The Bacon Bringers

The Dutch first came to America in 1609 under the command of the English captain Henry Hudson. They arrived on the Dutch East India Company vessel De Halve Maen and mapped out what we now know as the Hudson River. In 1614 Dutch Merchants established a trading post at Fort Orange building the ground for more immigrants to come to the United States. Almost ten years later, thirty families came from Holland to establish the settlement that is known as New Netherland. This trading company established trading rights to the Dutch West India Company expanding even more immigrants pouring into the states; later they established a large settlement on Manhattan Island. That land was purchased by Peter Minuit from Native Americans in 1626 for $24 worth of trinkets, beads, and knives (24 dollars?!).

The amount of Dutch immigrants gradually grew, and they founded New Amsterdam (today`s New York). The Dutch opened America`s eyes into various different settlements and founded some of our largest states and cities today.

The Dutch are definitely not as boring as this article. The Dutch are the tallest people in the world! With their average height of 184 cm for men and 170 cm for women, they surpass all other ethnicities. And as your enjoying your daily cup of coffee, have 2.2 more and join the Dutch. They love their coffee! After Scandinavians, the Dutch are the world`s biggest coffee drinkers. The Dutch drink no less than 140 liters of coffee a year on average. Almost 3.2 cups a day! Time to catch up. Also, where would we be without the 70% of the world`s bacon that comes from the Netherlands, huh? That`s right, nowhere.

The Dutch are just so interesting that they need another paragraph. One of their famous dishes contains a herring topped with raw onions and pickles. It`s their national dish, sounds delicious
right? Maybe not. But in the Netherlands a person consumes almost five full fish a year! Also, if you loveeee to ride your bicycle, there are specially designated “fietspaden” or bike paths all over the country that pedestrians cannot legally walk on. And get this: about 30% of all Dutch births happen at home because of their large network of midwives.

So there you have it, these tall, coffee-drinking, fish-eating people came to America and brought 70% of our bacon and founded New York and the Hudson River. Such great accomplishments. Where would we be without the descent of the Dutch?