New Amsterdam
/ˌnjuː ˌæmstəˈdæm/
/ˌnuː ˈæmstərdæm/
- the name of what is now New York City when it was the Dutch capital of New Netherlands in the 17th century. It was a small town at the southern end of Manhattan. The British captured it in 1664 and named it New York. Dutch forces took it again in 1673 for 15 months and called it New Orange.