Figure 1.--Here we see an Aruban boy on a donkey probaly during the 1930s. Notice how arid the island is. The Dutch brough sugar technology to the Caribbean, but were unable to control an important sugar island.

The Netherlands was a major naval power (16th century. This was a primary factor in its ability to achieve and maintain power from the German Hapsburgs, the Spanish Hapsburgs and the French Burbons, all the major powers of the day. Over the long run, however, the Dutch had too small a country to generate the naval power needed to gain and maintain possession of the more valuable Caribbean islands that supported large sugar plantations. It was able to retain control of several islands know collectively as the Netherlands Antilles or Dutch West Indies. The Netherlands Antilles is composed of two separated subgroups approximately 500 miles (800 km) apart. The southern group includes the larger ABC islands: Aruba, Boniare and Curaçao. Aruba has since separted from the Netherland Antilles, but remains a Dutch territory. Curaçao and Bonaire lie less than 50 miles (80 km) off the coast of western Venezuela. For that reason, important oil refineries were built on Curaçao. The more northern group is made up of Sint Eustatius, Saba, and part of Sint Maarten. The northern group is sometimes referred to as the Windward' group even though they are in the Leeward Islands chain of the Lesser Antilles. Curaçao and Bonaire in the Windward group. The capital and largest city is Willemstad on Curaçao. Unlike the image of lush tropical foliage. These islands are rather arid. The Dutch colonised the islands (17th century). The poor agricuture is probably why the larger colonial powers did not suze the islands from the Dutch. The islands became the center of the Caribbean slave trade, Curaçao in particulasr was hard hit by the abolition of slavery (1863). Curaçao became prosperous in the early-20th century when refieries were built there to service the oil discovered in Venezuela. Oil companies were creluctant to build the refineries in Venezuela. Since World II, new tourist and banking industries have developed. The islands were earlier known as the Dutch West Indies (until 1954). Some of the individuals islands have seceded from the frderation and have moved toward independence. The population speak Dutch, Papiamento, and English.

Geography

The Netherlands Antilles is composed of two separated subgroups approximately 500 miles (800 km) apart. The southern group includes the larger ABC islands: Aruba, Boniare and Curaçao. Aruba has since separted from the Netherland Antilles, but remains a Dutch territory. Curaçao and Bonaire lie less than 50 miles (80 km) off the coast of western Venezuela. For that reason, important oil refineries were built on Curaçao. The more northern group is made up of Sint Eustatius, Saba, and part of Sint Maarten. The northern group is sometimes referred to as the Windward' goup even though they are in the Leeward Islands chain of the Lesser Antilles. Curaçao and Bonaire in the Windward group. The capital and largest city is Willemstad on Curaçao. Most of the population lives on Curaçao and Aruba.

History

The Netherlands was a major naval power (16th century. This was a primary factor in its ability to achieve and maintain power from the German Hapsburgs, the Spanish Hapsburgs and the French Burbons, all the major powers of the day. Over the long run, however, the Dutch had too small a country to generate the naval power needed to gain and maintain possession of the more valuable Caribbean islands that supported larger sugar plantations. This was a matter of some importance because in the 18th century, Caribbean sugar islands became some of the most vluable realestate in the world. France even gave upCanada rather than lose Guadeloupe and Martinique. The Dutch were able to retain control of several islands know collectively as the Netherlands Antilles or Dutch West Indies. Each island has its own history. Dutch colonization began before the Caribbean sugar industry was founded. The Dutch first seized Sint Maarten to control large salt deposits (1630). The Spanish reconquered the island anbd held it for a time. The Dutch West India Company (WIC) seized Curaçao which would become the cenbter of Dutch power in the Caribbean (1634). The Dutch than seized Bonaire and Aruba (1636). The WIC colonized and governed the Leeward Islands. Curaçao and Sint Eustatius became centers for smuggling, privateering, and the slave trade after the Peace of Westphalia (1648). Curaçao and Bonaire never participated in the sugar trade. The arid climate precluded sugar plantations, but Dutch and Sephardic Jewish merchants on Curaçao sold trade goods and slaves from Africa to the English and French plantaters on the various islnds as well as the Spanish mainland. Bonaire was less involved in trade, but salt flats was exploited and cattle ranching pursued. There was a market with passing trade and on were bred for trade and food on Curaçao. until the wars betweem France anbd the British began following the French Revolution (1791). The British began attacking French islands and the Dutch islnds as well, because the Frnch seized the Netherlands. The British occupied Curaçao (1801-03 and 1807-16). Aruba has seceded, but the ilands have not moved toward ndependence.

Economy

Unlike the image of lush tropical foliage. These islands are rather arid. The Dutch colonised the islands (17th century). The poor agricuture is probably why the larger colonial powers did not seize the islands from the Dutch. The islands became the center of the Caribbean slave trade, Curaçao in particulasr was hard hit by the abolition of slavery (1863). Curaçao became prosperous in the early-20th century when refieries were built there to service the oil discovered in Venezuela. Oil companies were reluctant to build the refineries in Venezuela. Since World War II, new tourist and banking industries have developed.

Ethnicity

The Netherlands Antilles has a multi ethbic population including African, Native American (Carib), European (maily Dutch) and East Asian. This varies from island to island. Overall the population has African origins (about 85 percent). The Africans were brough to the islans as slkves (16th-18th centuries). During thge colonial era, the Dutch administrators and merchants cnstituted a white elite. The French and Spanish supressed the Jews and kept them out of the colonies. The Netherlands was a rare refuge for European Jews. Sephardim became an important part of the commercial elite. Poor whites and free blacks gradully formed the nucleus of the small Creole middle class, often becoming artisans or shop keepers. Slaves were of course the large lower class. Slavery was, however, different in the Netherlands Antilles. The DWI because the islands were relatively arid did not develop sugar plantations requiring large slave populations. Thus slavery was not as cruel in comparisn to the horific brutality inflicted on captive Africans in places like Surimame, Haiti, and Jamaica. Slave rebellions did occur on Curiçao (1750 and 1795). The Dutch abolished slavery (1863). An independent peasantry, however, did not devlop because the former slaves continued to bd economically dependent on their former masters.

Language

The population speak Dutch, Papiamento, and English.

Created: 5:04 AM 4/26/2011
Last updated: 6:55 AM 11/20/2015