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The Island at the Center of the World
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The Island at the Center of the World (2004) (edit title/settings)

The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Forgotten Colony That Shaped America

by Russell Shorto (Author) (edit contributors)

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Description edit see section history

When the British wrested New Amsterdam from the Dutch in 1664, the truth about its thriving, polyglot society began to disappear into myths about an island purchased for 24 dollars and a cartoonish peg-legged governor. But the story of the Dutch colony of New Netherland was merely lost, not... read more

Characters/People edit see section history

  • Dr. Charles T. Gehring: Historian and translator of 17th century New York Colonial Dutch Documents.
  • Willem Verhulst: In 1625, he founded the town of New Amsterdam, present-day New York City.
  • Peter Stuyvesant: The last Dutch Director-General of the colony of New Netherland (roughly the present state of New York) from 1647 until it was ceded provisionally to the English in 1664.
  • Adriaen van der Donck: A lawyer and landowner in New Netherland (roughly the present state of New York).
  • Henry Hudson: An English sea explorer and navigator in the early 17th century. He explored the region around modern New York City while looking for a western route to Asia under the auspices of the Dutch East India Company.
  • Peter Minuit: He was the Director-General of the Dutch colony of New Netherland from 1626 until 1633.
  • Cornelis Melyn: An early Dutch settler in New Netherland and Patroon of Staten Island. He was the chairman of the council of eight men, which was a part of early steps toward representative democracy in the Dutch colony.
  • Hugo de Groot (a.k.a. Grotius): A 17th century jurist in the Dutch Republic. With Francisco de Vitoria and Alberico Gentili he laid the foundations for international law, based on natural law. He was also a philosopher, theologian, Christian apologist, playwright, and poet.
  • Johan Printz: Governor from 1643 until 1653 of the Swedish colony of New Sweden on the Delaware River in North America.
  • Daniel van Crieckenbeeck: Commander of Fort Orange (near the present city of Albany, NY).
  • Cornelis van Tienhoven: Secretary of the New Netherlands from 1638 to 1656 and as such one of the most influential people in New Amsterdam.
  • Harmen Meyndertsz van den Bogaert: Commander of Fort Orange, near present-day Albany (NY), he fled into Indian country after his fellow colonists discovered he was gay.
  • Oliver Cromwell: English military and political leader best known in England for his involvement in making England into a republican Commonwealth and for his later role as Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland.
  • Willem Kieft: Dutch merchant and director-general of New Netherland (of which New Amsterdam, later New York City, was the primary settlement), from 1638 until 1647.
  • Lubbert van Dinklagen: Councillor of NY from 1647 to 1651, when he was forcibly expelled.
  • Isaack de Rasiere: Secretary of the colony of New Netherland and commercial agent for the Dutch East India Company.
  • Kiliaen van Rensselaer: Dutch diamond and pearl merchant from Amsterdam and one of the founders and directors of the Dutch West India Company. He became one of the first patroons and ended up being the only successful one, having founded the Manor of Rensselaerswyck in what is now mainly New York's Capital District.
  • Brant van Slichtenhorst: Director of Rensselaerswijck, near present-day Albany, NY.
  • Jochem Kuyter: Member of the Board of Nine.
  • Frederik Hendrik: Sovereign Prince of Orange and stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel from 1625 to 1647.
  • RenĂ© Descartes: A 17th century French philosopher, mathematician, physicist, and writer who spent most of his adult life in the Dutch Republic.
  • Augustin Herman: Czech explorer, merchant, and cartographer who lived in New Amsterdam and Cecil County, Maryland.
  • John Winthrop: He obtained a royal charter, along with other wealthy Puritans, from King Charles I for the Massachusetts Bay Company and led a group of English Puritans to the New World in 1630. He was elected the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony the year before.
  • Van Der Dot: Add a description of this character.
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Organizations edit see section history

  • The Duth West India Company: A chartered company of Dutch merchants. On June 3, 1621, it was granted a charter for a trade monopoly in the West Indies (meaning the Caribbean) by the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands and given jurisdiction over the African slave trade, Brazil, the Caribbean, and North America.

First Sentence edit see section history

On a late summer's day in the year 1608, a gentleman of London made his way across the city.

Table of Contents edit see section history

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . XI
PROLOGUE: THE MISSING FLOOR .. . . . . ..... 1

PART I. "A CERTAIN ISLAND NAMED MANATHANS"

1. The Measure of Things ... .. . .........................13
2. The Pollinator ....................................... 25
3. The Island ................. ..................... 37
4. The King, the Surgeon, the Turk, and the Whore ...... 67

PART II. CLASH OF WILLS

5. The Lawman .............................................93
6. The Council of Blood ..................................110
7. The Cause ....................................... . 129
8. The One-Legged Man ................................... 146
9. The General and the Princess ......................... 167
10. The People's Champion . . . ......................... 192
11. An American in Europe . ............................. 209
12. A Dangerous Man .................................... 233

PART III. THE INHERITANCE

13. Booming ... ... .................................... 257
14. New York ............................................ 284
15. Inherited Features .................................. 301

EPILOGUE: THE PAPER TRAIL ............................. 319
NOTES ................................................. 326
BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................... 352
INDEX

Series & Lists edit see section history

This book is in KCPL Discussion Kit (Aug2010). (community list)

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Russell Shorto (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Thorndike Press
Country: USA
Publication Date: 2004
ISBN: 0786268352
Page Count: 711

Classification edit see section history

  • Library of Congress: F128.4 .S56 2004
  • Dewey: 974.7102

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