Treaty of Hartford (1650) facts for kids
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The Treaty of Hartford was an important agreement made between the Dutch colony of New Netherland and the English Connecticut Colony on September 19, 1650. It was signed in a town called Hartford, Connecticut. This treaty helped to set the borders between their lands in America.
Why Was the Treaty Needed?
In 1650, the Dutch colony of New Netherland was feeling a lot of pressure. More and more English settlers were moving into areas near their borders. To solve these arguments over land, the leader of New Netherland, a man named Peter Stuyvesant, traveled to Hartford. His goal was to talk with the governor of the English Connecticut colony, Edward Hopkins, and agree on a clear border.
What the Treaty Decided
During the talks, Peter Stuyvesant agreed to give up some land claims that the Dutch had in Connecticut. The Dutch had claimed land all along the Connecticut River and even further east. In return, he wanted a clear border for the Dutch lands on Long Island.
They decided on a border line in Connecticut that would be about 50 Dutch miles west of the mouth of the Connecticut River. For Long Island, they drew a line starting from the westernmost part of Oyster Bay and going south through what is now Nassau County, New York. The treaty was officially signed on September 19.
This agreement mostly just made official what was already happening. The Dutch had mostly settled around the Hudson River. They only had a few trading posts on the Connecticut River, like Fort Hoop (which later became Hartford). Meanwhile, many English settlers from New England had moved into the Connecticut River Valley, along the coast of Long Island Sound, and onto eastern Long Island.
What Happened After the Treaty?
Even though the Dutch West India Company in Europe approved the treaty, the English government did not. They believed all Dutch claims in North America were not real. However, in America, the agreement worked well. It stayed in place even after the English took over New Netherland in 1664.
In fact, the borders we see today between Connecticut and New York are very similar to the lines drawn in 1650. The same goes for the border between Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island. This shows how important the Treaty of Hartford was for shaping the map of these areas.
