Peter minuit biography delaware

Peter Minuit was from Tournai, present-day Belgium. He was the 3rd Director of the Dutch North American colony of New Netherland. He also founded a colony on the Delaware Peninsula in called New Sweden, which would become the first Swedish colony in the New World.

Minuit is generally credited with orchestrating the purchase of Manhattan Island for the Dutch from the Lenape Tribe.

Peter minuit manhattan

Manhattan later became the site of the Dutch city of New Amsterdam and the borough of Manhattan of modern-day New York City.

A common account states that Minuit purchased Manhattan for $24 worth of trinkets.

Early Life

Peter Minuit was born in Tournai between and in a Calvinist family that moved from the city of Tournai to Wesel, Germany, to avoid religious persecution from Catholics.

He was born to his father, Johann, who died when Peter was in his 20s.

Peter took over his father's business and developed a good reputation as a sound businessman. He was also