Delaware takes its name from the Delaware Bay, which in turn was named for Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr. Founded as a Dutch settlement in 1631, Delaware was taken by the British in 1664. Although initially reluctant to declare independence from Britain, Delaware went along with the American Revolution and was, in fact, the first of the original thirteen colonies to ratify the Articles of Confederation and become a state. This earned Delaware its nickname "The First State."