The Impact of New Netherland

New York's Dutch roots are almost common knowledge to those living in the Capital Region. In 1609, Henry Hudson attempted his third expedition to the New World on behalf of the Dutch West India Company. The route of Hudson’s voyage laid the foundation of the Dutch colony of New Netherland, which remained under Dutch control until 1664. The colony was then owned by Britain and it was renamed New York. For many Albanians, this is not new information.

Island at the Center of the World by Russell Shorto

What is new to people, however, is New Netherland’s influence on American culture. Russell Shorto explains this influence in his book The Island at the Center of the World: The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Forgotten Colony That Shaped America.

Over the course of nearly four hundred pages, Shorto colorfully tells the story of New Netherland and illustrates how values traditionally associated with American culture, such as tolerance towards different religions and customs and being a multi-ethnic society, came directly from the Dutch settlers.

Unlike the New England and Southern colonies, whose founders were motivated by religious freedom or settlement, New Netherland was founded to conduct business and make profits. It was this mentality that may have contributed to its heterogeneity.  

The Dutch settlers built Fort Nassau (later replaced by Fort Orange) in present day Albany. They turned the area into a trading post and traded furs with neighboring Native American tribes. The fort was subsequently settled by French-speaking Belgians called Walloons. As you can see, there was a wide variety of people living and trading in New Netherland.

Early New Netherland settlement

Sitting at the tip of Manhattan Island was another important city in the Dutch colony, New Amsterdam. In 1626, the entire island was bought by New Netherland leader Peter Minuit from Native Americans.

The territory he bought would essentially become the New York City borough of Manhattan. For this reason, it is often considered one of the most historic land purchases in American history.

So New York City, the embodiment of the American melting pot, was actually a melting pot for centuries – since the days it was called New Amsterdam. In fact, following his visit to New Netherland, a Jesuit priest reported of hearing eighteen languages being spoken. That is not unlike visiting New York City today.

The Island at the Center of the World offers an interesting argument about the Dutch settlement of New Netherland and its ties to American values. Whether you believe it or not is up for you to decide, but the idea that one settlement could significantly reshape American history reinforces the importance of learning local history.

Here at the Waterford Museum, local history is always celebrated and recognized for its impact on the larger historical narrative. Stop by Tuesday- Saturday from 10am- 3pm and Sunday 12:30pm- 3pm to check out the artifacts behind it all, like this Dutch psalm book from the 1700s!

Dutch psalm book from 1752

On display at the Waterford Museum

Read more at

http://www.russellshorto.com/bookbook/the-island-at-the-center-of-the-world/

http://www.nyhistory.com/reviews/Island_Center_Westbrook.htm

http://www.history.com/topics/exploration/henry-hudson

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nycoloni/dahist.html

http://www.coins.nd.edu/ColCoin/ColCoinIntros/NNHistory.html

https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/kingston/colonization.htm