The Dutch Start Brooklyn.
The borough of Brooklyn has some of the oldest history in the United States. Starting in the early 1600s, the region was settled by the first Dutch settlers championed by the Dutch East India Company. The Dutch gave many names in the region that are still recognized today, established trade as a defining feature of New York City, and explains a few official markers of the region.
The trade company, Dutch East India Company, with a Great fleet of ships and cannons left the Netherlands in the early 1600s, aimed to promote world trade between Europe, Africa and Asia. In 1621, the Dutch West India Company was chartered to maintain the exclusive monopoly on trade in the Americas and West Africa, while the Dutch East India Company continued to maintain routes with Asia. The Dutch West India Company had goals to explore the northeastern frontier of North America, establish settlements and ship the abundant natural resources they found around the world, primarily to Europe. The Dutch dominated the lower Hudson River and constructed wooden forts all over the region [1]. Furthermore, not all the settlers in these ships were Dutch. Families from other countries were also hired by the Company because they shared the common purpose of establishing townships with the excitement of exploration, making some money and starting new families in America. Though much later, a 1698 census confirmed half of settlers to be Dutch, while others came from Germany, England, France, Scandinavia and Africa [3]
The first Brooklyn settlement was established by Dutch farmers in 1636 along the Gowanus Bay coast [2]. In 1646, a township was chartered and named “Breuckelen” in modern day Brooklyn Heights within the New Netherland province. Breuckelen was chartered seven years before New Amsterdam (1653; currently Manhattan), making Brooklyn the older of the two boroughs in the epic relationship within New York City.
There were five other townships on the southwestern end of Long Island that are still neighborhoods, most names maintaining their Dutch roots [3].
These townships are now called:
Gravesend (unclear, possibly after Gravesend, England)
Flatlands (formerly “New Amersfoort”)
Flatbush (formerly “Midwout”)
New Utrecht (after Utrecht, Netherlands)
Bushwick (“Boswijck”)
With an excellent bay for harboring ships and fertile land for gathering resources, the region became an optimal port to receive and send goods. One key resource was fur, particularly beaver fur. With so much fur available, the resource transitioned economically from a luxury good to a cheap border-line necessity to battle the cold [4]. And by selling the good, this region was able to accommodate more people and an effective micro-economy. With wealth and work available, slaves were also able to be afforded and imported. Moreover, the use and expertise of fur for clothing may have promoted the business of fashion that is still prominent in the region today.
For years to come, the strategic position of Brooklyn would be used for premier manufacturing, trading and military use.
Lastly, the Dutch influence is still noticeable today in the official markers of New York and the borough. The official motto of Brooklyn is still “Een Draght Mackt Maght” (written in colonial Dutch; now written “eenheid maakt kracht”), which means “Unity Makes Strength.” This can be seen on the Borough seal and flag, although multiple variations of the seal and flag can be found. This seal and flag come from the official city flag when Brooklyn was an independent township.
And the New York State flag continues to use orange as its third color, the famous color derived from the Dutch Republic and used in New Amsterdam since as early as 1625.
By Nick Borak
Places to Visit:
Wyckoff House Museum - Flatlands, Brooklyn
The oldest house in Brooklyn. It was built in 1652, and was a farmhouse for Pieter and Grietje Claesen.
Netherland Monument - Battery Park, Manhattan
Battery Park is at the southern tip of Manhattan. It is near the Brooklyn Bridge, World Trade Center and Financial District (Wall Street), and has great views of the Statue Liberty and surrounding islands.
Oldest Neighborhoods in Brooklyn:
Gravesend
Flatlands
Flatbush
New Utrecht
Bushwick
Brooklyn Heights
Sources
[1] Dutch Colonies. nps.gov. National Park Service: US Department of the Interior. 14 September 2017.
https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/kingston/colonization.htm
[2] History of Brooklyn, New York. United States History; u-s-history.com. 30 November 2017.
http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h2139.html
[3] Early and Colonial Years. History of Brooklyn. Thirteen: Media With Impact. 14 September 2017.
http://www.thirteen.org/brooklyn/history/history2.html
[4] Fur Trade. New Netherland Institute. 14 September 2017.
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