ABSTRACT
A whirlpool was an excellent metaphor for a port city forever flooded by changing tides of humanity and engulfed by the rapid swirl of events. The Munsee was the first New Yorkers to be caught in the whirlpool of change and engulfed by the swirl of events. The colonial and revolutionary eras were particularly turbulent for New York. The need to attract settlers made New Amsterdam a uniquely polyglot society where over 18 languages were spoken. Straddling North and South, the colony struggled with all the dilemmas confronting the New World. Although New York typified the complexity of American history, it also was unique. Confusion over names shaped initial contact between Native Americans and Europeans. The tension between these two trends kept New York vibrant and volatile while fostering a third tradition—one of conflict. The more New York cherished liberty, the more it incited protests by people whose liberty was limited by local or foreign foes.
