Surinamese History: Colonial History

Dutch Suriname
Figure 1.--This lithograph shows the market in Paramaribo,Surimae's capital, probably about 1850. Slavery still existed at the time, but planters had begun to import indentured Asian labor. Note the Dutch style buildings and the ships in the harbors.

Columbus was the first European to sail along the coast (1498). The area was next visited by Amerigo Vespucci and Alonso de Ojeda (1499) Vicente Yáńez Pinzón (1500). Most of the major European colonizers (British, Dutch, French, and Spanish) attempted to found settlements in the 16th century, but were resisted by the Native Americans. The British founded the first settlement that proved successful (1651). They used slave labor as the Native Americans proved impossible to enslave. The Dutch during the Naval Wars (1652-74) with Britain seized the colony (1667). In the peace settlement that was in process, the British ceded the colony to the Netherlands, but retained Nieuw Amsterdam (New York). Since that time, the colony was ruled by the Netherlands. Suriname developed into a prosperous part of the Dutch Empire. Dutch planters who had settled in Brazil were driven out by the Portuguese (mid-17th century). Many restablished themselves in Suriname. As in the Caribbean, sugar became the main plantation crop. Other crops were introduced, including coffee, cacao, cotton, indigo, and wood from the tropical forrests (18th century). Labor was carried out by African slaves and they developed as the principal part of the population. Native Americans were driven inland. Most of the European population was Dutch. Jews fleeing persecution in Europe (Portugal, Spain, and Italy) had sought refuge in Brazil, but the Inquisition began to seek them out here. Some sought refuge in Suriname and came to constitute a third of the European population. Other Europeans were from France, Germany, and Britain. The British seized the colony for brief periods during the Napoleonic Wars (1799–1802 and 1804–15). Chinese and Madeiran contract labourers were introduced for plantation work (1853). Many of the contract workers and their descendents became small-scale merchants. Colonial authorities anolished slavery (July 1, 1863). Colonial authorities enforced a 10-year period of government supervision which involved contract labor. Both the plantation owners and the former slaves had trouble adjusting. The plahtation owners contracted workers from India (known as East Indians). Workers were also contracted from Java in the Dutch Wast Indies. The colony's plantation production gradually declined, largely because having to pay wages reduced the profitability of the plantations. The Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) began mining bauxite used to produce aluminum (1916). The Dutch mining company Billiton began operations (1939). The Durch West Indies was the only unconquered Dutch territories during World War II. Authotities remained loyal to Queen Wilhelmina and the Dutch Governnment in Exile. American troops arrived to help protect the colony (1941). The population was very small, but the bauxite production was important for Allied aircraft production.

Exploration

Columbus was the first European to sail along the coast (1498). The area was next visited by Amerigo Vespucci and Alonso de Ojeda (1499) Vicente Yáńez Pinzón (1500). Most of the major European colonizers (British, Dutch, French, and Spanish) attempted to found settlements in the 16th century, but were resisted by the Native Americans.

British Colony

The British founded the first settlement. Lord Willoughby, the governor of Barbados, sent thecfirst settlers (1651). They used slave labor as the Native Americans proved impossible to enslave. Diseases and Native American attacks depleted the would-be colonists.

Dutch Colony

The Dutch during the Naval Wars (1652-74) with Britain seized the colony (1667). Zealander Abraham Crijnsen attacked Willoughby's small settlement. The peace settlement that was in process led to the peace treaty of Breda (1667). The British ceded Suriname to the Netherlands, but retained Nieuw Amsterdam (New York). Since that time, the colony was ruled by the Netherlands. Suriname developed into a prosperous part of the Dutch Empire. ). It was, however, expensive to protect the still developing plantations from attacks from Native Americans and hostile Europeans. The Zealanders sold the colony to the Dutch West Indische Companie and the Van Sommelsdijck family (1683). The head of the family, Cornelis van Aerssen heer van Sommelsdijck, wa appointed governor. Sommelsdijck helped improve the security situation. He was, however, killed in a mutiny (1688).

Dutch Planters

Dutch planters who had settled in Brazil were driven out by the Portuguese (mid-17th century). Many restablished themselves in Suriname. As in the Caribbean, sugar became the main plantation crop. Other crops were introduced, including coffee, cacao, cotton, indigo, and wood from the tropical forrests (18th century).

Slavery

The British and Dutch like other European colonizers attempted to use Native Americans as slave labor. As in other countries, the Native Americans did not prove a long-term solution and very limited European settlement took place. . Many died in captivity through mistreatment and lack of resistance to European diseases, but unlike the Caribbean islands, cthey could escape deep into the interior or bush. The Dutch played a key role in developing plantation sugar agriculture during their brief control of Brazil during the European colonial wars (17th century). Dutch planters driven out of Brazil brought that knowledge to Suriname. Labor was carried out by African slaves. The cDutch were one of the principal Europeam naval powers and extensively involved in the Atlantic slave trade. Thus there was a ready supply of captive Agricans to the planters in Suriname. Slaves were lesse useful on the Neterland Antilles because agricultural land was limited. Considerable development subsequently took place in Surinsme (early 18th century). The most important was plantations focusing on sugar production. Most of the work on the plantations was done by African slaves. The treatment of these slaves was bad, and many slaves escaped to the jungle. These Maroons (also known as 'Djukas' or 'Bush Negroes') sometimes returned to attack the plantations. They formed a sort of buffer zone between the Europeans who settled along the coast and main rivers, and the unconquered Native American tribes of the inland regions. Sugar proved to be a fantastically profitable crop leading to the importation of more and more African slaves. Africans thus developed over time as the principal part of the population. Labor on a sugar plantation was very hard. Some African slaves like the Native Americans before them, escaped into the interior which was largely undeveloped. Such escapees were known as Maroons, but in Surinme called 'Djukas' or 'Bush Negroes'. Some would acquire weapons and attack plantations. Overv time the Maroons created a kind of buffer zone between the Dutch planters, who settled land along the coast and to some extent the main rivers, and the Native American tribes deep into the interior. The Netherlands during the French Revolution was invaded by France and eventually incorporated into the French Empire. As a result, thev British occupied Suriname (1799). The British abolished slavery, but made no effort to enforce that action. Nor did they move against the Dutch population. The British returned Suriname to the Dutch after Napoleon's defeat as part of the Congress of Vienna peace settlement (1816). Suriname like the other Guianas was not involved in the South American wars of liberation against the Spanish which resulted in the emancipation of the slaves. The Dutch like other European powers did not at first cooperate with British effiorts to end the slave trade. The Dutch finlled abolished slavery (1863). They were one of the last European countries to do so. The slaves in Suriname wre not immedistely emamcipated. Colonial authorities enforced a 10-year period of government supervision which involved contract labor. Thus they had to continue working on the plantations, but were paid. The former slaves were finally released (1873). The planters turned to other workers. They imported endentured workers from the Dutch East Indies, mostly ethnic Chinese. And they found Hindu workers in India. A young Mohandas Gandhi helped end this during World war I (1916). The plantrs than tiurnmrdcto the DEI again, especially largely Hindu Java. As a result, midern Suriname has perhaps the most diverse population in South America.

Population

Native Americans were driven inland. Most of the European population was Dutch. Jews fleeing persecution in Europe (Portugal, Spain, and Italy) had sought refuge in Brazil, but the Inquisition began to seek them out here. Some sought refuge in Suriname and came to constitute a third of the European population. Other Europeans were from France, Germany, and Britain. Chinese and Madeiran contract labourers were introduced for plantation work (1853). Many of the contract workers and their descendents became small-scale merchants.

Napoleonic Wars

The French after the French Revolution began (1789) seized control of the Netherlands, something Louis XIV had failed to do. It became the Batavian Republic for a while. Next Napoleon gave it to his brother Louis Napoleon. This Dutch colonies became targets for the Brituish. The British seized the Suriname brief periods during the Napoleonic Wars (1799–1802 and 1804–15).

Economic Development

Both the plantation owners and the former slaves had trouble adjusting. The plantation owners contracted workers from India (known as East Indians). Workers were also contracted from Java in the Dutch Wast Indies. The colony's plantation production gradually declined, largely because having to pay wages reduced the profitability of the plantations. The Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) began mining bauxite used to produce aluminum (1916). The Dutch mining company Billiton began operations (1939). This became important during World War II because of the needfor aluminum tgo oroduce air craft.

World War II (1939-45)

The Dutch as in World War I attempted to remain neutral when the Germans launched World War II (September 1939). The Germans invaded and occupied the Nertherlands in a few days as part of their Western Offensdive (May 1940). The terrior bombing of Rotterdam horrified the world, The Durch West Indies (Suriname and the ABC Caribbean islands) was the only unconquered Dutch territories during World War II. Authotities remained loyal to Queen Wilhelmina and the Dutch Governnment in Exile. American troops arrived to help protect the colony (1941). The population was very small, but the bauxite production was important for Allied aircraft production.

Dutch Colonial Policy

Dutch policy after the War was to reestablish its colonies. The most important was the Dutch East Indies (DEI) (Indonesiia). Nationlists fotrces their launched a guerrilla war for independence which was finally granted. This ended the Dutch interest in its colonies. And tothe surprise of many in the Netherlands, the loss of the DEI did not impair the Duchb economy. The Dutch prospered without the DEI, in fact the Dutch after the immediate post-War era became very prosperous and entered a period of economic growth. There was no rush for independence in Suriname and by the same token the Dutch had no great desire to retain Suriname as a colony, especially as there was substabntial costs associated with administering the colony.








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Created: 5:38 AM 1/25/2011
Last updated: 2:09 AM 2/12/2012