Delaware

In 1631 the Dutch from New Nether land founded a settlement in what is now Delaware, but it proved temporary. In 1638 the Swedish West India Company settled a colony on the site of Wilmington. The colony of New Sweden, lying along the shores of Delaware River and Bay, became involved in quarrels with the neighboring settlements of the Dutch, who claimed the region. In 1655 Governor ww Stuyvesant conquered the region for the Dutch. In 1664 it fell, with all New Nether land, into the hands of the English. William Penn in 1682 obtained po e ion of what is now Delaware, and for twenty years it was governed as a part of Pennsylvania, except from 1691 to 1693. In 1703 the “‘ territories ’’ or ‘‘ three lower counties on the Delaware ”’ obtained recognition as a separate colony, with an a embly of its own, though the proprietary always appointed the same man Governor of both Pennsylvania and Delaware. Delaware framed its first Constitution as a State in 1776. On December 7, 1787, Delaware ratified the Constitution of the United States, and was the first State to do so. The vote in convention was unanimous. In 1792 a second State Constitution was established. That of 1831, the last made, differs little from this. Up to 1850 the State was usually Federalist and Whig, since then it has usually been Democratic. Though a slave State it took no part in sece ion. The population, which in 1790 was 59,096, inIg900 was 184,735. 214