Skip to Main Content
Digital Public Library of America
  • Home
  • Browse by Topic
  • Browse by Partner
  • Exhibitions
  • Primary Source Sets
  • My Lists
  • About DPLA
  • News
  • DPLA Pro
  • Home
  • Browse by Topic
  • Browse by Partner
  • Exhibitions
  • Primary Source Sets
  • My Lists
  • About DPLA
  • News
  • DPLA Pro
Primary Source Sets
Dutch New Netherland
A transcript of the ordinance from the Director and Council of New Netherland granting “half freedom” to a group of enslaved men, 1644.

A transcript of the ordinance from the Director and Council of New Netherland granting “half freedom” to a group of enslaved men, 1644.

This ruling by colony director Willem Kieft (spelled William Kiefe in this document) offers an example of “half freedom” in New Netherland. It grants the freedom to farm and work independently to a group of formerly enslaved Africans including Paulo Angola, Big Manuel, Little Manuel, Manuel Gerrit de Reus, Simon Congo, Anthony Portugies, Gracia, Peter Santomee, Jan Francisco, Little Anthony, Jan Fort Orange, and their wives. However, their status is referred to as “half freedom” because there were conditions to their freedom. They had to pay the West India Company annually for their freedom and serve the company if called upon. Also, their children would remain enslaved to the company.

Slavery was practiced throughout New Netherland as early as the 1620s. The system in New Netherland was different in some ways from the system that existed later in the British colony of New York. For example, enslaved men and women generally had equal access to protections of the courts and a select number of enslaved people were granted degrees of freedom, including “half freedom” and full freedom.

Show full description
Citation Information
Excerpts from “Laws of New Netherland, Statutes, Etc,” Digital Public Library of America, https://dp.la/item/6db54ac08d2ecbe206b2bb2b19ba3552.
Note: These citations are programmatically generated and may be incomplete.
Courtesy of The New York Public Library.

Tips for Students

For this source, consider:

  • the author's point of view
  • the author's purpose
  • historical context
  • audience

Item 11 of 15 in the Primary Source Set Dutch New Netherland

Previous ItemNext Item
An 1858 print depicting the encounter between Henry (Hendrick) Hudson and Native Americans.
A Dutch map depicting North America from present-day Canada to Virginia, circa 1655.
An eighteenth-century wampum belt.
The West India Company’s Charter of Freedoms and Exemptions, 1629.
A contract recording the sale of land along the Hudson River from Mahican Indians to Kiliaen van Rensselaer, 1630.
A series of drawings for the proposed coat of arms of New Netherland, 1630.
A print depicting the early settlement of New Amsterdam, published in 1651.
A map showing the original land grantees in New Amsterdam, 1897.
A 1660 map of the city of New Amsterdam called the Castello Plan.
An excerpt from A Description of The New Netherlands by Adriaen van der Donck, ca. 1653.
A transcript of the ordinance from the Director and Council of New Netherland granting “half freedom” to a group of enslaved men, 1644.
Excerpts from Voyages of the Slavers St. John and Arms of Amsterdam, 1659, 1663, documenting the Dutch slave trade to New Netherland.
An excerpt from the minutes of the court of Fort Orange and Beverwyck, circa 1652.
An excerpt from the Journal of Jasper Danckaerts on his arrival in New York, formerly New Amsterdam, in 1679.
An excerpt from the Journal of Jasper Danckaerts on his travels in present-day Brooklyn, formerly part of New Netherland, in 1679.

These sets were created and reviewed by teachers. Explore resources and ideas for Using DPLA's Primary Source Sets in your classroom.

To give feedback, contact us at info@dp.la. You can also view resources for National History Day.

DPLA

  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • How Can I Use DPLA?
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Harmful Content
  • About DPLA
  • Contact Us
  • Feedback
  • News

Tools

  • Primary Source Sets
  • Browse by Partner
  • Browse by Topic
  • Exhibitions
  • My Lists
  • Search

DPLA Pro

  • DPLA Pro Home
  • Prospective Hubs
  • Hub Network
  • Developers
  • Education
  • Projects
  • Ebooks
  • Events
Donate
DPLA Home
FacebookInstagramTwitter