In the year 10,000 BCE two Native American tribes settled in what is now called Manhattan. Following that, in 1524, French explorers discovered New York State and allowed the Dutch colonies to retrieve the area in 1609. In 1664 England purchased the island of Manhattan and transformed it into a major trading port for the 13 original colonies. New York City then became an area of great population and diversity. In the early 18th century, New York City was still owned by the British, but immigrants from the Netherlands, England, France, and Germany all took residence there as well as African slaves who were typically all indentured servants at the time. By 1740 approximately 500 out of 2,500 residents of New York were slaves. The people whom were not slaves feared that African Americans were plotting to burn down the city. Subsequently, in 1765 Parliament passed the Stamp Act, which was considered to be the first organized act of resistant towards British authority. Although George Washington’s Continental Army was based in Brooklyn and Harlem Heights, New York City, Manhattan was given to the British and used as a British military base until 1783 (“New York City”). During the time that the British controlled New York City, the area was greatly damaged twice by fires. These fires were believed to have started by the British military role and the British began to keep American prisoners of war in prisons across from the East River in Brooklyn. In these prisons, more Americans lost their lives than those who had died in every battle of the war combined. But on November 25, 1783 occupancy of New York State was given back to the Americans. After the Americans regained control New York City and World War I ended, the metropolis was recovered quickly and was once again used as one of the most important ports in the United States. It was especially important to the