History

Europeans first settled in a Dutch trading post at “Zwaanendael” (present-day Lewes) in 1631. The area became New Sweden with a colony established by Swedes around Fort Christina (now Wilmington) in 1638. It was taken over by the Dutch colony of New Netherland in 1655. English control began in 1664.

Posession of the “three counties” of Delaware was disputed between the colonies of New York and Maryland. They were eventually appended to William Penn’s grant in 1682. Delaware Colony was separated from Pennsylvania Colony in 1704; however, it did not have its own governor.

The area now known as “Delaware” had no official name before 1776; it was administered by the proprietors of Pennsylvania Colony as part of their jurisdiction, even though it had a separate local assembly and courts.

The American Revolution

During the American Revolution the colony declared independence from British rule and the three counties became “The Delaware State”. The state was named after the Delaware River, which in turn was named for Thomas West, the Lord de la Warr, an early governor of Virginia Colony.

Delaware is known by the name First State as it was the first of the initial 13 colonies to ratify the United States Constitution on December 7, 1787.

In 1792 Delaware adopted its first constitution, declaring itself to be the “State of Delaware.” Its first governors went by the title of “President of the Delaware State”.

The Civil War

During the American Civil War almost a century later, Delaware was a slave state that remained in the Union. Two months before the end of the Civil War, however, Delaware voted on February 18, 1865 to reject the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and so voted unsuccessfully to continue slavery beyond the Civil War. Delaware finally ratified the amendment on February 12, 1901 — 40 years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.

State Symbols

Colonial blue and buff are Delaware’s official state colors. The sheaf of wheat, ear of corn, and the ox on the state seal symbolize the farming activities of early Delaware. The official state song is “Our Delaware”, with words by George Hynson and music by William Brown.