Dutch+West+India+Company

=Dutch West India Company=

Basic Information
The Dutch West India Company was founded by Willem Usselincx on June 3, 1621 as a chartered company of Dutch merchants. A chartered company is an association formed by investors or shareholders to fund activities such as colonization, exploration, and trade. The company had control over the Atlantic slave trade, Brazil, the Caribbean, and North America. It operated primarily in West Africa and the Americas, along with the Pacific Ocean and New Guinea. The company was founded in order to eliminate trading competition among the Portuguese and the Spanish.

History and Events
There were two primary companies that were initially built. The first Dutch West India Company that was founded in 1621 last until 1674. It was both successful and unsuccessful. Within the first ten years, the company flourished, establishing countless trade posts and selling everything from salt to silver. However, in 1636 the company went bankrupt after trying to completely conquer Brazil. The company painfully and slowly died off after that. Over the next 38 years, the company continued to try to revive its funds using its valuable West African slave trade, but failed. The company was eventually completely dissolved in 1674.

After the fall of the first Dutch West India Company, a second company called the New Dutch West India Company was established shortly after. Due to the still incredibly high demand for West African slaves, the company was able to start using them as their primary trade source. The new company gained all of the previous trade posts and resources from the previously failed company as well. In 1694, the Eguafo Kingdom in Ghana attempted to trade and replace the African slaves with gold with the company. The company refused, leading to a war that lasted until 1700 and ended in a stalemate. After the Fourth Anglo-Saxon War, the company began losing their territories to attacks and raids. After realizing they couldn’t defend their own stock, they were forced to dissolve. After the company dissolved, an attempt to create a third company had no success.

Effects and Legacy
The two Dutch West India Companies provided wealth and recognition to the Dutch countries, but also created downfall as well. After fluctuating back and forth between profits, the Dutch economies were harmed greatly. With the companies surviving on only West African slave trade, it also brings a strong history of slavery into the country.