The Articles of Capitulation
ARTICLES OF CAPITULATION
On September 8th, 1664, General Peter Stuyvesant signed the Articles of Capitulation, surrendering New Amsterdam to Britain. Stuyvesant’s rule was seen as tyrannical and he was very authoritarian with his citizens. Stuyvesant didn’t want to share power with his subjects; he tried to control every aspect of the colony. Thus, his over-controlling manners caused a stand-off between him and his citizens. Therefore, when the British Navy came to New Amsterdam, the city was forced to surrender to the English. Afterwards, the British would proceed to take over all of New Netherland, changing the name New Netherland to New York.
Sketch of the Dutch Reformed Church
The Dutch Reformed Church
The Reformed Church arose during the Protestant Reformation, where many congregations, people, and countries sought answers to their questions through Catholicism and branched them into different denominations. The Dutch Reformed Church was first suggested by Dutch settlers in 1677. Before that, settlers from New Utrecht would travel to churches in Flatbush, Flatlands and Brooklyn. Construction of the original church building was completed in 1700. It stood next to the Old New Utrecht Cemetery on the corner of 84th Street and 16th Avenue. During the Revolutionary War, it was used by the British as a hospital and as a riding school. In 1828, it was decided that the church should be demolished and rebuilt to better fit the needs of the parishioners. The original octagonal structure was dismantled, and its stones were used to build a new church on 84th Street and 18th Avenue. The church’s first parishioners were among the most prominent and influential Dutch families in Brooklyn. Many important Dutch settlers have a grave in the Old New Utrecht Cemetery, but there are also graves dedicated for soldiers who died in the Revolutionary War as well as a section for people of African descent.
Painting of the Battle of Brooklyn/ Battle of Brooklyn Heights/ Battle of Long Island
The Battle of Brooklyn Heights
After the French and Indian war, the British had a lot of war debt that needed to be payed off. King George III and Parliament decided that they had the right to tax the colonies so the colonies were given various taxes to help fund Britain. The colonies felt as though they didn’t have to pay the taxes because 1, the taxes were unfair and cumbersome, and 2, the acts were signed in Britain but not in their own colonial governments. After backlash and stand-offs between the British and the Colonies, on July 4th, 1776, the colonies declared independence from the British. However, on August 27th, 1776, British forces under General William Howe marched to Brooklyn Heights in an attempt to capture New York City. The patriots (colonies) were lead by General George Washington. On September 15th, 1776, the British captured New York City and the Hudson River.
