The Council of Twelve Men was a group of 12 men chosen on 29 August 1641 by the residents of New Amsterdam to advise the Director-General of New Netherland, Willem Kieft, on relations with the Native Americans due to the murder of Claes Swits. [1]
Three Questions
The councilmen were asked 3 questions:
- Whether it is not just to punish the barbarous murder of Claes Swits committed by an Indian and, in case the Indians refuse to surrender the murderer at our request, whether it is not justifiable to ruin the entire village to which he belongs?
- In what manner the same ought be put into effect and at what time?
- By whom it may be undertaken?
War
They did not counsel war, as desired by Willem Kieft. They proposed a friendly request to be sent to the Indians to surrender the murderer. Because Willem Kieft was not happy with the reply of the council of twelve, he disassembled the council on February 8, 1642. Kieft then ordered the Dutch West India Company soldiers to attack nearby Indian villages. Attacks between the Indians and the West India Company soldiers led to a near devastation of New Amsterdam in 1643.
Nascent Democracy
Although the council was not permanent, it was the first representational form of democracy in the Dutch colony. The next time a council was created it was a council of eight men.
Councilmen
The twelve council members were:[2]
- David Pietersen de Vries (chairman)
- Maryn Adriaensen
- Jacques Benteyn
- Jan Jansen Damen
- Gerrit Dircksen
- Hendrik Jansen
- Jochem Pietersen Kuyter
- Frederick Lubbertsen
- Abram Molenaar
- Joris Jansen Rapalje
- Jacob Stoffelsen
- Abraham Ver Planck
References
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