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Grade Six Social Studies

Hello Boys and Girls,

Let’s go over a little of our history and find out more about the forts set up by the early Europeans – the Dutch, French and English or British – who built forts to defend the settlements they established from the attacks of each other. These Europeans frequently attacked and fought one another so as to gain ownership of Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice, which were separate colonies at the time. The Dutch, who were the first to have settled in the country, built forts in strategic positions in order to protect and defend their settlements from the attacks of rival countries. These forts were also used as headquarters from where the Dutch ruled the settlements. Let us now find out about these forts.

Fort Kyk-Over-Al

Fort Kyk-Over-Al, a small red brick fort located on a small island at the confluence of the Essequibo, Mazaruni and Cuyuni rivers, was the second trading post in Essequibo created by the Dutch. The first, located in the Pomeroon was established in the late 1500s. It is unclear who it was established by. However, that structure was replaced by the Dutch in 1616 and was named Fort-ter Hoogen after a Dutch businessman. It was soon changed to the Dutch phrase Kyk-OverAl, which means ‘See over all’. The first commander of the fort was Adrian Groenwegel (1616-1624). In 1665, the British, led by Major John Scott, captured and plundered the settlement, but only briefly until the Dutch recaptured it. The 1708 attack by French privateers and the 1712 attack by combined force of French and Spanish buccaneers were successfully driven back by the Dutch. By 1716, the fort was overcrowded so new buildings had to be built nearby to house the officials of the colony. One building was built at Cartabo Point, at the meeting point of the Mazaruni and Cuyuni rivers. It was called “Huis Naby,” which means House Nearby. In 1739, the fort was abandoned and the seat of government in Essequibo was removed from Cartabo Point to the bigger Fort Zeelandia on Flag (Fort) Island at the mouth of the Essequibo River.

Fort Nassau

Fort Nassau, the capital of the Dutch colony of Berbice, was established in 1627 as a trading post. A Dutch merchant named Abraham Van Pere, with permission from the Dutch West India Company (DWIC), built the fort on the eastern bank of the Berbice River about 88 km (55 ml) from the mouth of the river. In 1712, the fort was burnt by the French but was rebuilt by the Dutch. In 1763, an uprising of enslaved Africans on Plantation Magdelenenburg, along the Canje River, erupted and spread to other plantations. When the uprising reached the settlement at Nassau, the Dutch governor, Van Hoogenheim, gave the order to burn the fort in order to prevent the rebelling slaves from capturing it. Soon after the fort was abandoned in 1785 and a new settlement named Fort Andries was created downstream. This new settlement later became the town of New Amsterdam.

Fort Zeelandia

Fort Zeelandia was the first Dutch administrative headquarters. It was built on an island called Fort

Island, which is about 16 km (10 ml) from the mouth of the Essequibo River. Fort Island was once the

Dutch capital of the colony of Essequibo. It was formerly known as Flag Island. Do you know why? It was so named because of a large flag that was flown on the island as a guide to ships. Next to the fort was the Court of Policy and Dutch Church. Half of the building was used as the Court of Policy and the other half as the church. This fort was constructed in

1744 to protect the interest of the Dutch from rival countries and also to serve as a stronghold against rebellious slaves. It was designed by the Laurens Storm Van Gravesande, the then Secretary of the colony of Essequibo. He served the colony the longest as commander, from 1738 to 1776.

The walls of Fort Zeelandia and the Court of Policy building are still standing. The weapons store (armory), which once stored ammunition, can still be seen in the compound of the fort along with cannons pointing towards the river. They serve as a reminder of the hostility that was present in the early years. Also, present in the church are tombs of Dutch officials.

Demerara as a colony

In 1753, when Demerara became a colony separate from Essequibo, Borselen (or Borsselen), an island about 32 km (20 ml) up the Demerara River, near Timehri was made the capital or administrative headquarter of Demerara. Earlier, in 1748, a brandwaght or signal station had been built at the mouth of the Demerara River and plantations were established. By 1759, the colony grew rapidly and had become overcrowded with plantations established by many English planters. As a result, it was decided that Borsselen was no longer suitable as the capital of Demerara. In 1781 the Dutch surrendered the colony of Demerara to the British. Then the British Lieutenant, Governor Robert Kingston, erected a fort near the mouth of the river. That fort was named St. George. He then decided that the Brandwaght strip should provide the Seat of government and in that same year established an office there. However, on January 31, 1782, a French squadron captured the colony from the British, demolished Fort St. George and developed the area into a town which they called Longchamps. When the colony was restored to the Dutch by the French in 1784 they renamed the town Stabroek after Nicolaas Geelvinck Lord of Stabroek and President of the Dutch West India Company. In 1796, the British again captured and occupied the three colonies but the colonies Demerara – Essequibo and Berbice were returned to the Dutch in keeping with the terms of the Treaty of Amiens. Eventually, The British captured and reoccupied Demerara – Essequibo and Berbice in 1803 and on April 29, 1812 renamed the town – formerly called Stabroek by the Dutch – Georgetown.

Goodbye boys and girls, please take time to read the information provided. Stay safe and be good to yourself and others.

WEEKEND STUDY

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2021-06-20T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-06-20T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://epaper.stabroeknews.com/article/282097754664429

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