What's in a Name

Have you ever wondered where is Old Zealand? New Zealand is actually named after Zeeland, a major seafaring province of the Netherlands, by Dutch navigator Abel Tasman in 1642. You might also notice the island of Tasmania is named after him. Captain James Cook misspelled it New Zealand and the name stuck ever since. (Tasmania is just below Australia and to the left of New Zealand.)

How about New Amsterdam? New York City was originally settled by the Dutch and named New Amsterdam in 1625. It was situated right outside of Fort Amsterdam. It became New York (after the Duke of York) in 1665. Then it became New Orange after the Dutch took it back in 1673, then finally back to New York in 1674. Wow, New Orange became the Big Apple.