New Amsterdam – Historical Background
A new TV series has recently made its screen debut. It is called New
Amsterdam after the 17th century Dutch colony New-Amsterdam. In the
center of the plot stands John Amsterdam, a soldier reaching the New World at
the time when New Amsterdam is established. John Amsterdam cannot die. He
continues to live and grow up (He doesn't age) with New Amsterdam until our
present days New York where the plot takes place. Since the episodes are
historically oriented, it is only reasonable to supply the reader with a short
historical background of the colony New Amsterdam – the predecessor of modern
New York.
New Amsterdam was the name of a fortified settlement in the Colony of New
Holland (New Holland was established eleven year earlier, in 1614. the founder
was Adriaen Block). This settlement was established in the year 1625 and
included 270 inhabitants. The founders were merchants who were working on behalf
of the Dutch West India Company. The location of the settlement was chosen due
to its strategic importance in the southern edge of the Island of Manhattan. It
was supposed to protect the entrance to the Hudson River. Up the river there was
a plant for processing animal furs. This plant – owned by the Dutch West India
Company – was of great economic value.
New Amsterdam soon developed into a big colony. The settlers purchased
territories from local Indian tribes for which the concept of land ownership was
unfamiliar. On February 2nd, 1653 New Amsterdam was officially declared a city
and in 1658 a new city was built in the north. This city was called New Harlem
and it is Harlem neighborhood of these present days.
New Amsterdam remained in Dutch hands until the year 1664. Then, with the
out break of the second English-Dutch War, it fells into the hands of the
British. The name of the city was changed to New York. Less then ten years
later, in 1673, Holland gained back its domination over the colony and changed
it name again to New Orange. Holland's regained control of the settlement,
however, did not last more than a year. In 1674 it was lost to Britain again.
Today, New York considers the date of its establishment as the year in
which the Dutch were first building New Amsterdam, 1625. In the past the date of
establishment was conceived to be 1664 – the year in which Britain seized
control over the settlement.
by: tomer rival