Dutch Frontier, The

The Dutch established trading posts and settlements in every part of the newly discovered world during the 17th century (Africa, Asia, the Pacific, the West Indies and both North and South America). The Dutch wrested themselves from Spanish rules in the late 16th century and had rivalries across the world with England, France and Portugal. In 1624 they established New Amsterdam (the future NY). Henry Hudson led the East India Company developing a prominent commercial role in America. Peter Minuet led the West India Company to develop NY and grow the Dutch presence in North America. The Program studies the development of the Dutch colony and the role of Peter Stuyvesant in New Netherlands. Many conflicts are studied during the 17th century and the complexity of the Dutch activities is intriguing.