Full resolution (TIFF) - On this page / på denna sida - XXVI. Epilogue - B. The Swedish Settlements on the Delaware
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
392 A History of Sweden
B. THE SWEDISH SETTLEMENTS ON THE DELAWARE
The Founding of New Sweden. Sweden was the
third of the four European nations that established
colonies within the original territory of the United
States. In 1626 Gustavus Adolphus organized and
chartered a trading company with the immediate ob-
ject of colonizing the western shores of Delaware Bay
and River, for the purpose of developing Swedish
commerce and spreading the gospel of Christ among
the heathen inhabitants of the land. But owing to the
king’s participation in the Thirty Years’ War and his
death at Lutzen in 1632, the plan was for a time aban-
doned. It was, however, soon renewed by Chancellor
Oxenstiern, regent of the realm under the young queen,
Christina. But several years elapsed before the project
could be put into effect. In the meantime King Charles
I had relinquished England’s claims to the land the
Swedes were to colonize.
The First Expedition. This set sail from Gothenburg
in the fall of 1637 under command of Peter Minuit.
It consisted of a ship of war, the "Key of Calmar," and
a smaller vessel, the "Bird Griffin," with crew and
passengers, and laden with provisions, ammunition,
and merchandise suitable for trade with the natives.
They first landed, in the spring of 1638, near the site
of the present town of Lewes, Delaware, at what they
called Paradise Point. From there they proceeded up
the bay till it narrowed into the mouth of the Delaware.
A small tributary on the west side they named Chris-
tina Creek. This they ascended a short distance to the
place now occupied by the city of Wilmington.
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
