Interpreting the Evidence
Memorandum of Necessities and Essentials for the Island of Curacao and the Company, August 23, 1659
Suggested Teaching Instructions
Document Description
Memorandum of necessities and essentials required for the island of Curaçao and the service of the Company August 23, 1659.
Historical Context
The dominant role of the Dutch in the formation of a global trade network began with a series of events which took place in the early 17th century. In 1602, the Dutch East India Company was formed as a means of maximizing trade in the East. Seven years later, in 1609, an English explorer named Henry Hudson claimed a portion of the North American continent for the Dutch. Eventually, the Dutch West India Company was chartered in 1621 in an effort to expand Dutch trading opportunities to the Americas.
With an official investment in expanding trade westward, the Dutch began their domination of the transatlantic trade. Dutch trading ports were established along the South American coast, on Caribbean islands, and in the North American Dutch colony of New Netherland. The combination of these new trading ports with the established trading ports in the East gave the Dutch a vast network of global trade.
Essential Question
How did the system of transatlantic trade meet the basic needs of different Dutch colonial regions?
Check for Understanding
How did Curacao get the items needed for survival and success?