Fort Wilhelmus facts for kids
Fort Wilhelmus was an early trading post built in the 1600s. It was located in a colonial area called New Netherland. This area is now part of the United States. The fort stood on an island known as Hooghe Eyland, which is now Burlington Island in the Delaware River in New Jersey.
Fort Wilhelmus was more like a business center than a military fort. It was built in 1625 by settlers from the Netherlands. These settlers worked for the Dutch West India Company. Their main goals were to claim the new land for the Netherlands and to trade furs. They traded with the native people, including the Lenape and Minqua tribes.
Contents
Why Was it Built?
Claiming New Land
The Dutch West India Company wanted to show they owned the land. Building a fort, even a small one, helped them do this. It was a way to mark their presence in the area.
Trading Furs
The main reason for Fort Wilhelmus was the North American fur trade. Furs were very valuable in Europe. The Dutch wanted to trade with the local Native American tribes. They exchanged goods like tools and blankets for animal furs.
Who Lived There?
Early Settlers
Some of the first families to arrive were called Walloons. They were from a region that is now part of Belgium. These families first landed near New Amsterdam (which is now New York City).
Moving to New Netherland
The Walloon families were sent south to help settle the new province of New Netherland. They were meant to start new communities. However, they were later called back to Fort Amsterdam. The Dutch West India Company decided to focus their settlement efforts. They wanted to build up the area around the Hudson River instead.
What's in a Name?
The Wilhelmus Song
Fort Wilhelmus was likely named after a famous Dutch song. This song is called "Het Wilhelmus" (which means "The William"). It tells the story of Willem van Oranje. He was a very important leader in Dutch history. The song explains why he fought for the Dutch people.
A National Anthem
"Het Wilhelmus" became the national anthem of the Netherlands in 1932. It is known as the oldest national anthem in the world. Even though it wasn't official until 1932, the song was always very popular with the Dutch people. It has been sung for centuries.
