Delaware History Guide

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Long before European settlers arrived, this was the ancestral homeland of many Algonquian Indian tribes. The Lenape lived along the Delaware River; English settlers later called them the "Delaware." The Nanticoke lived along the Nanticoke River in the southwestern part of the state.

In 1610, an English ship sailed into the Delaware Bay from the colony of Virginia. Captain Samuel Argail named the bay after Virginia's governor, Lord De La Warr. The bay, river, and land surrounding the region became known as Delaware. The Dutch were the first Europeans to settle in present-day Delaware by establishing a trading post at Zwaanendael, near the site of Lewes in 1631. Within a year all the settlers were killed in a dispute with area Indian tribes.

In 1638, the Swedes established a permanent colony at Fort Christina (now Wilmington), and a few additional forts along the Delaware Bay. By 1655, the Dutch took control of the upstart Swedish colony, incorporating it into their Colony of New Netherlands. Thirteen years later, the Dutch, reinvigorated by the leadership of Peter Stuyvesant, established a new fort in 1651 at present-day New Castle, and in 1655 they took over the entire Swedish colony, incorporating it into the Dutch New Netherland.

In 1644, England seized New Netherland and Delaware became part of the colony of New York. In 1681, William Penn was granted land from England, that included Delaware, and established the colony of Pennsylvania. Delaware then became known as the Three Lower Counties, because of its position down the Delaware River from Pennsylvania. As the population in Pennsylvania's counties grew, representation became unequal for the Three Lower Counties. As a result, in 1704 Delaware was given its own legislature, but continued with Pennsylvania governors until the Revolutionary War.

William Penn

Many colonial settlers came to Delaware from Maryland and Virginia, which had been experiencing a population boom. The economies of these colonies were chiefly based on tobacco culture and were increasingly dependent on slave labor for its intensive cultivation. Most of the English colonists arrived as indentured servants, hiring themselves out as laborers for a fixed period to pay for their passage. In the early years the line between indentured servants and African slaves or laborers was fluid. Most of the free African-American families in Delaware before the Revolution had migrated from Maryland to find more affordable land. They were descendants chiefly of relationships or marriages between servant white women and enslaved, servant or free African or African-American men. As the flow of indentured laborers to the colony decreased with improving economic conditions in England, more slaves were imported for labor. Although attempts to abolish slavery failed by narrow margins in the legislature, in practical terms, the state had mostly ended the practice. By the 1860 census 91.7 percent of the black population, or nearly 20,000 people, was free.

Caesar Rodney

On July 1, 1776, Caesar Rodney, Delaware patriot leader and member of that Continental Congress, was in Dover at an important meeting. There he was informed that the upcoming vote on the Declaration of Independence would surely be deadlocked. To break that tie, Rodney rode his horse eighty miles that night to Philadelphia - arriving as the voting was just beginning. In the end he cast the deciding vote in favor of America's independence.

When the Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia, Delaware not only declared itself free from the British Empire, but also formed its own government, one separate from Pennsylvania. On December 7, 1787, Delaware, was the first state to ratify the United States Constitution - thus becoming the "First State." In 1792, Delaware adopted a new state constitution and changed its name to the State of Delaware.

In the early 1900's, in what would prove to be a clever, landmark decision, the state dramatically lowered its corporate tax, making it much easier (and more profitable) to open a business in Delaware. In response, numerous corporations opened and the additional tax monies generated helped the state improve its educational and transportation systems.

During the Great Depression (1929-1939), thousands of Delawareans lost their jobs. The federal government provided jobs building roads and parks. World War II (1939-1945) also helped end the Depression. Delaware provided soldiers, ships and gunpowder. Du Pont chemist Wallace Carothers discovered nylon in 1938, which was then used to produce parachutes.

Although a southern state, Delaware began desegregation of schools before the Supreme Court ruled segregation in public schools unconstitutional in 1954. In 1950, black students were allowed to attend the University of Delaware. By 1952, black and white students began attending the same high schools. All segregation of restaurants and public facilities ended in 1963. Many black people moved to Delaware during this time; several settled in Wilmington.

Delaware's economy grew rapidly during the mid-20th century; new bridges and highways were built; large international companies moved in; tens of thousands of jobs were created and the population exploded. Today over 50% of US publicly-traded corporations and almost 60% of Fortune 500 companies are now incorporated within its borders.

Delaware Famous People

Richard Allen (1760 - 1831) Founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Valerie Bertinelli (1960 - ) Actress married to heavy metal guitarist Eddie Van Halen, born in Wilmington.
Robert Montgomery Bird (1805 - 1854) Playwright, author, born in New Castle.
Annie Jump Cannon (1863 - 1941) Astronomer, born in Dover.
Eleuthère Irénée du Pont (1771 - 1834) Industrialist and founder of the DuPont Company; lived on a farm on the banks of the Brandywine River.
Henry Heimlich (1920 - ) Surgeon and inventor, developed the Heimlich Maneuver to save choking victims; born in Wilmington.
Teri Polo (1969 - ) Actress, famous for roles in movies such as Aspen Extreme and Meet the Parents; born in Dover.
Howard Pyle(1853 - 1911) Artist, author; born in Wilmington.
George Read (1734 - 1798) Jurist, signer of Declaration of Independence; lived in the county of Newcastle.
Caesar Rodney (1730 - 1783) Patriot, signer of Declaration of Independence; lived in Kent county.
Elisabeth Shue (1963 - ) Actress, famous for roles in movies like The Karate Kid and Leaving Las Vegas; born in Wilmington.

Delaware History Timeline

(1609) Englishman, Henry Hudson, discovered Delaware Bay, River

(1610) English sea captain, Samuel Argall, named bay and river after Lord De La Warr, Virginia governor

(1613) Explorer, Cornelius Jacobsen May, arrived in area, traded with Indians

(1631) Dutch colonists established Zwaanendael (present day Lewes)

(1632) Zwaanendael destroyed by Indians; all colonists killed

(1638) Dutch settlers, led by Peter Minuet, established Fort Christina, (now Wilmington)

(1639) First African slave brought to Delaware

(1644) England seized area, Delaware became part of New York colony

(1651) Peter Stuyvesant, New York Governor, established Fort Casimir

(1654) Fort Casimir captured by Swedish colonists, renamed Fort Trinity

(1655) Dutch captured all New Sweden, made part of New Netherland

(1664) Sir Robert Carr of England, drove Dutch out of Delaware, claimed land for James, Duke of York; Delaware became English colony

(1673) Dutch regained control

(1674) Dutch returned land to England

(1682) James, Duke of York, gave control of Delaware Colony to William Penn; Penn made it part of the colony of Pennsylvania, and established a representative form of government

(1683) Penn laid out city plan of Dover

(1698 - 1700) Pirates, including Captain Kidd, sailed along Delaware

(1701) Delaware region became known as Three Lower Counties, a separate legislature from Pennsylvania

(1704) First assembly of Three Lower Counties Upon Delaware met in New Castle

(1731) Willington founded by Thomas Willing

(1739) Willington renamed Wilmington

(1754 - 1763) French and Indian War took place

(1763) French and Indian War ended; Great Britain gained control of all lands held by France; England increased taxes on colonies to pay for war

(1764) Charles Mason, Jeremiah Dixon surveyed western boundary of Delaware

(1765) Stamp Act Congress held in protest of English taxation, Caesar Rodney and Thomas McKean represented Delaware

(1774) Delaware sent Caesar Rodney, Thomas McKean, George Read to First Continental Congress

(1775) Revolutionary War began

(1776) Delaware Assembly declared independence from England; Caesar Rodney, suffering from cancer and asthma, rode from Dover to Philadelphia to cast vote for independence; Three Lower Counties adopted constitution, became Delaware State

(1777) John McKinley became first governor of Delaware; Delaware signed Articles of Confederation; British troops marched across Delaware to Philadelphia; American troops retreated from British at Coochs Bridge; British occupied Wilmington; capital moved from New Castle to Dover

(1779) Delaware Assembly ratified Articles of Confederation

(1784) Thomas Coke, Francis Asbury established Methodist Church as separate denomination in U.S.

(1787) Delaware ratified U. S. Constitution; became nation's first state

(1788 - 1789) Abolitionist societies established in Wilmington, Dover

(1792) Second state constitution adopted; name changed to State of Delaware; public school fund established by state legislature; State House in Dover completed

(1798) British ship, DeBraak, sunk off Lewes; yellow fever epidemic spread to Wilmington

(1802) DuPont gunpowder mill established along Brandywine River near Wilmington

(1807) President Thomas Jefferson named Caesar Rodney U. S. Attorney General

(1812 - 1814) War of 1812 took place

(1814) Captain Thomas MacDonough of Delaware, defeated British on Lake Champlain (war's turning point); James Bayard of Delaware one of the signers of Treaty of Ghent ending War of 1812

(1828) Steamboat line between New Castle and Philadelphia opened

(1829) Delaware Canal opened; state legislature established public education system

(1832) Delaware adopted third state constitution; first peach orchard planted

(1838) Philadelphia, Wilmington, Baltimore Railroad opened

(1844) America's first iron-hulled propeller steamship, the Bangor, launched at Wilmington

(1847) Proposed Senate act to abolish slavery defeated by one vote

(1855) State-wide prohibition law enacted

(1857) Prohibition law repealed

(1861 - 1865) Civil War occurred; more than 12,000 troops from Delaware joined Union Army; a few hundred joined Confederate Army

(1861) Delaware rejected invitation to join Confederacy; troops from Philadelphia garrisoned at Fort Delaware

(1862) Delaware troops distinguished themselves at Battle of Antietam; because of their reputation as fighters, they were nicknamed "Blue Hens" due to bluish cocks they had with them during campaigns

(1863) Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Lincoln; slaves not freed as Delaware fought for Union

(1865) 13th Amendment to U. S. Constitution abolished slavery; Delaware freed slaves

(1868) Delaware legislature voted against 14th Amendment to U. S. Constitution which guaranteed equal protection for all races

(1869) First women's suffrage convention held in Delaware

(1870) Delaware legislature voted against 15th Amendment to U. S. Constitution, which gave blacks right to vote

(1875) Separate schools and funding for white children, African-American children established

(1885) Thomas Bayard appointed Secretary of State

(1887) Steel-hulled racing yacht built in Wilmington, The Volunteer, won America's Cup

(1889) Punishing of women at whipping post or pillory prohibited by law

(1891) Delmar nearly destroyed by fire

(1893) Thomas F. Bayard appointed first U. S. Ambassador to Great Britain; in boundary dispute with Maryland, Delaware received land - "the Wedge"

(1897) Present state constitution adopted

(1901) 13th, 14th, 15th Constitutional Amendments ratified by legislature

(1907) State licensed first automobile; Emily Bissell introduced Christmas Seal

(1910) Battleship USS Delaware commissioned

(1911 - 1924) T. Coleman DuPont built highway running length of state, gave to State of Delaware

(1911) Upton Sinclair, ten others arrested for violating Sunday blue law by playing tennis and baseball

(1915) Child Labor Law enacted

(1917 - 1918) Approximately 10,000 Delawareans served in World War I

(1934) U. S. Supreme Court confirmed Delaware's right to control Delaware River

(1935) Dr. Wallace Carothers discovered first synthetic fiber at DuPont Experimental Station

(1939) DuPont opened nylon plant in Seaford; exhibited nylon stockings at World Fairs in San Francisco, New York

(1941 - 1945) Approximately 30,000 Delaware men and women served in World War II

(1942) Air bases created at New Castle, Dover

(1950) University of Delaware ordered to end segregation by Delaware Court of Chancery

(1951) First span of Delaware Bridge opened between Delaware and New Jersey

(1963) Delaware General Assembly outlawed racial segregation in public places; President John F. Kennedy opened Delaware Turnpike

(1968) Riots broke out in Wilmington after assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.; National Guard occupied city for ten months; second span of Delaware Bridge opened

(1969) Legislature passed bill ending discrimination in rental or sale of housing; Richard Petty won first NASCAR-sanctioned race at Dover Downs

(1975) Former Negro League baseball player, William "Judy" Johnson became state's first player elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame

(1978) Daniel Nathans won Nobel Prize in Medicine for work with molecular hormones; Delaware began busing children from inner-city neighborhoods to Wilmington suburbs, helped establish integrated busing across U.S.

(1980) State adopted constitutional limit restricting government spending to 95% of expected revenue

(1995) Legislature approved use of slot machines at Dover Downs, Harrington and Delaware Park

(1999) Delaware native, Jacqueline Jones, won MacArthur Genius Award

(2000) Ruth Ann Minner elected first woman governor of Delaware

(2002) Ban on smoking in public places took effect; Delaware suffered from drought

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