New Amsterdam was a 17th-century Dutch settlement located on the southern tip of Manhattan Island in present-day New York City. Established in 1624 by the Dutch West India Company, it served as a trading post and was characterized by its diverse population, including Dutch, African, and Indigenous peoples. The settlement was strategically important for trade and military defense. In 1664, the English seized control of New Amsterdam and renamed it New York in honor of the Duke of York. The transition marked the end of Dutch colonial rule in the region and laid the foundation for the city's growth into a major cultural and economic center.