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If your idea is to explore a destination with ease for
shopping, forget about Miami and Orlando: the point of
shopping is Delaware, a tax-free zone. Outlets, shopping
malls and street shops attract visitors from all over the
country who find the city the perfect place to do quality
shopping without having to spend a lot. Being outside the
traditional tourist area, tickets and hotels are usually
more accessible, that is, a great cost benefit. The most
populous city in the state, Wilmington, is the best place to
enjoy it all!
Although Delaware occupies a central position on the east
coast of the United States (and is also close to major
cities such as Philadelphia and Washington DC), the state is
still relatively sparsely populated. Outside the cities, it
is contemplative and there is plenty of rest and
relaxation. Most of the residents are of European descent
(mostly descendants of Germans, British, Poles or Italians).
Delaware is rather small by American standards. As far as
the population is concerned, Delaware, with around one
million inhabitants, is the same size as Saarland, but has
twice the area. Residents are proud of the nickname of their
state, First State, because Delaware was the first state
to ratify the United States Constitution. The closest major
cities are Baltimore and Philadelphia.
The first European settlers came in 1631 and were Dutch
who settled in Zwaanendael (now Lewes). 1638 Swedish
immigrants followed, who settled in what is now Wilmington
(then Fort Christina).
Over 20% of the population are African American, plus
minorities from Hispanics and Asians as well as other
groups. In the north and on the coast there is still the
Lenni Lenape, an indigenous group of about 14,000 people.
The most important religions are Baptists, Methodists and
the Catholic Church as well as other Protestant groups and
free churches. There are also Muslim and Jewish
minorities. Politically, Delaware has developed in recent
decades from swing state to blue state, which mostly elects
the Democratic Party.
Although the area is small, there are well-known
universities such as the University of Delaware (in Newark)
or Delaware State University (in Dover). The largest cities
are Wilmington, the capital Dover, Newark, Middletown and
Smyrna.
Economy
Although Delaware is the second smallest U.S.
state after Rhode Island, the state's favorable tax laws
have made its name known worldwide. Otherwise Delaware is
also considered to be business-friendly, which is why many
American corporate groups and companies have their
registered offices here. The Corporation Trust Center in Wilmington is
worth mentioning in this context.
Delaware's per capita income is among the highest of
all U.S. states. In addition to the chemical industry, there
are other important economic sectors such as paper
processing and the food industry. Apart from that,
agriculture with areas for maize, peas, potatoes, soybeans,
wheat and barley as well as poultry farming should also be
mentioned. Dairy farming and animal husbandry are also
carried out. Due to the favorable location on the Atlantic,
fishing, especially mussels and crayfish, is also an
important employer.
The history of Delaware
In the sixteenth century it was the Spaniards and
Portuguese who came to the coast of the state. The first
European settlers came to Delaware under the leadership of
Captain David Pietersen de Vries in 1631 and established a
Dutch post. But the settlers did not survive long, because
when Captain de Vries came back in 1632, he found only a
burned-out settlement with dead settlers who were killed by
the Indians.
The next settlers, who came from Sweden, came in
1638. They built Fort Christina (named after the Queen of
Sweden) and stayed there permanently. Today this settlement
is known as Wilmington. In 1664 the colony was conquered by
the English and over the years the colony has grown
steadily. Delaware did the same as the other colonies and
joined the American Independence Movement. In December 1787,
Delaware was the first colony to ratify the new
constitution.
Delaware kept slaves, but fought for the northern states
in the Civil War. Even after the war, people did not want to
say goodbye to slavery. The 13th additional article was
refused to be signed. This prescribed the abolition of
slavery. It was only in 1901 that the state agreed to the
additional article and abolished slavery. Today there are
many museums here in which the old past is still alive and
the colonial era is still extremely alive in architecture. |
