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The year 1609 marks a turning point in North American and European history. In the summer of that year, Samuel de Champlain and Henry Hudson came within 100 miles of each other, but neither one of them knew about the other. It is interesting that the Iroquois knew about each European explorer/adventurer. The quadricentennial commemoration of Henry Hudson's third voyage will help students explore the concepts of change and continuity across time. An understanding of the physical and human geography of North America is a major dimension of analyzing and interpreting history of the Age of Discovery. An appreciation of Hudson's relentless pursuit of exploration and discovery ignited powerful forces of change in the lives of all he encountered that led to the movement of people and goods.


  • How do the physical and human geography of the Hudson River Valley affect people, places, and regions?
  • How do the movement of people and ideas (cultural diffusion) affect New York State history?
  • What trading networks were established as a result of Henry Hudson's exploration of New York Harbor and the Hudson River Valley region?
  • What was the Dutch West India Company and how did it impact the development of New York?
  • As a result of the Encounter, how did the standard of living change in Europe, Africa, and the Americas?

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