[1] Sweden then included Finland and Estonia, along with parts of modern Russia, Poland, Germany, Norway and Latvia under King Gustavus Adolphus and later Queen Christina.

Other European nations were establishing colonies in the New World and building successful trading empires at this time.

The Swedes sought to expand their influence by creating their own tobacco plantation and fur-trading colony to circumvent French, English and Dutch merchants.

The expedition sailed into Delaware Bay aboard the Fogel Grip and Kalmar Nyckel; territory that was claimed by the Dutch.

[7] In the following years, the area was settled by roughly 600 Swedes and Finns, a number of Dutchmen, a few Germans, a Dane, and at least one Estonian.

They held a conclave in Minuit's cabin on the Kalmar Nyckel, and he persuaded the Lenape to sign deeds which he had prepared to resolve any issue with the Dutch.

[10] The Director of New Netherland, Willem Kieft, objected to the Swedish presence, but Minuit ignored him since he knew that the Dutch were militarily weak at the moment.

Printz built his manor house, The Printzhof, at Fort Nya Gothenborg, and the Swedish colony prospered for a time.

New Sweden established a strong trading relationship with the Susquehannock and supported them in their war against Maryland colonists.

[2] In November 1654, the directors of the Dutch West India Company ordered the Director-General of New Netherland, Peter Stuyvesant, to "drive" the Swedes from the river.

[2] New Sweden was formally incorporated into New Netherland although the Swedish and Finnish settlers were allowed local autonomy.

A man named Marcus Jacobsson, posing as a member of the Königsmarck family, attempted to instigate a rebellion against the English to return New Sweden to Swedish rule.

Jacobsson was sold into indentured servitude in Barbados and the families that had supported him were fined for their participation in the revolt.

The first settlement at Wicaco began with a Swedish log blockhouse located on Society Hill in Philadelphia in 1669.

[citation needed] The Treaty of Westminster of 1674 ended the second period of Dutch control and required them to return all of New Netherland to the English on June 29, including the three counties which they created.

The American Swedish Historical Museum in South Philadelphia houses many exhibits, documents, and artifacts from the New Sweden colony.

The Forest Finns had moved from Savonia in Eastern Finland to Dalarna, Bergslagen and other provinces in central Sweden during the late-16th to mid-17th century.

[citation needed] The Finns in Savonia traditionally farmed with a slash-and-burn method[36] which was also used by the local indigenous Lenape Indians.