The Colony of New Netherland: A Dutch Settlement in Seventeenth-Century America

by Jaap Jacobs

The Dutch involvement in North America started after Henry Hudson, sailing under a Dutch flag in 1609, traveled up the river that would later bear his name. The Dutch control of the region was short-lived, but had profound effects on the Hudson Valley region. In The Colony of New Netherland, Jaap Jacobs offers a comprehensive history of the Dutch colony on the Hudson from the first trading voyages in the 1610s to 1674, when the Dutch ceded the colony to the English. As Jacobs shows, New Netherland offers a distinctive example of economic colonization and in its social and religious profile represents a noteworthy divergence from the English colonization in North America. Centered around New Amsterdam on the island of Manhattan, the colony extended north to present-day Schenectady, New York, east to central Connecticut, and south to the border shared by Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, leaving an indelible imprint on the culture, political geography, and language of the early modern mid-Atlantic region. Dutch colonists' vivid accounts of the land and people of the area shaped European perceptions of this bountiful land; their own activities had a lasting effect on land use and the flora and fauna of New York State, in particular, as well as on relations with the Native people with whom they traded. Sure to become readers' first reference to this crucial phase of American early colonial history, The Colony of New Netherland is a multifaceted and detailed depiction of life in the colony, from exploration and settlement through governance, trade, and agriculture. Jacobs gives a keen sense of the built environment and social relations of the Dutch colonists and closely examines the influence of the church and the social system adapted from that of the Dutch Republic. Although Jacobs focuses his narrative on the realities of quotidian existence in the colony, he considers that way of life in the broader context of the Dutch Atlantic and in comparison to other European settlements in North America.

Genres: History, New York

344 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[John M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly detailed and well-written account of New Netherland. Especially good descriptions of the government, the people and customs. Informative and never boring.

[Qing Yi Chen · Rating 4 out of 5]

bought this in 7th grade to help write a paper on any history topic :3

[Tom Darrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two issues with the History of New Netherland, according to Jacobs, are 1)not much is known about it and 2) much of what is know about it is written in Dutch and hard to translate. The author has made it his goal to translate many sources and introduce them to the public. The result is this book, which is essentially an encyclopedia about all things related to New Netherland. It is a great example of topical/thematic history, with each chapter focusing on one element of New Netherland (the economy, religion, government, life in the towns, etc). It provides plenty of details without going overboard with examples and quotes or getting too repetitive.

Where this book loses a star is where most topical histories lose points... in that there isn't a clear beginning and end or narrative style. In switching between topics in different chapters, he skips around in time from the founding of the colony in the 1620s, to its peak in the 1640-50s, to its take over by the English and back again. It doesn't detract from the quality of the information, but it can make it a little difficult to process for people who are more linear in their thinking.

[Jason Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like to read history this is a great book on the first European settlers of the New York area. There are so many original source citations and translations of Dutch texts that at times you find the narrative is flat, but the organization of the book is great.

[Rick Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might just be the best book on the subject that I have ever read. I just wish he happened to mention my relatives with more than a single mention. Oh well.

[Shaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the go-to book on New Netherland before branching out into specialist subjects (violence, religion, etc...) Jacobs covers every aspect in some detail, and is also a highly competent Dutch scholar. Reading the actual records is very different from reading the awful and biased, nineteenth-century English translations that most colonial historians use. Jacobs is the leading authority on the colony and I wholly encourage readers to look for additional articles he writes until his next book comes out.

Some readers will expect more from this monograph since it is not a narrative, chronological history style of writing. This is due to the differences in European and American styles of writing; European styles are more anthropological and sociological. While some may revoke a star for this, I elect not to because the quality is not reduced in the slightest. This is a highly readable volume and the best general source on New Netherland out there to date.