The initial settlement of New Netherland was created for reasons that were very different from those that motivated the English and French. In many ways,...

The Feast of Saint Nicholas, by Dutch painter Jan Steen, 1665Dutch children celebrate a visit from Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas).. Although the children of New Netherland...

The Prayer before the Meal, by Dutch painter Jan Steen, 1660 A well-fed Dutch family sits down for a meal of bread with ham and...

The School Master, by Dutch painter Adriaen van Ostade, 1662 Students of all ages shared the same classroom and were taught by the same master....

Many items in colonial households served multiple purposes. For example, a wooden chest could be used for storage, as a table, a bed, or as...

Wampum+ Known as wampum or sewant, these shell beads were so highly valued by Indians that they took the place of currency. Rather than silver...

Have you ever wondered what life was like for Dutch families who settled in New Netherland? Visit the home of Jan Mabee. His father came to North America from the Netherlands, and in 1706, Jan built this house on the banks of the Mohawk River near Schenectady.

GWC Flag This was the flag of the West India Company, in Dutch Geoctroyeerde Westindische Compagnie. This private corporation was chartered by the Dutch government...

The Old Dutch Church in Tarrytown The Old Dutch Church in Tarrytown was built in the late 17th century. It is the oldest church in...

Map of New Netherland, 1652 The colony of New Netherland was located in what are now parts of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and...

Janny Venema, image courtesy of the TImes Union READ THE ARTICLE HERE Janny Venema, a Dutch native, is the Associate Director of the New Netherland...

Map of Rensselaerswyck by Gillis van Scheyndel, 1631–1632 The next morning, Teunis went to Master Jan and told him about his plans: “I need to...