 The Middle Colonies were explored by Henry Hudson on a journey into the Hudson River and Delaware Bay in 1609 . The Dutch soon claimed the land . Although the Swedes and the Dutch fought over the land in the 1630s through the ultimately the Dutch claimed the land , calling it New Netherland . In the 1660s , the English largely conquered this land from the Dutch , renaming the area New York after the Duke of York , James II . The colony 's land was periodically granted to various proprietors and split into the Province of New York and the Province of Pennsylvania . 
 The Middle Colonies <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> explored by Henry Hudson on a journey into the Hudson River and Delaware Bay in 1609 . The Dutch soon claimed the land . Although the Swedes and the Dutch fought over the land in the 1630s through the ultimately the Dutch claimed the land , calling it New Netherland . In the 1660s , the English largely conquered this land from the Dutch , renaming the area New York after the Duke of York , James II . The colony <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>land was periodically granted to various proprietors and split into the Province of New York and the Province of Pennsylvania . 
The Middle Colonies was explored by Henry Hudson on a journey into the Hudson River and Delaware Bay in 1609 . The Dutch soon claimed the land . Although the Swedes and da Dutch fought ova tdaland in the 1630s thru the ultimately the Dutch claimed thdaand , calling it New Netherland . In the 1660s , the English largely conquered this land from thedatch , renaming the daa New York after the Dda of York , James II . The coday  land was periodically granted to various proprietors and split into the Province of New York and the Prodace of Pennsylvania .