Dutch colony re-enacted on banks of Connecticut River

A 17th century Dutch encampment sprang up for two days on the banks of the Connecticut River at Goodwin College, as re-enactors played the role of early traders and settlers. The Half Moon, a 1609 replica of explorer Henry Hudson's ship, was docked at the college and open to the public for tours July 9 and 10.

The encampment was intended to show what life might have been like in Hudson's day, when English, Dutch and French settlers were exploring America. The settlers traded with friendly Indian tribes and often engaged in warfare with rival colonies and hostile tribes. Hudson was an explorer for the Dutch East India Company, and voyages like his provided valuable commodities from the New World to Europe.

The Half Moon arrived at Goodwin College on July 5, after a week-long voyage from New London to East Hartford, piloted by students from Connecticut River Academy, an environmental sciences high school located at Goodwin College. The students learned to navigate using the tools of Hudson's time, which were also on display at the encampment.

The encampment included tools produced by woodworkers and iron smiths, and examples of daily life such as children's games. Shari Crawford demonstrated a game called “shinny,” which used tree limbs shaped like clubs to hit a small ball. “It's kind of like field hockey,” Crawford explained.

Nick Reynolds, 15, showed visitors how to walk with stilts. “It’s not that hard, once you get used to it,” he said.

Re-enactor Jim Cassidy displayed various muskets and arms that were typically used by settlers. He wore a bandoleer with small wooden flasks that would have contained gunpowder. “These arms were used to protect the colony,” Cassidy said, adding that he jumped at the chance to re-enact this period in history. “This is unusual to do such an early colony. The Half Moon is a beautiful ship,” he said.

Cassidy and other re-enactors were members of the Society of the 17th Century, a group that specializes in Colonial American history.

Mary Muckenhoupt, who was demonstrating candle-making, said group members make their own costumes and other artifacts to have a feel for what life was like in those times. “It's a way of living history,” she said.

Connecticut Colony | The History Junkie - Colonial America » The ...

Connecticut Colony known as the River Colony, was organized on March 3, 1636 as a place for Puritan nobleman. Early on, the English settlers under John Winthrop Jr. struggled with the Dutch for possession of the land, but the English eventually gained control of the colony and set up a permanent settlement there. Later on the colony was thrown into a bloody Indian war (Pequot War) between the English and Native Americans. Connecticut would go on to play an important role in self-government due to its founder, Thomas Hooker. Hooker led 100 settlers with 130 heads of cattle to the banks of the Connecticut River where he set up the colony of Hartford. Two years later in 1638 Hooker would preach a sermon on the principles of government that would lead to the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut. The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut influenced the Declaration of Independence.

The New Haven Colony was settled in 1638. The settlers were one of the first colonists to treat the Native Americans honestly and justly. They bought the land that they settled from the natives. This in turn created a good relationship between the two. However, the colony was not chartered and many of the competing colonies tried to absorb New Haven. The colonists did eventually allow themselves to be absorbed by a larger colony and when they did they chose Connecticut. Unlike Massachusetts Bay Colony, Connecticut did not need that everyone be a member of a particular church to vote.

After the era of the Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell had passed, Charles II took the throne. John Winthrop Jr., the governor of the Connecticut Colony went to England to secure a charter for the colony. Charles II granted his request in 1662. The charter of the colony covered both the Connecticut Colony and the New Haven Colony and they were permitted to choose their own assembly, their own governor, and rule themselves with minimal interference. New Haven was reluctant to give up their independence and deliberated for some time before coming to a decision to merge with the Connecticut Colony. Once merged the colony was called the Colony of Connecticut.

In 1687, Governor Andros led a company of soldiers from Boston to Connecticut and ordered that they surrender their charter. Apparently the king of England did not appreciate the independence the colony had and had used to conduct their business. Andros came down and confronted the assembly that were gathered in Hartford. The colonists pleaded that he would hear their arguments, which he reluctantly did. Their arguments did little to persuade his intentions.

The Colony of Connecticut

The Connecticut colony

The Colony of Connecticut

The colony of Connecticut, a primary source history

The public records of the colony of Connecticut [1636-1776] ...