Council of twelve men
Encyclopedia
The Council of Twelve Men was a group of 12 men chosen on 29 August 1641 by the residents of New Amsterdam
to advise the Director of New Netherland
, Willem Kieft
, on relations with the Native Americans
due to the murder of Claes Swits. Although the council was not permanent, it was the first representational form of democracy in the Dutch colony. The next time a council was created it was a council of eight men
.
. They proposed a friendly request to be sent to the Indians to surrender the murderer. Because Willem Kieft
was not happy with the reply of the council of twelve, he disassembled the council on February 8, 1643.
Kieft then ordered the Dutch West India Company
soldiers to attack nearby Indian encampments at Pavonia
and Corlears Hook
. Escalating attacks and retaliations by the Indians and the Dutch West India Company soldiers during the next two years became known as Kieft's War
and led to a near devastation of the New Netherland
settlements on Staten Island
, Long Island
, and at Pavonia
. Rensselaerswyck, a patroonship, outside the territory of the Lenape
were unscathed, and profited from the conflict.
New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam was a 17th-century Dutch colonial settlement that served as the capital of New Netherland. It later became New York City....
to advise the Director of New Netherland
Director-General of New Netherland
This is a list of Directors, appointed by the Dutch West India Company, of the 17th century Dutch province of New Netherland in North America...
, Willem Kieft
Willem Kieft
Willem Kieft was a Dutch merchant and director-general of New Netherland , from 1638 until 1647. He formed the council of twelve men, the first representative body in New Netherland, but ignored its advice...
, on relations with the Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
due to the murder of Claes Swits. Although the council was not permanent, it was the first representational form of democracy in the Dutch colony. The next time a council was created it was a council of eight men
Council of eight men
The Council of eight men was an early representational democracy in New Netherland. It replaced the previous council of twelve men.-Council:In 1643 Abraham Pietersen Van Deusen who had served on the council of twelve men was appointed to a new council of eight men...
.
Three Questions
The councilmen were asked 3 questions:- Whatever it is not just to punish the barbarous murder of Claes Swits committed by an Indian and, in case the Indians refuse to surrender the murderer at our request, whether it is not justifiable to ruin the entire village to which he belongs?
- In what manner the same ought be put into effect and at what time?
- By whom it may be undertaken?
War
They did not counsel war, as desired by Willem KieftWillem Kieft
Willem Kieft was a Dutch merchant and director-general of New Netherland , from 1638 until 1647. He formed the council of twelve men, the first representative body in New Netherland, but ignored its advice...
. They proposed a friendly request to be sent to the Indians to surrender the murderer. Because Willem Kieft
Willem Kieft
Willem Kieft was a Dutch merchant and director-general of New Netherland , from 1638 until 1647. He formed the council of twelve men, the first representative body in New Netherland, but ignored its advice...
was not happy with the reply of the council of twelve, he disassembled the council on February 8, 1643.
Kieft then ordered the Dutch West India Company
Dutch West India Company
Dutch West India Company was a chartered company of Dutch merchants. Among its founding fathers was Willem Usselincx...
soldiers to attack nearby Indian encampments at Pavonia
Pavonia, New Netherland
Pavonia was the first European settlement on the west bank of the North River that was part of the 17th century province of New Netherland in what would become today's Hudson County, New Jersey.-Hudson and the Hackensack:...
and Corlears Hook
Cherry Street (Manhattan)
Cherry Street, is a one-way street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It currently has two sections, mostly running along parks, public housing, co-op buildings, tenements, and crossing underneath the Manhattan Bridge overpass....
. Escalating attacks and retaliations by the Indians and the Dutch West India Company soldiers during the next two years became known as Kieft's War
Kieft's War
Kieft's War, also known as the Wappinger War, was a conflict between settlers of the nascent colony of New Netherland and the native Lenape population in what would later become the New York metropolitan area of the United States...
and led to a near devastation of the New Netherland
New Netherland
New Netherland, or Nieuw-Nederland in Dutch, was the 17th-century colonial province of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on the East Coast of North America. The claimed territories were the lands from the Delmarva Peninsula to extreme southwestern Cape Cod...
settlements on Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
, Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, and at Pavonia
Pavonia, New Netherland
Pavonia was the first European settlement on the west bank of the North River that was part of the 17th century province of New Netherland in what would become today's Hudson County, New Jersey.-Hudson and the Hackensack:...
. Rensselaerswyck, a patroonship, outside the territory of the Lenape
Lenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
were unscathed, and profited from the conflict.
Councilmen
The twelve council members were:- David Pietersen de VriesDavid Pietersen de VriesCaptain David Pieterszoon de Vries was a Dutch navigator from Hoorn, Holland.In 1617 de Vries went on a whaling voyage to Jan Mayen. In 1620 he sailed to Newfoundland and sold the dried fish in Italy. In Toulon he joined Charles, Duke of Guise. In 1624 he went to Canada again, still in French...
(chairman) - Maryn Adriaensen
- Jacques Benteyn
- Jan Jansen Damen
- Gerrit Dircksen
- Hendrik Jansen
- Jochem Pietersen Kuyter
- Frederick Lubbertsen
- Abram Molenaar, also known as Abraham Pietersen van DeusenAbraham Pietersen Van DeusenAbraham Pietersen van Deursen , aka Abraham Pietersen van Deusen, was an immigrant from Holland who settled in New Amsterdam and become one of the Council of 12 that was the first representative democracy in the Dutch colony...
- Joris Jansen RapeljeJoris Jansen RapeljeJoris Jansen Rapelje was a member of the Council of Twelve Men in the Dutch West India Company colony of New Netherland...
- Jacob Stoffelsen
- Abraham Ver Planck