Dutch colonization of the Americas In 1624, the first colonists, mostly Walloons and their slaves-bound servants, arrived to New Netherland by the shipload, landing at Governors Island and initially dispensed to Fort Orange, Fort Wilhelmus and Kievets Hoek. In 1626, Director of the WIC Peter Minuit purchased the island of Manhattan from the Lenape natives and started construction of Fort Amsterdam, which grew to become the main port and capital, New Amsterdam. The colony expanded to outlying areas at Pavonia, Brooklyn, Bronx, and Long Island. On the Connecticut River, Fort Huys de Goede Hoop was completed in 1633 at present day Hartford. By 1636, the
Woody Allen Mira Sorvino. Allen's 1999 jazz-based comedy-drama "Sweet and Lowdown" was nominated for two Academy Awards for Sean Penn (Best Actor) and Samantha Morton (Best Supporting Actress). In contrast to these lighter movies, Allen veered into darker satire toward the end of the decade with "Deconstructing Harry" (1997) and "Celebrity" (1998). During this decade, Allen also starred in the television film "The Sunshine Boys" (1995), based on the Neil Simon play of the same name. Allen made one sitcom "appearance" via telephone on the show "Just Shoot Me!" in a 1997 episode, "My Dinner with Woody", which paid tribute to several