*** Suriname, Surinamese, Surimame history, Surinamese history, historia de Suriname








Surinamese History

Suriname slavery
Figure 1.--Here we see a slave family in French Guiana. We are not sure if they are plantation workers or slaves who escaped into the bush. Source: Giulio Ferrario. "Le Costume Ancien et Moderne", Volume II published about 1820. It seems that the image here was inspired by a drawing by John Gabriel Stedman in 'Narrative of a Five Years' Expedition against the revolted Negroes of Surinam from the year 1772 to 1777' (London 1796). It could be a family escaped into the bush, but also it could be a plantation family in some free time (perhaps on Sunday). Apparently the plantation ownersProbably at the time the owners didn't give the slaves much clothing. The 17 volumes were published in Milan simultaneously in Italian and French between 1816 and 1834.

The first known Native American tribe was the Suinen. They had been suplanted by other Native Americans at the time of the European conquest (16th century). Columbus was the first European to sail along the coast (1498). The area was next visited by Amerigo Vespucci and Alonso de Ojeda (1499) Vicente Yáñez Pinzón (1500). Most of the major European colonizers (British, Dutch, French, and Spanish) attempted to found settlements in the 16th century, but were resisted by the Native Americans. The British founded the first settlement that proved successful (1651). They used slave labor as the Native Americans proved impossible to enslave. The Dutch during the Naval Wars (1652-74)with Britain seized the colony (1667). In the peace settlement that was in process, the British ceded the colony to the Netherlands, but retained Nieuw Amsterdam (New York). Since that time, the colony was ruled by the Netherlands. Suriname developed into a prosperous part of the Dutch Empire. Dutch planters who had settled in Brazil were driven out by the Portuguese (mid-17th century). Many restablished themselves in Suriname. As in the Caribbean, sugar became the main plantation crop. Other crops were introduced, including coffee, cacao, cotton, indigo, and wood from the tropical forrests (18th century). Labor was carried out by African slaves and they developed as the principal part of the population. Native Americans were driven inland. Most of the European population was Dutch. Jews fleeing persecution in Europe (Portugal, Spain, and Italy) had sought refuge in Brazil, but the Inquisition began to seek them out here. Some sought refuge in Suriname and came to constitute a third of the European population. Other Europeans were from France, Germany, and Britain. The British seized the colony for brief periods during the Napoleonic Wars (1799–1802 and 1804–15). After the Napoleoic Wars, the Dutch recived permanenht possession. The Dutch abolished slavery during the American Civil War (1863).The Netherlands granted independence to Suriname (1975). This was followed by military coups andc civil war. The countrytodayb is a functioning democracy.

Native Americans

The first known Native American tribe in the area of modern Suriname was the Suinen, the tribe from which the country's name is derived. They had been suplanted by other Native Americans at the time of the European conquest (16th century). Tribes have included the Akuriyo, Arawak, Carib, Shikiana, Trio, Warao, and Wayana. The Arawak were particularly important and spoke Arawak or Lokono. The Arawak are still found in small numbers in Suriname and neighboring Guyana, French Guiana, and Venezuela. Arawak languages were once spoken throughout northeaster South America and the Caribbean, especially the southern Lesser Antilles like Barbados, Other Caribbean islanders spoke Arawakan languages, such as the Tainos Santo Domingo, Cuba, and the Bahamas, but there were substantial differences. Language connections are commonly used by anthropopgists in study populstion relationships. Thus scientists debate the relationship with the Arawaks of northeastern South America. The virtual elimination of Native Americans from the Caribbean Islands makes DNA studies diffivult. The Lokono Arawak language is often referred to as 'True' to distinguish it from other languages in the Arawakan language family (such as Taino and Kalhipona).

European Colonization

Columbus was the first European to sail along the coast (1498). The area was next visited by Amerigo Vespucci and Alonso de Ojeda (1499) Vicente Yáñez Pinzón (1500). Most of the major European colonizers (British, Dutch, French, and Spanish) attempted to found settlements in the 16th century, but were resisted by the Native Americans. The British founded the first settlement that proved successful (1651). They used slave labor as the Native Americans proved impossible to enslave. The Dutch during the Naval Wars (1652-74) with Britain seized the colony (1667). In the peace settlement that was in process, the British ceded the colony to the Netherlands, but retained Nieuw Amsterdam (New York). Since that time, the colony was ruled by the Netherlands. Suriname developed into a prosperous part of the Dutch Empire. Dutch planters who had settled in Brazil were driven out by the Portuguese (mid-17th century). Many restablished themselves in Suriname. As in the Caribbean, sugar became the main plantation crop. Other crops were introduced, including coffee, cacao, cotton, indigo, and wood from the tropical forrests (18th century). Labor was carried out by African slaves and they developed as the principal part of the population. Native Americans were driven inland. Most of the European population was Dutch. Jews fleeing persecution in Europe (Portugal, Spain, and Italy) had sought refuge in Brazil, but the Inquisition began to seek them out here. Some sought refuge in Suriname and came to constitute a third of the European population. Other Europeans were from France, Germany, and Britain. The British seized the colony for brief periods during the Napoleonic Wars (1799–1802 and 1804–15). Chinese and Madeiran contract labourers were introduced for plantation work (1853). Many of the contract workers and their descendents became small-scale merchants. Colonial authorities anolished slavery (July 1, 1863). Colonial authorities enforced a 10-year period of government supervision which involved contract labor. Both the plantation owners and the former slaves had trouble adjusting. The plahtation owners contracted workers from India (known as East Indians). Workers were also contracted from Java in the Dutch Wast Indies. The colony's plantation production gradually declined, largely because having to pay wages reduced the profitability of the plantations. The Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) began mining bauxite used to produce aluminum (1916). The Dutch mining company Billiton began operations (1939). The Durch West Indies was the only unconquered Dutch territories during World War II. Authotities remained loyalty to Queen Wilhelmina and the Dutch Governnment in Exile. American troops arrived to help protect the colony (1941). The population was very small, but the bauxite production was important for Allied aircraft production.

Independence (1975)

After World War II (1941-45), the issue of universal suffrage arose as a major issue in Suriname. Political parties began to organize and demand the vote. The parties began to organize along ethnic lines. Under Dutch rule, the light-skinned Creole elite was the dominant group. They had opposed universal suffrage and organized the conservative Nationale Partij Suriname (Suriname National Party--NPS). The working-class Creoles set up the more left wing Progressieve Suriname Volkspartij (Progressive Suriname People's Party--PSV). The East Indians and Indonesians organized the United Hindu Party (VHP) which later became the the Progressive Reform Party). The same ethnic group also organized the Kaum-Tani Persuatan Indonesia (Indonesian Peasants' Party--KTPI). Dutch authorities introduced universal suffrage for elections which would eventually decide the colony's future (1948). The Dutch Government granted Suriname autonomy in its internal matters (1954). The Dutch as the colony moved toward undependence increased development assistance. Suriname as an associate member of the European Economic Community (EEC) (future European Union] also began receiving assistance from the EEC's development fund. The economy reportd some strong economic growth rates (mid-1960s), when substantial increases in alumina and aluminum were achieved. Since then economic growth has lagged. The Netherlands granted independence to Suriname (1975).







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Created: 3:28 PM 10/23/2010
Last updated: 4:55 AM 1/25/2011