Delaware Bay - Part IV

For geologists the past is pretty cut and dried.  The earth is able to preserve and record its ancient times as sedimentary deposits, glacial etchings, and volcanic upheavals.  It’s not so easy for historians.  That’s simply because human beings have a tendency to ignore some things, fudge a few historical events, or more significantly, forget to write things down when they happened (imagine, if you will, a time before Twitter).  Thus, some of the people-based history of Delaware Bay is perhaps more speculation and story than it might be fact.  It’s those forgetful humans, don’t you know?

I guess I’ve always been fascinated with the word “discovered.”  As in, “A new leech species with ferociously large teeth was recently discovered [2010] in Peru.” Or “Researchers in Germany have discovered [2010] a new drug for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.” Obviously, each of those discoveries can be verified with scientific records or validated through scientific protocol.

However, in historical circles the word “discovered” is sometimes subject to  gross simplification or equally gross manipulation.  A few years back, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill made the classic statement that “History is written by the victors.”  This is particularly true when we’re talking about very large historical items - say a large piece of geography (e.g. a state, a country, or a continent).  For example, who was the first one to have discovered a new territory?  According to Mr. Churchill it depends on who’s writing the history (or who’s publishing the textbooks).  If the conquerors are writing about those events, then that chunk of prime real estate will have their imprimatur.  Those who may have inhabited the land for the previous several centuries, hunted game across vast stretches of the territory over a few millennia, or farmed large areas to sustain a village during several generations may not have any historical claim to the land even though they were there first.  The victors may be after the fact – way after the fact – but, they write the history.  And if you want your place in history, you always want first dibs!

And, so, who discovered Delaware Bay?  Well, I guess it all depends on who you’re asking.  European explorers have a written record (which is the inalienable purview of all conquerors); the Native Americans who inhabited this part of the world for eons before all those tall-masted ships from afar plied (and often plundered) the coastline can certainly lay claim to the land.  Unfortunately, they have no documents – and perhaps few ancestors - to support their “territorial rights” (and, we all know how important a “paperwork trail” is in proving ownership).  Did vagabond Europeans “discover” Delaware Bay or did nomadic bands of Native Americans traversing this geographical region for eons beforehand “discover” it?  Dunno!…perhaps we’d better ask Mr. Churchill.