Peter Stuyvesant

 

          In 1592 Peter Stuyvesant was born in Holland. He lived a life of commanding and conquering forts. When he was old, he was a chubby man, who had a wooden leg. He got the wooden leg when he went to conquer the Spanish island of Saint Martin in April, 1644.  He lost his leg due to a cannon ball.

 

 

          From 1642-1644, he worked for the West India Company. From 1647 to 1655, he was the governor of New Amsterdam, which was in present day New York. New Amsterdam was a colony run by the Dutch Republic.  In 1655, he conquered New Sweden, which at present day is on the border between New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Sadly, in 1664, the English began to attack and Peter had to surrender New Netherland.

 

          Since he wasn’t powerful and rich anymore, the English let him stay on his bowery, which is a Dutch word for farm.   Later at the age of 80, he died of old age and was buried in the church, which was on his bowery.

 

          Peter Stuyvesant was a good guy. He was honest and did his best for New Amsterdam. He even made one of the first fire companies. His company inspected buildings and chimneys which could start fires. He cared a lot for his colony.

 

 

 

       

 

                                                    New Netherland                  

 

           

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Did you know, that Governor Hamilton Fish

 was descended from Stuyvesant?