The Acquisition of Manhattan

Before the British controlled Manhattan, it actually was under the possession of the Dutch. They had acquired the land by paying off Native Americans when they moved into the area to colonize it. This deal was considered a bargain for the Dutch. They then dubbed their new land as New Amsterdam.

However, the Dutch had a side project where they were hoping to have a monopoly on a certain spice, nutmeg. Nutmeg was a spice with very many uses and was extremely valuable as a result. It also was considered a fashionable item for a wealthy individual to possess. As well as being a luxury item, it helped preserve food, ward off sickness, and was another layer of flavor to food. On top of all that, it was considered a hallucinogen. But they would have to turn to Britain, who were dabbling in the spice market.

The British were also active in the spice trade much to the Dutch's dismay. The British had control of the Island of Run, a smaller island part of the Banda Islands, in Indonesia. This island had a large source of nutmeg growing on it. As a result, the Dutch wanted to take it for themselves. The two nations ended up deciding to trade the island of Manhattan for the Island of Run. The British then decided to rename the New Amsterdam to what we know it as today, New York.

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