights, and no defenses. The Dutch New Indies Company appointed Peter Stuyvesant to fix it up! He was not very popular, but he fixed it and raised money for ‘police’ by taxing imported liquor. When news of war between England & Holland reached the colony they begin building a wall around the colony, but they ran out of money and the colonists did not want to finish it. (The only part of the wall would later be known to the world as Wall Street!) In 1664 English ships did come and as the colonists refused to fight with Stuyvesant, they surrendered. New Amsterdam became an English territory and was renamed New York.
Dutch Early Settlers in America
The early Dutch settlers were the first to bring cows to America – we visited a historic farm where we got up and personal with a cow. My son even got to try milking a cow by hand.
We made our own butter by shaking cream in a Tupperware for about 15 minutes. Then we shaped it into a ‘biscuit’. The kids thought that was hilarious; it tasted good too!
Swedish Colonial American Settlers
Settlers first constructed log cabins in 1638 in New Sweden. (This would later become part of New Amsterdam) So we made our own log cabin out of lincoln logs.
We had a busy week so we didn’t do as many activities. If you have time you might explore holidays from Holland, make Dutch Applesauce, “trade” beaver furs, make butter, or another Dutch treat.
Great Books for Colonial America Dutch & Swedish Settlers Unit
I have three really good resources for you this week, but they are not currently pictures on Amazon. You can still get them used on Amazon or through a good local library.
- Wooden Shoes in America by Lois Maloy – This book is about a family who moves to America and what their life is like the first year they are there. It has simple, beautifully done illustrations and really gives some insight into life for in New Amsterdam. It is written with chapters, although there are illustrations on each page.
- Old Silver Leg Takes Over! A Story of Peter Stuyvesant by Robert Quackenbush – This is a GREAT way for kids (and adults) to learn about New Amsterdam (later New York!) It is full of great information, easy to read, and has nice blue & white illustrations. My son loved the comical pigs on the bottom right of each two-page spread and reading what the pigs had to say.
Colonial Life for Children: The Dutch & New Amsterdam by Schlessinger – I stumbled upon this series by accident in my local library. I’m so glad I did! There are 9 in the series about Colonial Life. A kid walks your kids through a 23 minute visit to that aspect of Colonial Life. You will see characters in costume, learn a lot of interesting facts, and feel like you get a wonderful glimpse of their life! My son loved the visual!
FREE Life in Colonial America Printables
We added to our {free} Colonial America Book. You can get the entire book including this weeks pages including:
- Dutch Settlers in New Amsterdam,
- Peter Stuyvesant: Old Silver Leg
- Dutch & Swedish contributions to America
- Colonial Art
- School in Colonial America
Colonial America for kids
Colonial America for Kids takes kids on a journey back to the first permanent settlements in America to learn about colonial life with lots of hands on projects like eating Gruel, making a Wattle & Daub house, and creating a tin lantern will make the settlement come alive.
- Start off our Colonial America for Kids history unit with a look at the first permanent English settlement in America – Jamestown Activities. (Don’t forget to grab these FREE Printables Jamestown for Kids Book to Read, Color, and Learn)
- Talk about the Pilgrims, make costumes, learn how Squanto taught the settlers to plant crops, write with a quill, make simple Johnny Cakes and a traditional colonial toy – marbles!
- Explore the life of the Dutch and Swedes in America as you try creating homemade butter and build a log cabin.
- Finally discuss William Penn and the Quakers will kids enjoy making traditional silhouette art projects, a colonial punishment stock, and so much more.
- Make a wattle and daub house
Colonial America Worksheets
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