In 1637, two Swedish ships, the Kalmar Nyckel and Fogel Grip, embarked on a mission to establish a Swedish colony in North America. This colony, officially known as New Sweden, was a venture by The New Sweden Company, a state-sponsored trading company. The Kalmar Nyckel was a pinnace-style sailing vessel, while the Fogel Grip was smaller.
The journey was fraught with challenges. A storm in the North Sea forced the ships to take shelter in the Netherlands for repairs. After successful repairs, the expedition continued and reached North America in March 1638.
They landed in present-day Wilmington and constructed Fort Christina, marking the beginning of the New Sweden colony, which would later become Pennsylvania.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nik Frost
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