Every student remembers the famous sale of Manhattan Island by the Indians to the Dutch for a few dollars worth of trinkets, but what you may not recall is the native Indians lived in an expanse of territory that strected throughout the Northeast and to them, it was amazing that anyone would pay for one small island. They may have gotten the better deal at the time.The booked is filled with fascinating pieces of history and you will soon learn that the Hudson River is linked to the very foundations of our country. You will also learn that all those street names and highway names in New York stem from the state's very rich history with the Dutch and the English.Some parts of the story are a bit dry, no doubt, but the book is worth reading for the highlights.