Ben Franklin's world is a production of the

O'Mohandro Institute. Hello and welcome to episode 242 of Ben Franklin's world.

The podcast dedicated to helping you learn more about how the people and events of our early American past have shaped the present day world we live in.

And I'm your host, Liz Kovart.

Delaware has a really interesting past.

It was the ancestral home of the Lenape and Ithicoke peoples.

In the 17th century, these Native Americans were joined by European settlers who came from

Sweden, the Netherlands, England, and other European countries. Now, these settlers cross the Atlantic because they wanted to trade with Native Americans

and establish new homes among Delaware's rich forests, lush soils, and large coastline.

In fact, to really understand Delaware in its past, we must look at its geography.

Delaware is located on both the Appalachian Piedmont and Atlantic Coastal Plain.

These two regions are really distinctive and both have played

important roles in the development of Delaware's long agricultural traditions and its dual

identities as both the Northern and Southern Territory.

Plus, Delaware also holds the distinction of being the first state in the United States.

Now, all this really means we need to take some time to get to know Delaware and its early

American past better, which is why we'll be joined by David Young. David Young is

the Executive Director of the Delaware Historical Society. It's an organization

with a stated mission to preserve, explore, share, and promote

Delaware's rich history, heritage, and culture.

So as we make our way to and through Delaware's early American past, David reveals the work of the Delaware Historical

Society and its public historians. Details about the Native American peoples of Delaware

...