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The Netherlands and the United States
Four Hundred Years of Shared History and Values In 1609, the Dutch East India Company commissioned a vessel -- the “Halve Maen” to find a shorter trade route to the East Indies. This “short cut” by the “Halve Maen” led directly to the site of the Hudson River and some very fertile land. The Dutch seized upon the opportunity to establish the colony of New Netherland on the shores of the Hudson River. The heart of the colony was New Amsterdam – on the island of Mana Hatta now known as Manhattan. From the very early stages, the colony of New Netherland was multiracial and multireligious founded on principles of freedom, democracy, open-mindedness and entrepreneurship. The colony grew quickly due in part to an extensive fur trade with the Native Americans. In a short period of time, New Amsterdam developed into a major port for trade in the North Atlantic, where – unlike the Puritan British colonies - women could own property, Europeans could marry Africans, and over 16 languages were spoken. This Dutch progressive spirit of trade and entrepreneurship are legacies still found in New York, and throughout the United States. The sprawling influence of that early colony, (unfortunately no longer called New Amsterdam) is still felt throughout the United States in the many towns which boasts Americans of Dutch decent; in the Dutch language (such as “Yankee” and dollar) incorporated into English; and the economic and cultural ties between our lands. The ties that bind the United States and the Netherlands are longstanding, and unbroken. The Dutch declaration of independence, which was written to break from Spain’s rule in the late 1500’s, later inspired Thomas Jefferson when he wrote the US Declaration of Independence. But several other historical events have cemented the foundation as well including the “First Salute” - which occurred on the island of St. Eustatius on November 16, 1776, when the Netherlands became the first country to officially acknowledge the American Flag. 26
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The Dutch financed the purchase of arms that General George Washington’s forces used to battle the British, and we smuggled weapons into the country which were used by the American rebels. Later, Thomas Jefferson asked Dutch bankers to finance the Louisiana Purchase and, of course, we agreed, sensing it would make a great business deal. John Adams, the first US Ambassador to the Netherlands, predicted that the Netherlands and the United States would be drawn closely together because of the affinities in religion, morals, and political philosophy, but above all, by convergent commercial interests. And he was right. Today, those commercial interests continue to cement our relations. Over the years, the Netherlands has ranked among the top foreign investors in the United States and the United States is the largest investor in the Netherlands. 850,000 American jobs are the result of our investment and trade relations. The shared values between the Netherlands and the United States are highlighted this year with NY400, a year-long celebration of events in Amsterdam and New York City to mark four centuries of friendship. NY400 not only illustrates the common ties between our two nations, but reveals that the Dutch roots of American society are strong and deep. The celebration featured a visit by Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima; a performing arts festival; and a flotilla of Dutch ships led by a replica of the “Halve Maen,” along with traditional Dutch Navy ships. New Yorkers and Amsterdammers swapped jobs and a shipment of Dutch bikes was donated to New York City to encourage bike riding. I invite you to read more about it in this issue of Diplomatic Connections and at www.NY400.org. And while we celebrate the history of Dutch and American relations with NY400, we also take this time to look toward our promising future. The Netherlands and the United States are truly two countries united in spirit.
H.E. Renée Jones-Bos, Ambassador of The Netherlands to the United States