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Modern day Delaware was long inhabited by Native American peoples prior to European exploration and
settlement. These peoples were primarily the Nanticoke and Minqua tribes.
In the 16th century, Spanish and Portuguese explorers made their way along Delaware's coast. They
were followed by the Dutch, notably under Henry Hudson in 1609; and later by Samual Argall in 1610,
Cornelius May in 1613, and Cornelius Hendricksen in 1614. Argall named a bay in honor of his governor,
Lord De La Warr. Eventually, in 1631, the first white settlement took hold in the area.
Dutch traders under Captain David Pietersen de Vries made their way to Delaware, and formed a
settlement called Zwaanendael near what is modern day Lewes. Captain de Vries made a horrifying
discovery when he arrived in 1632 to find the colony had been murdered by native peoples. It was not
until 1638 that another colony took hold, this time by Swedes, and was considered the first permanent
European settlement in the Delaware Valley. The Swedes named their fort Christina after Sweden's
queen. This Swedish colony flourished until 1655, when Peter Stuyvesant's Dutch fleet arrived and
established control of the Colony of New Netherlands, thereby ending Swedish rule in Delaware. In
1681, the Province of Pennsylvania was granted to William Penn by King Charles II. Eventually Penn
took possession of the Swedish colony, annexing some of the counties into the Province of Pennsylvania
as territories.
Lower Delaware became the subject of some dispute between William Penn and Lord Baltimore of the
Province of Maryland, basically until Delaware declared independence in 1776, not only from Great
Britain, but from Pennsylvania as well. Delaware became the first of the thirteen original states to
ratify the Constitution of the United States on December 7, 1787, earning the nickname "The First State".
Delaware recovered from the Revolutionary War thanks in part to the development of gristmills along
the Brandywine and Christina Rivers. Manufacturing of cloth, paper, and flour led to the state's
economic success in industry through the 19th century. During the American Civil War, Delaware
remained loyal to the Union, although not all sentiments aligned accordingly. After the Civil War
this led to some political unrest. Meanwhile, the state's population increased in number of free
African Americans and European immigrants.
The 20th century brought continued success in industry, particularly after World War I and II. The
state was known for its du Pont family legacy in the chemical industry. Eventually, many financial
institutions based in New York established themselves in Delaware, creating many new jobs.
As the 21st century unfolds, Delaware's industrial heritage proves yet again to be a great strength,
as the First State surges forward with plans to expand its biotechnology and life sciences industry.
Several famous personages have called Delaware their home. These include surgeon and inventor Henry
Heimlich; authors Howard Pyle, John Phillips, and Henry S. Canby; actress Valerie Bertinelli; artist
Felix Darley; industrialist E. I. du Pont; basketball player Wilham Julius Johnson, and numerous
others.
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