Twelve Men facts for kids

The Council of Twelve Men was a group of 12 important men. They were chosen on August 29, 1641, by the people living in New Netherland. Their job was to give advice to the leader of New Netherland, Willem Kieft. They needed to help him decide what to do about problems with the Native American tribes, especially after a man named Claes Swits was killed. Even though this council didn't last forever, it was the first time people in the Dutch colony had a say in their government. Later, two other similar groups were formed: the Eight Men and the Nine Men.

Why the Council Was Needed

The Dutch West India Company, which ran New Netherland, spent a lot of money building forts and hiring soldiers. Willem Kieft, the leader, wanted the Native Americans to help pay for these costs. He thought the forts protected them from other tribes. But the Native Americans disagreed. They said the Dutch weren't invited in the first place. They also explained that their villages were spread out, so help from the fort would arrive too late anyway.

Problems with the Raritan Tribe

In the spring of 1640, some Raritan Native Americans took a trading boat near Staten Island. Later, they were wrongly blamed for stealing some pigs from a farm. Kieft sent soldiers to demand payment. The Raritan people refused to pay for something they didn't do. When the meeting ended, the Dutch suddenly attacked. They killed some Raritan people and captured others.

Within six weeks, the Raritan tribe fought back. They burned down the farm where the pigs were supposedly stolen. Four colonists died in this attack. Kieft then offered a reward to other tribes for every Raritan person's head brought to him. A peace agreement was made by the end of that year.

Other Conflicts

In August 1641, a Weckquaesgeek Native American killed Claes Swits. Claes Swits was an older man who ran a popular public house. When the Native American was a child, he had seen his uncle killed. When he grew up, he took revenge. The Weckquaesgeek tribe refused to hand over the killer to the Dutch.

Another problem happened at Achter Kol. This was near the Hackensack River. A fight started over a missing coat between some settlers and Hackensack people at a trading post. The leader of the trading post was killed during this conflict.

The Council of Twelve Men is Formed

Kieft wanted to punish the Native Americans for these events. But he didn't want to make such a big decision alone. So, in August 1641, he called together twelve important settlers in New Amsterdam. He wanted their advice on what to do about the Native American tribes.

Kieft's Questions

Kieft asked the twelve council members three main questions:

• Is it fair to punish the killing of Claes Swits by a Native American? If the tribe won't give up the killer, is it fair to destroy their whole village?
• How should we carry out this punishment, and when?
• Who should be in charge of doing it?

Council Members

The twelve men chosen for the council were:

• David Pietersen de Vries (he was the chairman)
• Maryn Adriansen
• Jacques Benteyn (who was a local official called a schout)
• Jan Jansen Damen
• Gerrit Dircksen
• Hendrik Jansen
• Jochem Pietersen Kuyter
• Frederick Lubbertsen
• Abram Molenaar (also known as Abraham Pietersen van Deusen)
• Joris Jansen Rapelje
• Jacob Stoffelsen
• Abraham Isaacsen Verplanck

Council's Advice and Kieft's Reaction

The council members did not want war, even though Kieft seemed to. They suggested being patient and trying to talk things out with the tribes. They also asked that four of their members be allowed to join Kieft's main council.

Kieft was not happy with their advice. After many months of discussion, in January 1642, Kieft told them he would agree to their request. But only if they supported his plan for war. The council members reluctantly agreed.

Kieft ended the Council of Twelve in February 1643. He told them they couldn't meet without his permission. His actions did not stop people from being against the war.

The Start of Kieft's War

Not all of the Twelve Men were against Kieft's war plan. Two groups of Tappan people had moved to different areas, seeking safety from attacks by the Mohawk tribe. One group was at Pavonia, and another was at Corlears Hook.

On February 24, 1643, some men, including Maryn Adriansen and Jan Jansen Damen, asked Kieft to attack these two groups of refugees right away. Kieft quickly agreed. He ordered soldiers to raid the group at Pavonia. Eighty Tappan people were killed that night. Kieft also ordered Maryn Adriaensen and volunteers to attack the group at Corlear's Hook. Forty Native American men, women, and children were killed there.

These attacks made the different tribes unite against the Dutch. This led to a big conflict known as Kieft's War.

Most of the Twelve Men did not know about the request to attack the Tappan people. They strongly disagreed with Kieft's actions. Kieft blamed Maryn Adriaensen. Adriaensen then went to Fort Amsterdam and attacked Kieft. Kieft was not hurt, and Adriaensen was arrested. His friends helped him get sent to Amsterdam for a trial, where he was found not guilty.

See also

In Spanish: Consejo de los Doce Hombres para niños