New York was one of the Middle Colonies in America. The Duke of York and other colonists on Manhattan Island found New York in 1626. New York was named after the Duke of York and Albany, the brother of King Charles II of England. New York City and Albany were major towns. New york had no specific religion, giving religious freedom for Quakers, Catholics, Lutherans, Jews and others. New York had natural resources like good farmland, timber, coal, and iron as an important resource. The original name of New York was New Amsterdam. The reason for founding was for trade and profits. Was referred as a breadbasket colony because it grew many crops, especially wheat.