New Amsterdam 1625

In the 17th century, the Dutch West India Company established a fur trading settlement called New Amsterdam on the southern tip of Manhattan Island. Through a combination of trade, diplomacy, and force, the colony expanded and developed into a bustling hub of commerce, culture, and diversity that would eventually become the city of New York.

In this lesson, students will…

1. Study the context of the topic

2. Sort a timeline of the events into the correct order.

3. Watch a video and answer questions on the content.

4. Study real (and some fictional) quotes from the people involved and discuss what they reveal about the past.

5. Categorise factors that led to, or shaped, the past.

6. Prioritize those factors during group work.

7. Agree on a grading matrix for answering a written question.

8. Read an example answer and look for what went well and even better if.

9. Try writing your own answer to the topic question.

This is a lesson in a large series of American History lessons created by Wolsey Academy. Each lesson has been taught to high-school students successfully for a number of years.

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We hope it helps.