September 11, 1609

On THIS DATE IN TWISTED-HISTORY! in 1609 – Explorer Henry Hudson sailed into New York harbor and discovered Manhattan Island and the Hudson River. The Lenape Indians (also called the Delaware Indians) were a little surprised to learn that Hudson had just then discovered their river and named it after himself, but when they asked why he had that right, he responded, “See this? It’s called a musket. It fires a ball of lead very fast and when it hits a person’s body, it does a lot more damage than a spear or tomahawk.” The Lenape, after a couple of demonstrations of the muskets raw power on some of the more reticent Lenape leaders quickly agreed that Hudson River was so much easier to say and write than the forgotten name they’d used for these last 500 years.

About Joel Byers

Born in North Georgia and educated at some very fine public institutions. Real education started after graduating from college and then getting married and raising two boys. Has the ability to see the funny and absurd in most things and will always remark on it, even if it means getting the stink-eye from his victims.
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