
Where did the Dutch settle in New York?
The colony of New Netherland was established by the Dutch West India Company in 1624 and grew to encompass all of present-day New York City and parts of Long Island, Connecticut and New Jersey. A successful Dutch settlement in the colony grew up on the southern tip of Manhattan Island and was christened New Amsterdam.
What was the first settlement in North America?
Verrazzano Discovering the Hudson River In 1609, the first settlements in North America by the Dutch were established. These settlements were in the area north of what is now known as New York City. The settlement was called New Netherland and was a settlement and fur trading center in the new world.
When was the first European settlement in New York City?
European settlement began with the founding of a Dutch fur trading post in Lower Manhattan at the southern tip of Manhattan in 1624-1625. Soon thereafter, most likely in 1626, construction of Fort Amsterdam began.
What is the history of New York City?
History of New York City. European settlement began with the Dutch in 1609. The "Sons of Liberty" destroyed British authority in New York City, and the Stamp Act Congress of representatives from throughout the Thirteen Colonies met in the city in 1765 to organize resistance to British policies.
Where did the Dutch settle?
How many slaves were there in New York City in the 1740s?
What was the Erie Canal?
How did the law change in the 1760s?
Why did New York become an economic center?
How did the colony benefit from the Bolting Act of 1678?
Why were beavers important to New York?
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Who originally settled what is now the city of New York?
The DutchThe Dutch first settled along the Hudson River in 1624; two years later they established the colony of New Amsterdam on Manhattan Island. In 1664, the English took control of the area and renamed it New York.
What colony was New York part of?
The colony was one of the Middle Colonies, and ruled at first directly from England. When the Duke of York ascended to the throne of England as James II, the province became a royal colony....Province of New YorkStatusColony of England (1664–1707) Colony of Great Britain (1707–1776)CapitalNew York31 more rows
Why was New York settled in the first place?
In 1626, Peter Minuit, Governor of the Dutch West India Company bought the island of Manhattan from Native Americans for 24 dollars and founded a colony called New Amsterdam. The colony developed a profitable fur trade in the region with the Native American tribes.
What was New York called before NYC?
Following its capture, New Amsterdam's name was changed to New York, in honor of the Duke of York, who organized the mission. The colony of New Netherland was established by the Dutch West India Company in 1624 and grew to encompass all of present-day New York City and parts of Long Island, Connecticut and New Jersey.
When did New York City become a city?
New York City traces its origins to a trading post founded on the southern tip of Manhattan Island by Dutch colonists in approximately 1624. The settlement was named New Amsterdam (Dutch: Nieuw Amsterdam) in 1626 and was chartered as a city in 1653.
Why did the Dutch settle in New York?
Colonists arrived in New Netherland from all over Europe. Many fled religious persecution, war, or natural disaster. Others were lured by the promise of fertile farmland, vast forests, and a lucrative trade in fur.
What was New York called by the Dutch?
Welcome to New Amsterdam In 1625, Dutch settlers founded Nieuw-Amsterdam as the capital of Nieuw-Nederland on the island of Manna-hata, which according to the Native Americans meant "island of many hills." An Englishmen working for the Dutch turned the Native American name into Manhattan.
Was New York a New England colony?
The New England colonies were the northernmost of the colonies: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The other nine colonies were New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware (the Middle colonies) and Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia (the Southern colonies).
Is New York a middle colony?
The middle colonies included Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Delaware.
Was New York a royal colony?
New York became a Royal Colony in 1685. In July 1664, the Duke of York granted proprietaries to John, Lord Berkeley, and Sir George Carteret.
What were the 13 colonies in order?
The Thirteen Colonies gave rise to eighteen present-day states: the original thirteen states (in chronological order of their ratification of the United States Constitution: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North ...
History of New York City (1665–1783) - Wikipedia
The English had renamed the colony the Province of New York, after the king's brother James, Duke of York and on June 12, 1665, appointed Thomas Willett the first of the Mayors of New York.The city grew northward and remained the largest and most important city in the Province of New York, becoming the third largest in the British Empire after London and Philadelphia.
The Short History of New York
The American Revolution started when New York together with other 12 colonial blocks decided to rebel against the British Empire. Shortly before this famous war, the Sons of Liberty were formed to protect against the Stamp Act, an internal tax levied directly on various settlers and colonists by the British government.
Timeline of New York City - Wikipedia
1524 – Giovanni da Verrazzano, the first European to see New York Harbor arrives and names it Nouvelle-Angoulême. 1613 – Juan (Jan) Rodriguez became the first documented non-Native American to live on Manhattan Island. He is considered the first immigrant, the first person of African heritage, the first person of European heritage, the first merchant, the first Latino, and the first ...
A History of New York City - Local Histories
Central Park. Prospect Park was laid out in 1867. Bryant Park was laid out in 1884. It was named after the poet William Cullen Bryant (1794-1878).
What was New York named after?
In 1664, England renamed the colony New York, after the Duke of York and Albany, brother of King Charles II. New York City gained prominence in the 18th century as a major trading port in the Thirteen Colonies . New York played a pivotal role during the American Revolution and subsequent war.
Who discovered New York?
European discovery of New York was led by the Italian Giovanni da Verrazzano in 1524 followed by the first land claim in 1609 by the Dutch. As part of New Netherland, the colony was important in the fur trade and eventually became an agricultural resource thanks to the patroon system.
What was the role of New York City in the American Revolution?
New York played a pivotal role during the American Revolution and subsequent war. The Stamp Act Congress in 1765 brought together representatives from across the Thirteen Colonies to form a unified response to British policies. The Sons of Liberty were active in New York City to challenge British authority. After a major loss at the Battle of Long Island, the Continental Army suffered a series of additional defeats that forced a retreat from the New York City area, leaving the strategic port and harbor to the British army and navy as their North American base of operations for the rest of the war. The Battle of Saratoga was the turning point of the war in favor of the Americans, convincing France to formally ally with them. New York's constitution was adopted in 1777, and strongly influenced the United States Constitution. New York City was the national capital at various times between 1785 and 1790, where the Bill of Rights was drafted. Albany became the permanent state capital in 1797. In 1787, New York became the eleventh state to ratify the United States Constitution .
What was the main entry point for European immigrants to the United States during the 19th century?
Thereafter, the state helped create the industrial age and consequently was home to some of the first labor unions . During the 19th century, New York City became the main entry point for European immigrants to the United States, beginning with a wave of Irish during their Great Famine.
Why was the New York State Thruway called Dewey's ditch?
The project was unpopular with New York City Democrats, who referred to it as "Dewey's ditch" and the "enemy of schools", because the Thruway disproportionately benefited upstate. The highway was based on the German Autobahn and was unlike anything seen at that point in the United States. It was within 30 miles (50 km) of 90% of the population at its conception. Costing $600 million, the full 427-mile (687 km) project opened in 1956.
How did the canal affect New York City?
Its impact was enormous: one source stated, "Linking the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes, the canal was an act of political will that joined the regions of the state, created a vast economic hinterland for New York City, and established a ready market for agricultural products from the state's interior.".
When was New York City the capital of the United States?
New York City was the national capital at various times between 1785 and 1790, where the Bill of Rights was drafted. Albany became the permanent state capital in 1797. In 1787, New York became the eleventh state to ratify the United States Constitution .
When did New Amsterdam become the capital of the United States?
In 1664, New Amsterdam passed to English control, and English and Dutch settlers lived together peacefully. In 1673, there was a short interruption of English rule when the Netherlands temporary regained the settlement. In 1674, New York was returned to the English, and in 1686 it became the first city in the colonies to receive a royal charter. After the American Revolution, it became the first capital of the United States.
Why was New Amsterdam changed to New York?
Following its capture, New Amsterdam’s name was changed to New York, in honor of the Duke of York, who organized the mission. The colony of New Netherland was established by the Dutch West India Company in 1624 and grew to encompass all of present-day New York City and parts of Long Island, Connecticut and New Jersey.
What was the name of the Dutch colony in New Amsterdam?
A successful Dutch settlement in the colony grew up on the southern tip of Manhattan Island and was christened New Amsterdam. To legitimatize Dutch claims to New Amsterdam, Dutch governor Peter Minuit formally purchased Manhattan from the local tribe from which it derives it name in 1626.
Who was the demagogue who bought legislators like sacks of potatoes?
Senator Huey Long is shot in the Louisiana state capitol building. He died about 30 hours later. Called a demagogue by critics, the populist leader was a larger-than-life figure who boasted that he bought legislators “like sacks of potatoes, shuffled them like a deck of cards.” ...read more
Who established the Seato?
SEATO established. Having been directed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to put together an alliance to contain any communist aggression in the free territories of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, or Southeast Asia in general, Secretary of State John Foster Dulles forges an agreement establishing a ...read more.
Who was the Dutch governor of New Amsterdam?
New Amsterdam becomes New York. Dutch Governor Peter Stuyvesant surrenders New Amsterdam, the capital of New Netherland, to an English naval squadron under Colonel Richard Nicolls. Stuyvesant had hoped to resist the English, but he was an unpopular ruler, and his Dutch subjects refused to rally around him. Following its capture, New Amsterdam’s ...
What was the Dutch settlement that later became New York?
New Amsterdam: the Dutch settlement that later became New York. Back in their glory days, the Dutch were busy going around the globe, stealing spices and resources, and creating outposts so they could steal more spices and resources more easily (true efficiency). As part of their globe-trotting adventures, the Dutch found themselves on ...
When did New York get renamed?
The Dutch capitulated and New Amsterdam got renamed New York in 1665, after the Duke of York. During the Third Anglo-Dutch War in 1673, the Dutch managed to occupy the city again and renamed it New Orange. However, with the Treaty of Westminster in 1674, the city was given back to the Brits, who renamed it again, back to New York.
What was New Amsterdam like in 1664?
New Amsterdam as seen in 1664. Image: Geheugen van Nederland /Wikimedia Commons/ Public domain. Another interesting fact about the city at the time is that it was extensively documented, compared to other new settlements in the New World. A detailed layout of the city was captured in cartography called the Castello Plan.
What river was used to establish trade and protect the area?
The mouth of the Hudson River provided the ideal strategic outpost to establish trade and protect the area. As such, Fort Amsterdam was built in 1624. By 1626, the Dutch purchased Manhattan from the Native Americans in the area.
Where did the Castello Plan take place?
By cross-referencing with archival information from the time, it’s possible to determine who lived in each house. The Castello Plan — the area where New Amsterdam used to be and where the financial district in Manhattan is nowadays. Image: John Wolcott Adams /Wikimedia Commons/ Public domain.
What is the name of the settlement that was built around the Fort?
The area around the fort eventually developed into a settlement called New Amsterdam, which served as the predecessor to modern-day New York.
Why did the Dutch establish a fort in Manhattan?
There, they initially established a fort called Amsterdam, in order to defend their fur trade business in the area, as well as to secure a strategic position at the mouth of the Hudson River. The area around the fort eventually developed ...
What was the name of the settlement in the New World?
The settlement was called New Netherland and was a settlement and fur trading center in the new world. In 1621, the West India Trading Company was formed by the Dutch government and given the task of expanding the presence in the area. The company expanded north to create Fort Orange / Beverwijck, which is now known as Albany ...
When was New York City discovered?
The story of New York City goes back to 1524 when Giovanni da Verrazzano discovered New York harbor for the first time. Verrazzano was on an exploration journey of the coast of the new world when he came upon the harbor. During the logs of his trip it was noted that he found a great stream of water, which later was known as the Hudson River.
What were the two new settlements?
The two new settlements proved to become very busy trade areas. The north was an important fur trading area, and the south with its location on the water became an important port for trade. New Amsterdam started to become an important port and started doing business with many trade partners.
What is New York City known for?
When we think of New York City, what comes to mind is a huge, metropolitan city with millions of citizens. It is also the capital of the financial world with Wall Street, the stock markets, and the corporate headquarters of some of the largest companies in the world.
When did the Dutch claim New Amsterdam?
While the Dutch were pleased with the settlement, and New Amsterdam was thriving by the time the mid-1600’s arrived, in 1664 , the British claimed the territory as their own. New Amsterdam, soon to become New York City, and New Netherlands soon to become New York State, became one of the thirteen colonies under British control.
Which countries were interested in New Amsterdam?
However, due to it being a popular location, it was also the target of other countries. The British, Spanish, and French were among the countries that would have liked to have the ideal location for a port. While the Dutch were pleased with the settlement, and New Amsterdam was thriving by the time the mid-1600’s arrived, in 1664, the British claimed the territory as their own. New Amsterdam, soon to become New York City, and New Netherlands soon to become New York State, became one of the thirteen colonies under British control.
What was the name of the city that Verrazzano discovered?
Verrazzano Discovers New York Harbor. The Voyage of Verrazzano. Written Record of the Verrazzano Voyage of 1524. Verrazzano Discovering the Hudson River. In 1609, the first settlements in North America by the Dutch were established. These settlements were in the area north of what is now known as New York City.
How did European colonization affect North America?
European colonization completely changed the cultural landscape of North America. In 1492 CE, Columbus made contact with what are now the Bahamas, Cuba, and the island of Hispaniola, spurring Spanish and Portuguese colonization of the Americas. The term “Indian” was actually originally used by Columbus who thought he had arrived in the East Indies, what we now refer to as East and Southeast Asia. Early French and English settlements were not successful, but over time, they too gained control of territory and founded permanent colonies. The easternmost indigenous groups were the first to experience the impacts of European invasion. Many were relocated, often forcibly, to the interior of North America to free up land for European settlement. Disease and war would have a devastating effect on the indigenous groups of the Americas. European settlers and explorers brought smallpox, measles, and cholera – diseases previously unknown to North America. In some areas, 90 percent of the indigenous population died.
What were the early colonies?
The early British colonies had highly specialized economies, not unlike the patterns seen in present-day North America. The New England colonies, around the Massachusetts Bay area, were centers of commerce. The Chesapeake Bay area of Virginia and Maryland had a number of tobacco plantations. In the Middle Atlantic, around New York, New Jersey, and eastern Pennsylvania, were a number of small, independent-farmer colonies. Further south, the Carolinas were home to large plantations cultivating crops like cotton.
How did the Native Americans get to America?
Most likely, early migrants to the Americas traveled from Asia through the Beringia land bridge that once connected Siberia and Alaska over 10,000 years ago. These indigenous peoples, known as First Nations in Canada or Native Americans in the United States, were divided into a number of different groups, some consisting only of a few small families and others encompassing vast territories and empires (Figure 4.2. 1 ). Some groups practiced hunting and gathering but many practiced settled agriculture. Before European contact, there were an estimated 50 million indigenous people living in North and South America.
What did the Spanish seek from the Spanish?
They sought resources like gold, the expansion of trade, and opportunities to spread the Roman Catholic faith to indigenous groups.
How did the colonists pay for slave labor?
These laborers paid to their passage to North America by agreeing to work for an employer under contract for a set number of years. These indentured servants often worked on farms, and once their contract expired, they were free to work on their own. Over half of all European immigrants to the Americas before the American Revolution were indentured servants.
Which country took Manhattan from the Dutch?
The British seize Manhattan from the Dutch—and alter the trajectory of North American history
What did Stuyvesant do to help the New England colony?
In addition to mediating between inhabitants and the company officials, Stuyvesant found himself begging Amsterdam for soldiers and ships to protect the colony from encroachment. Failing to get these, he negotiated treaties with the New England governors; his most trusted ally became Winthrop.
What did the Dutch do in the 1640s?
To deal with this diversity, the city’s elders formulated an official policy of tolerance , a genuine anomaly in Europe at the time. Along with tolerance, the Dutch also introduced 17th-century capitalism. The inhabitants were vigorous traders: carpenters, wheelwrights, and even prostitutes bought shares in shipments of goods being transported to the home country.
What was Charles II's plan for the American colonies?
But in London other plans were afoot. In the wake of the restoration of the Stuart monarchy, Charles II had set about reorganizing the American colonies. He intended to restrict the power of the Puritans and also to make a play for the Dutch colony. The Puritan Winthrop found the first part of this strategy hard to swallow. But he understood the new political reality, fell in line behind the king, and agreed to be an emissary for the crown. Charles granted his brother James, the Duke of York, title over the land that encompassed the Dutch colony. He sent a flotilla of four ships and 2,000 men.
What threatened the colonies?
The colony existed in a state of constant struggle. Indians threatened it, and so did the English. Thanks largely to the English Civil Wars, people had fled England in large numbers for the colonies in New England and Virginia, and as their numbers swelled they encroached on the boundaries of New Netherland.
Who was the Dutch colony governor who lost a leg in 1664?
Onshore, just outside the fort at the southern tip of Manhattan Island, stood Peter Stuyvesant, director-general of the Dutch colony of New Netherland, his 52-year-old frame balanced on the wooden stump where he had lost a leg in battle a quarter century earlier. Approaching him aboard a small rowboat flying a flag of truce was John Winthrop, governor of the Connecticut colony, until very recently a man Stuyvesant had called his friend.
When did New York sign the Declaration of Independence?
New York and the American Revolution. New York did not sign the Declaration of Independence until July 9, 1776, as they were waiting for approval from their colony. However, when George Washington read the Declaration of Independence in front of City Hall in New York City where he was leading his troops, a riot occurred.
Why did the English surrender New Amsterdam?
Their goal was to take over the town. However, New Amsterdam was known for its heterogeneous population and many of its inhabitants were not even Dutch. The English made them a promise to let them keep their commercial rights. Due to this, they surrendered the town without a fight.
Why was Fort Orange built in New York?
He had sailed up the Hudson River. By the following year, the Dutch began trading with Indigenous peoples. They created Fort Orange located at present-day Albany, New York, to increase profit and take the greater part of this lucrative fur trade with the Iroquois Confederacy.
What was the name of the map that was created in 1611?
Between 1611 and 1614, further explorations were explored and mapped in the New World. The resulting map was given the name, "New Netherland.". New Amsterdam was formed from the core of Manhattan, which had been purchased from Indigenous peoples by Peter Minuit for trinkets. This soon became the capital of New Netherland.
Why was the Albany Congress important?
Significant Events. The Albany Congress occurred at Albany, New York in 1754 to help unite the colonies for defense against the Iroquois Confederacy. The Federalist Papers were published in New York newspapers to sway voters to accept the new constitution. New York was the 11th state to ratify the Constitution.
Where did the Dutch settle?
The first Dutch fur trading posts and settlements were in 1614 near present -day Albany, New York, the same year that New Netherland first appeared on maps. Only in May 1624, the Dutch West India Company landed a number of families at Noten Eylant (today's Governors Island) off the southern tip of Manhattan at the mouth of the North River (today's Hudson River). Soon thereafter, most likely in 1626, construction of Fort Amsterdam began. Later, the Dutch West Indies Company imported African slaves to serve as laborers; they helped to build the wall that defended the town against English and Indian attacks. Early directors included Willem Verhulst and Peter Minuit. Willem Kieft became director in 1638 but five years later was embroiled in Kieft's War against the Native Americans. The Pavonia Massacre, across the Hudson River in present-day Jersey City, resulted in the death of 80 natives in February 1643. Following the massacre, Algonquian tribes joined forces and nearly defeated the Dutch. Holland sent additional forces to the aid of Kieft, leading to the overwhelming defeat of the Native Americans and a peace treaty on August 29, 1645.
How many slaves were there in New York City in the 1740s?
By the 1740s, 20% of the residents of New York were slaves, totaling about 2,500 people.
What was the Erie Canal?
The opening of the Erie Canal gave excellent steamboat connections with upstate New York and the Great Lakes, along with coastal traffic to lower New England, making the city the preeminent port on the Atlantic Ocean.
How did the law change in the 1760s?
By the 1760s, the situation had dramatically changed. Lawyers were essential to the rapidly growing international trade, dealing with questions of partnerships, contracts, and insurance. The sums of money involved were large, and hiring an incompetent lawyer was a very expensive proposition. Lawyers were now professionally trained, and conversant in an extremely complex language that combined highly specific legal terms and motions with a dose of Latin. Court proceedings became a baffling mystery to the ordinary layman. Lawyers became more specialized and built their reputation, and their fee schedule, on the basis of their reputation for success. But as their status, wealth and power rose, animosity grew even faster. By the 1750s and 1760s, there was a widespread attack ridiculing and demeaning the lawyers as pettifoggers (lawyers lacking sound legal skills). Their image and influence declined. The lawyers organized a bar association, but it fell apart in 1768 during the bitter political dispute between the factions based in the Delancey and Livingston families. A large fraction of the prominent lawyers were Loyalists; their clientele was often tied to royal authority or British merchants and financiers. They were not allowed to practice law unless they took a loyalty oath to the new United States of America. Many went to Britain or Canada (primarily to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia) after losing the war.
Why did New York become an economic center?
New York grew as an economic center, first as a result of Alexander Hamilton 's policies and practices as the first Secretary of the Treasury. In 1842, water was piped from a reservoir to supply the city for the first time.
How did the colony benefit from the Bolting Act of 1678?
The colony benefited from increased immigration from Europe and its population grew faster . The Bolting Act of 1678, whereby no mill outside the city was permitted to grind wheat or corn, boosted growth until its repeal in 1694, increasing the number of houses over the period from 384 to 983.
Why were beavers important to New York?
The beaver's importance in New York's history is reflected by its use on the city's official seal.

Overview
The history of New York begins around 10,000 B.C. when the first people arrived. By 1100 A.D. two main cultures had become dominant as the Iroquoian and Algonquian developed. European discovery of New York was led by the Italian Giovanni da Verrazzano in 1524 followed by the first land claim in 1609 by the Dutch. As part of New Netherland, the colony was important in the fur trade and eventually became an agricultural resource thanks to the patroon system. In 1626 the …
Prehistory
The first peoples of New York are estimated to have arrived around 10,000 BC. Around AD 800, Iroquois ancestors moved into the area from the Appalachian region. The people of the Point Peninsula complex were the predecessors of the Algonquian peoples of New York. By around 1100, the distinct Iroquoian-speaking and Algonquian-speaking cultures that would eventually be encountered by Europeans had developed. The five nations of the Iroquois League developed …
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 Verrazzano entered New York Bay, by way of the Strait now called the Narrows. He described "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 bea…
Dutch and British colonial period
On April 4, 1609, Henry Hudson, in the employ of the Dutch East India Company, departed Amsterdam in command of the ship Halve Maen (Half Moon). On September 3 he reached the estuary of the Hudson River. He sailed up the Hudson River to about Albany near the confluence of the Mohawk River and the Hudson. His voyage was used to establish Dutch claims to the region and to the fur trade that prospered there after a trading post was established at Albany in 1614.
Province of New York (1664–1776)
Thousands of poor German farmers, chiefly from the Palatine region of Germany, migrated to upstate districts after 1700. They kept to themselves, married their own, spoke German, attended Lutheran churches, and retained their own customs and foods. They emphasized farm ownership. Some mastered English to become conversant with local legal and business opportunities. They ignored the Indians and tolerated slavery (although few were rich enough to own a slave).
New York in the American Revolution
New York played a pivotal role in the Revolutionary War. The colony verged on revolt following the Stamp Act of 1765, advancing the New York City–based Sons of Liberty to the forefront of New York politics. The Act exacerbated the depression the province experienced after unsuccessfully invading Canada in 1760. Even though New York City merchants lost out on lucrative military contracts, the group sought common ground between the King and the people; however, compr…
Statehood to the Civil War
Upon war's end, New York's borders became well–defined: the counties east of Lake Champlain became Vermont and the state's western borders were settled by 1786.
Many Iroquois supported the British (typically fearing future American ambitions). Many were killed during the war; others went into exile with the British. Those remaining lived on twelve reservations; by 1826 only eight reservations remained, all of which survived into the 21st century.
New York in the American Civil War
A war was not in the best interest of business, because New York had strong ties to the Deep South, both through the port of New York and manufacture of cotton goods in upstate textile mills. Half of New York City's exports were related to cotton before the war. Southern businessmen so frequently traveled to the city that they established favorite hotels and restaurants. Trade was based on moving Southern goods. The city's large Democrat community feared the impact of Abra…