Wanderlust World Wanderlust World The popular notion that a single "man" bought Manhattan is a simplification. In 1626, Peter Minuit, acting as director of the Dutch West India Company, negotiated with the Lenape people to acquire the rights to Manhattan Island. The transaction involved trade goods (often cited as beads, tools, and cloth) valued at 60 guilders.
The Lenape and Dutch concepts of land ownership differed fundamentally. The Lenape likely viewed the agreement as a sharing or usage arrangement, not a permanent transfer of title. This cultural misunderstanding underpins modern critiques of the "sale" as an act of colonialism.