Why was New Amsterdam renamed New York City?
When New York City was founded as a Dutch colony, it was given a Dutch name. It was named after Amsterdam, the Dutch capitol. When it was captured in war the English gave it an English name. In this case it honored the Duke of York. The Duke of York, who was later King James II, was granted the land by his brother King Charles II. The Duke was also Lord High Admiral and had commanded the English fleets during the two wars with the Dutch. Albany, which was Ft Orange under the Dutch, was named after another of Jame’s titles, the Duke of Albany. The Dutch founding of New York is not forgotten by many New Yorkers. It is still reflected in two of the five borough names, the Bronx and Staten Island, and many smaller place names. It is also reflected in the city flag, which resembles the old Dutch flag with the New York seal added. There is a sports team called the Knickerbockers, another old Dutch reference. Nevertheless, it was under the British that New York grew into a major c
