Massacre at Corlears Hook facts for kids

The Massacre at Corlears Hook happened on February 25, 1643. It was a terrible event where forty Wecquaesgeek people, including men, women, and children, were killed. This happened on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, which is now part of New York City.

The attack was carried out by a group led by Maryn Adriansen. He was acting under the orders of Willem Kieft, who was the leader of the Dutch colony called New Netherland at the time. This event, along with another attack on the same night, started a two-year conflict known as Kieft's War.

What Happened?

On that night, the Wecquaesgeek people had sought safety at a place called Rechtauck, near Corlears Hook. They were seeking refuge after being forced from their homes by other Native American groups, the Mohawks and Mahicans. They thought they would be safe with the Dutch, who were supposed to be their allies.

However, the Dutch forces attacked them while they were sleeping. Forty people were killed in this surprise attack. It was a very violent and unexpected event.

Why Did It Happen?

Willem Kieft, the Dutch leader, wanted to take advantage of the Wappinger people (which included the Wecquaesgeek). They had been driven south and were looking for a safe place. Kieft saw this as a chance to act against them.

This attack was not provoked by the Native Americans. It was part of a larger plan by Kieft. Another similar attack, known as the Pavonia Massacre, happened on the same night in what is now Jersey City. These two attacks together started a major conflict called Kieft's War.

Who Was Involved?

Several key figures played a role in the events at Corlears Hook.

Willem Kieft

Willem Kieft was the Director-General of New Netherland. This meant he was the main leader of the Dutch colony. He made the decision to launch the attacks that led to the massacre. He was known for his aggressive policies towards the Native American tribes.

Maryn Adriansen

Maryn Adriansen was the leader of the Dutch forces that carried out the attack at Corlears Hook. He followed Kieft's orders to attack the sleeping Wecquaesgeek people.

The Wecquaesgeek People

The Wecquaesgeek were a group of Wappinger Native Americans. They had been forced from their homes by other tribes and were seeking safety. They were the victims of the massacre.

David Pietersz. de Vries

David Pietersz. de Vries was a Dutch settler and a member of Kieft's council. This council was set up to deal with relations with Native Americans. De Vries was against Kieft's war plans. Just two weeks before the massacre, Kieft had gotten rid of the council because they disagreed with him. De Vries later wrote about the terrible events he witnessed.

At another place on the same night at Corler's Hook, on Corler's plantation, forty Indians were in the same manner attacked in their sleep, and massacred there in the same manner as the Duke of Alva did in the Netherlands, but more cruelly...

The Aftermath

The Massacre at Corlears Hook, along with the Pavonia Massacre, immediately led to Kieft's War. This war lasted for two years and caused a lot of destruction and loss of life for both the Dutch settlers and the Native American tribes in the region. It was a very difficult period in the early history of New Netherland.