Hartje to Harty

Appendix B

Netherlands/Dutch Naming System

First son named for paternal grandfather.

Second son named for maternal grandfather.

Third son named for fathers’ paternal grandfather.

Fourth son named for mothers’ paternal grandfather.

Fifth son named for fathers’ maternal grandfather.

Sixth son named for mothers’ maternal grandfather.

First daughter named for maternal grandmother.

Second daughter named for paternal grandmother.

Third daughter named for mothers’ maternal grandmother.

Fourth daughter named for fathers’ maternal grandmother.

Fifth daughter named for mothers’ paternal grandmother.

Sixth daughter named for fathers’ paternal grandmother.

In the early 1600’s, the people of the Netherlands claimed the land along the Hudson River as New Netherlands. Henry Hudson was commissioned to seek out an all water route to the Indies. His exploration, in 1609, took him up a wide, deep beautiful river, which he named the Hudson. The people of the Netherlands were called “Dutch” by most other cultures. The Dutch bought land from the local indians, which they promptly renamed New Amsterdam. Careful comparison of Amsterdam to New Amsterdam would divulge many similarities, even the manner in which houses and windmills were located on the area surrounding the harbors.

Eventually, the English decided to invade and take over the operation of the New Netherlands colony. This was completed in 1664. A timeline would reveal that New Netherlands existed from the early 1600’s until 1664. A short time, but much was accomplished by the Dutch in this time period.

The first schools of the new world were created in New Amsterdam. Separation of church and state, as a concept, surfaced because of the tolerant nature of the Dutch. Religious persecution did not exist in the Netherlands and was not permitted to exist in New Netherlands either. The people of New Netherlands were like their parents in the Netherlands, in that they had a decent, Christian, moral system which assisted immigrants by creating order, developing good work and private ethics, while creating fun, family activities which brought balance to the entire community.

Some historians even suggest that the colors of the flag of the Netherlands, which was red-orange, white and blue served as a model for the red, white and blue that Americans grew to love. “Old Glory” may have used the colors of the Dutch flag, or maybe the colors of the Washington coat of arms were used to create it. In the final evaluation, only our ancestors know why they picked the colors and arrangement of our flag and nation, but one could assume that even they were not always aware why certain practices were started while others were not.