The Faithul Patriot

It was the Dutch Golden Age. The eighty-years war of independence from Spain had ended, and Dutch trade, art, military, and science was the envy of the world. Epke Jacobse (Banta) leaves his native Friesland, the Netherlands with his wife Sitske, and five sons, sailing on the ship De Trouw for New Amsterdam, for an opportunity from the Dutch West India Company. He is meeting Peter Stuyvesant, the Director-General of the New Netherland colony in America, to receive his assignment. Epke is arriving in America at an extraordinary time. He, along with his son, grandson, and great-grandson Henry will leave an indelible mark in the history of the middle colonies leading up to the revolutionary war. This story is about the Frisians' enduring passion for freedom, their strength, and endurance that has come to epitomize the American spirit. It is a story about the Dutch values and their influence on the middle colonies during pivotal moments in history, leading to the American Revolution. Read how they adjusted their lives after the fall of New Amsterdam, the land wars of New Jersey, and the coercion to accept English customs, laws, and religion. Learn about the grass-root efforts leading to the Revolutionary War. Committees of Correspondence, the first social networks, spread sentiments of liberty across the colonies right under the noses of the British Colonial governors. Colony wide congresses were formed then the First Continental Congress issued the first Association to boycott British imports. Committees of Observation and Inspection were formed to teach the virtues of the new country and seek out those who associated with the loyalists. These organizations were the seeds of the revolution. In 1776, conservatives were the British Loyalists, and the liberals were the Revolutionists. Conservatives wanted status-quo, the English Laws, Church of England, rule from across the pond. Liberals wanted to change, to be sovereign and independent from Britain, to make their own laws. To effect change, liberals took the message directly to the people using simple language and coercing those who disagreed. Boycotts were used to discourage trade with Britain, and those who violated were publicly admonished. Weapons were seized from the loyalists. A wedge was driven, causing division in the country. These were radical behaviors. Are these radical behaviors justified today? That is the question I tried to answer by writing this story.