History of New York - Pre-colonial Period

Pre-colonial Period

In 1524, Giovanni da Verrazzano, an Italian explorer in the service of the French crown, explored the Atlantic coast of North America between the Carolinas and Newfoundland, including New York Harbor and Narragansett Bay. On April 17, 1524 Verrazanno entered New York Bay, by way of the Strait now called the Narrows into the northern bay which he baptised Santa Margherita in honour of the King of France’s sister. Verrazzano described it as "a vast coastline with a deep delta in which every kind of ship could pass" and he adds: "that it extends inland for a league and opens up to form a beautiful lake. This vast sheet of water swarmed with native boats". He landed on the tip of Manhattan and perhaps on the furthest point of Long Island. Verrazanno’s stay in this magnificent place was interrupted by a storm which pushed him north towards Martha’s Vineyard.

Esteban Gomez was a Portuguese captain commissioned by Charles I of Spain to find a northern passage to the Spice Islands. In 1525 he sailed a caravel, "La Anunciada", north from Cuba to Nova Scotia. During this voyage he entered New York Harbor and the Hudson River (which he named the "San Antonio River").

In 1535, Jacques Cartier, a French explorer of Breton origin became the first European to describe and map the Saint Lawrence River, sailing as far as the site of the present day city of Montreal. Jacques Cartier State Park is located in Saint Lawrence County, New York on the south bank of the St. Lawrence River.

In 1609, Samuel de Champlain, the "Father of New France" became the first European to map Lake Champlain.