Beverwijck facts for kids
Beverwijck (pronounced BEV-er-wik) was an important fur-trading community in New Netherland. It was located north of Fort Orange on the Hudson River. In 1664, the English took control of the colony. They renamed Beverwijck and developed it into what we now know as Albany, New York.
Contents
The Story of Beverwijck
How Beverwijck Started
In the 1640s, people started calling the Dutch settlement of fur traders north of Fort Orange "Beverwijck." This village grew out of a disagreement. The area was part of a large estate called Rensselaerswijck. But the Dutch West India Company (WIC) also claimed control over the settlers living near their Fort Orange.
In 1652, Peter Stuyvesant, who was the director general of New Netherland, made a decision. He said that the WIC had power over the people living near Fort Orange. This helped Beverwijck become an official settlement.
Life and Success in the Village
By the late 1650s, the colonists built a strong wooden fence, called a palisade, around Beverwijck. The village became very successful in terms of money and power. Many large families lived there. Even though it was far away from other settlements, Beverwijck was never attacked by Native Americans. This shows how successful it was.
The Dutch people in Beverwijck worked well with two different Native American groups. They had good relationships with the Mohicans who spoke Algonquian languages and lived in the Hudson Valley. They also worked with the Mohawk people who spoke Iroquoian languages and lived to the west. By 1660, the Dutch had different kinds of relationships with these two groups. This was because the Native nations had different ways of living and different cultures.
Who Lived in Beverwijck?
Many people in Beverwijck were not born in the Dutch Republic. The population was a mix of different European groups. There were Dutch, Scandinavian, German, and English people. But even with this mix, the town felt very Dutch. This was because they used many of the same rules and ways of life from the Dutch Republic.
The Fur Trade and Its Rules
The fur trade was very profitable for Beverwijck. When the village of Schenectady was founded in 1661, it was further away from the main settlements. The traders in Beverwijck worked hard to keep their business special. They convinced Governor Peter Stuyvesant to say that they had a monopoly on trade. This meant that settlers in Schenectady were not allowed to trade furs.
This rule was kept even after the English took over New Netherland. Governor Nicholls continued to enforce this prohibition until 1670 and beyond.
What Does Beverwijck Mean?
The name Beverwijck literally means beaver district. This makes sense because of the important fur trade. However, the name might also come from the Dutch city of Beverwijk.
