On this weeks’ show we will look at New York’s history as a colony, first under the Dutch when we were New Amsterdam, and then under the British when we became New York in 1664, right through the end of American Revolution New York City remained under British control until two years after the Revolutionary War ended. My guests will be journalist and best-selling writer Russell Shorto, author of The Island at the Center of the World,, and returning guest Jeremy Wilcox, founder and owner of Custom NYC Tours.

Segment 1

Jeff introduces his first guest Russel Short an author. Jeff asks what some of Russel’s earliest jobs were. After college, Russel got work writing travel articles, which landed him a job at GQ. Jeff asks about the process behind his first book, Gospel, which Russel wrote in 1995. Russel noticed the lack of books written about Dutch settlers’ history in New York, which started him on the path to writing his most recent book. Jeff asks Russel what made the Dutch settlers unique when they colonized New York. Russel talks about how the Dutch would adapt very easily to their new settlement and try to learn the ways of the locals. The settlement of New Amsterdam was most notable because it became a very cosmopolitan village for the settlers.

Segment 2

Jeff asks Russel about his upcoming book: A family in the mob. The book was inspired by his grandfather, who was a small-time mobster. Jeff asks Russel about the NY immigrant Adrian Vanderdonk who was essential in providing rights to the British colonies before the United States was even established. Vanderdonk was a lawyer and had a legalistic sensibility, and served as a sheriff for some settlements. Vanderdonk also had a municipal charter passed for New Amsterdam, which was a lengthy process considering New Amsterdam’s distance from the Netherlands.

Segment 3

Jeff introduces his next guest Jeremy Wilcox, founder, and owner of Custom NYC Tours. Jeremy founded his tour business because of his love of exploring NY neighborhoods. Jeff asks how the Dutch settlers treated the English representatives. It was not a smooth transition of power, but most Dutch settlers quickly went back to life as normal. After the English took over New York, the colonies were flooded with English and European immigrants. Jeff asks who John Peter Zengler, the founder of the New York Weekly Journal, was. As a journalist, he set the precedent of freedom of the press in America.

Segment 4

Jeff asks Jeremy how his tour business has adapted to the COVID-19 restrictions. Jeremy has developed new socially distanced and private tours that are available for everyone. Jeff asks Jeremy what New York was like right before the revolution. New York was interesting because it was the center of the British colonies, and the majority of the people living there were loyalists. Life was changed for the colonists when the British occupied New York; at first, patriots set fires in the city but were eventually driven out of the city. New York was also a hub for spies during the Revolutionary War.