This new edition and original translation of a tract by Dutch settler and lawyer van der Donck makes more widely accessible a document crucial for understanding the history of Dutch colonization in North America.... This document is an important primary source for students and researchers in colonial Dutch history, the settlement of New York and North America more generally, and the understanding of Indian cultures in the Northeast. —J. Mercantini, Choice This edition of A Description of New Netherland provides the first complete and accurate English-language translation of an essential first-hand account of the lives and world of Dutch colonists and northeastern Native communities in the seventeenth century. Adriaen van der Donck, a graduate of Leiden University in the 1640s, became the law enforcement officer for the Dutch patroonship of Rensselaerswijck, located along the upper Hudson River. His position enabled him to interact extensively with Dutch colonists and the local Algonquians and Iroquoians. An astute observer, detailed recorder, and accessible writer, Van der Donck was ideally situated to write about his experiences and the natural and cultural worlds around him.Van der Donck'sBeschryvinge van Nieuw-Nederlant was first published in 1655 and then expanded in 1656. An inaccurate and abbreviated English translation appeared in 1841 and was reprinted in 1968. This new volume features an accurate, polished translation by Diederik Willem Goedhuys and includes all the material from the original 1655 and 1656 editions. The result is an indispensable first-hand account with enduring value to historians, ethnohistorians, and anthropologists.

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Yes, you can access A Description of New Netherland by Adriaen van der Donck, Charles T. Gehring,William A. Starna, Diederik Willem Goedhuys in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & North American History. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Information

Publisher

University of Nebraska Press

Year

2008

ISBN

9780803219397

Topic

History

Subtopic

North American History

Index

History

Contents
Foreword
Preface
Publication History of Adriaen van der Donck’s A Description of New Netherland
A Description of New Netherland
The Country
Where New Netherland Is Situated
When and by Whom New Netherland Was First Discovered
Why This Territory Was Named New Netherland
The Dutch, the First Possessors of New Netherland
The Limits of New Netherland and How Far They Extend
Of the Coast, Foreshore, and Seaports
The South River
Of the North River
Of the Fresh River
Of the East River
Of the Various Waters and Their Shapes
Of the Formation and Soil of the Land
Of Wood and Vegetation
Of the Fruit Trees Brought Over from the Netherlands
Of the Vineyards
Of Vegetables Generally
Of the Flowers
Of the Medicinal Herbs and Indigo
Of Agriculture and Field Crops
Of the Minerals and the Kinds of Earth and Stone
Of the Paints and Dyes
Of the Animals in New Netherland
Of the Wild Animals
Of the Avifauna, Aquatic and Terrestrial, and First the Raptors
Of the Terrestrial Birds
Of the Aquatic Birds
Of the Fish
Of the Poisons
Of the Wind
Of the Air
Of the Seasons
Of the Manners and Extraordinary Qualities of the Original Natives of New Netherland
Their Bodily Shape, and Why They Are Called Wilden
Fare and Food of the Indians
Of the Dress and Ornaments of Men and Women
Their Houses, Castles, and Settlements
Ways of Marriage and Childbirth
Of Suckling, and the Relations between Men and Women
Ways of Burial, Lamentation, and Mourning
Their Festivities and Special Gatherings
How Human Beings and Animals First Came to That Country
Of the Different Nations and Languages
Of Money and Their Manufacture of It
The Innate Character and the Pastimes of the Indians
Their Bodily Care and Medicine
The Farming, Planting, and Gardening of the Indians
Special Account of Their Hunting and Fishing
Distinctions of Birth, Rank, and Quality
Of Their Warfare and Weapons
Of Their Administration of Justice and Penalties
Of the Universal Law of Nations
Of Gifts and Offerings
Of the Indians’ Government and Public Policy
Their Religion and Whether They Can Be Christianized
Of Their Sentiments regarding Hope of Afterlife
Of the Knowledge of God and the Fear of Devils
Their Thoughts on the Creation and Propagation of Mankind and Animals in the World
Of the Nature, Amazing Ways,and Properties of the Beavers
A Conversation between a Dutch Patriot and a New Netherlander concerning the Condition of New Netherland
Appendix
Notes
Index