Bryon Searing
Social Studies Department
Wels Middle School
Catosa, OK 74012
A Reflection on the Dutch Act of Abjuration as an Inspiration to the Declaration of
Independence
NEH Seminar 2009: Te Dutch Republic and Britain
Tis essay wil provide examples of how te Dutch Republic should be incorporatd int
a global perspectve of te American Histry curriculum. Te contibutons of te Dutch
Plakkaet van Verlatinghe, also known as te Act of Abjuraton, is tat it was a source of
inspiraton for Tomas Jeferson and te Founding Faters’ idea of government.
2
Wheter te Founding Faters used te actual document or learned of it second-hand trough
Britsh stat documents remains debatable. However, te Act of Abjuration should be widely
reconsidered by American histry educatrs when evaluatng te histrical influences or it
helped shape te Declaraton of Independence, te Unitd Stats Consttuton, and te creaton
of American politcal ideals such as tlerance and individualism. Tis document of 1585
predats any of te seventent century Britsh Stat documents tat are widely considered as
te main sources at te root of representatve government in American Histry txtbooks
tday.
An important instuctonal objectve of my middle school histry curriculum is for
3
students t examine American histry in a global perspectve. Te Natonal Endowment for
te Humanites Summer Seminar provided an ideal opportunit for me t examine how an
Atlantc contxt can be incorporatd int a Unitd Stats histry survey. Te opportunit t
tace te European concept of capitalism back t its origins during tis seminar changed my
percepton of how an American histry curriculum should be taught in te middle school classroom. Tis valuable opportunit has given me a more balanced perspectve on te roots of
modern representatve government, as wel as a broad foundaton for understanding te
development of modern economic tought in regards t globalizaton.
Te vision I have for my American histry survey course is t teat te Atlantc Ocean
as a bridge and not as a barrier t colonial development. Instad of te taditonal
intoductry unit of many American histry surveys, which begin wit te age of exploraton,
colonial setlement, and te development of American culture trough various natonal
experiences, a more expansive tansnatonal view is needed. An intoducton t te Atlantc
world paradigm alows students t examine tis era trough a much broader perspectve. Te
statgy I plan t utlize for my restuctured curriculum is t approach te study of Atlantc
tade as a major component wit a fluid chronology, which focus on bot ideological and
matrial exchanges.
Te opportunit t examine Atlantc tade wit a focus on te Britsh East India and
Dutch West India Companies was my original intrest in tis seminar. Before te seminar,
my focus as an educatr was more centred on gaining a beter appreciaton of te matrial exchanges across te oceans. During te seminar te opportunit t examine te histry of te
Britsh East India and Dutch West India companies shiftd my intrests tward te
governments tat creatd tese companies and teir monopolies. As te seminar progressed, I
4
realized tat te examinaton of te exchange of ideas across te Atlantc, especialy regarding
representatve government, would be extemely valuable in my curriculum. My studies in
London te Neterlands have also helped me understand tat early modern globalizaton was a
crucial foundaton for modern economic ideas and te economic policy of te early American
republic. My restuctured American histry survey wil include tree major tpics in te
intoductry unit relevant t tis seminar: Exchanges of te Atlantc World, development of
colonial systms, and te consequences of colonizaton partcularly in te seventent and
eightent centuries.
When it comes t examining te histry of te Unitd Stats, American txtbooks oftn
overlook te contibutons of te Dutch. Most histry books usualy only provide a brief
menton of te fact tat te Pilgrims frst moved t Leiden before tey journeyed t te New
World, and tat te Dutch were te original founders of New Amstrdam before it became New
York. However te tue signifcance of te Dutch upon te politcal and economic histry of te
Unitd Stats seems t have been long forgoten in te txtbooks. Histrical signifcance should
not be a mater of longevit, but should be a mater of legacy. Te Dutch contibuton t our
fndamental beliefs about acceptance and tlerance, our economic systm, and te overal
fabric of American culture was in fact quit important (Clauch, p. 2). While te actual colony
of New Neterlands only lastd only slightly more tan half a century, te Dutch ideas of
tlerance and equalit influenced life in colonial America long aftr te reestablishment of te
colony as New York in 1664. For example, te Dutch taditon of alowing te immigraton of
a variet of peoples wit diferent religions and cultures t setle in Holand fom te Middle
Ages onward became an important value in American culture. Te Dutch taditon of
tlerance alowed te Pilgrims t frst setle in Leiden at te same tme as Jewish families
5
immigratd fom Iberia and Germany t make Amstrdam teir home. Te Dutch policy
tward religious feedom was grounded in tlerance in al faits. Te Dutch realized it would
aid te prosperit of te naton t put away any religious stife. Aftr te Neterlands gained
independence fom Spain and became liberatd fom te oppressive atmosphere of te
Inquisiton, te Dutch government gradualy moved tward te social constuct of feedom of
religion. Personal libert, equalit, popular consent, popular sovereignt, civil societ, and
individualism can be considered as underlying charactristcs of American politcal culture
(O’Connor, p. 12-13). Altough tese ideals lay at te basic foundaton of a representatonal
government, te concepts are not uniquely American.
When te Declaration of Independence was writen, it was fled wit te familiar rhetric
of documents fom te past. Te words Jeferson penned would forever live in histry, but, as
was te custm of te tmes, Jeferson relied on many documents tat provided a foundaton for
his writng. Te txtbooks in te American Histry curriculum most notably associat te
origin of tis ideology wit te Declaration of Rights, te English Bill of Rights, as wel as te
Magna Carta. Intrestngly, te 1689 Declaraton of Rights had brought Dutch ideas and
policies t te Britsh Isles when tey deposed King James II and brought t power te
Wiliam and Mary of Orange t te Britsh trone. When Jeferson penned te Declaration and
Madison and te rest of te Founding Faters gatered in Philadelphia t fame te United
States Constitution tey undoubtdly looked tward te writngs of John Locke and Tomas
Hobbes, as wel as tese earlier Britsh stat documents for inspiraton.
Te American Declaration of Independence difers fom tese documents in at least one
major aspect. It declared independence for a naton tat te founders felt were being exploitd
by a monarch. When American Histry educatrs reexamine tese documents, tey fnd te
6
familiar dialogue pertaining t rights tat every citzen of te majorit culture should possess.
Jeferson goes as far t menton “unalienable rights.” It should defnitly be mentoned in te
American Histry curriculum, tat none of tose documents leave menton of a separaton
fom te monarch. A cursory look at any number of American government txtbooks wil
affirm tis fact. Tose txtbooks menton te various Britsh stat documents tat Jeferson and
his contmporaries used as sources in teir groundbreaking atempt t fee temselves fom
Britain, but one wil not a specifc reference t te Dutch Act of Abjuration tat anoter
important document inspired tese men.
Al te documents mentoned in most txtbooks share te familiar rhetric of te
Declaraton, but it is equaly tue tat te majorit of tose documents share te rhetric of te
earlier Plakkaet. A closer examinaton of te Act of Abjuration shows an independent minded
colony giving notce of its separaton fom a might European power. Just as te Dutch issued
te Plakkaet in 1581 t justf te revolt of Te Neterlands fom King Philip II of Spain, so
te Declaraton argues te justfcaton of American independence fom King George III of
England. A closer look at te two documents show oter signifcant paralels and of an almost
certain influence on Jeferson’s bold statment of partton. In July 1581, te Dutch
government known as te Stats General, agreed upon te wording of a document tat
renounced Philip II as te king as te sovereign of te Neterlands and required tat his
portait shal be removed fom al coins, official seals, and te coat of arms. Tere was t be no
frter reference t te king of Spain, or any of his ttles, in courts of law, twn hals, or any
official body (Israel, p. 211). In additon, te Act required new oats of alegiance t be taken
fom al office-holders and magistats, as wel as te civic militas, whereby holders of office
had t swear tat tey no longer held temselves t be bound by teir former oats of loyalt t
7
te Spanish king and 'swear frter t be tue and obedient t te Stats against te king of
Spain and his folowers (Kossmann, p. 227). As evidenced by tis stong language, te many
abuses of te Spanish during teir occupaton of te Neterlands had made diferences between
te Dutch and te Spanish irreconcilable. Te publicaton of te Plakkaet influenced ideas of
self-government for years t come. A closer examinaton of te document in comparison wit
one of its felow claimants of independence shows how important te Dutch independence
movement was t te histry of representatve government.
Just as the Declaration in Independence is a milestne in Unitd Stats histry, the Act of
Abjuration is a milestne in Dutch histry. In bot te Dutch Act of Abjuration and te Declaration of Independence tere is a lengty preamble tat stakes out a claim of independence.
Included in bot documents is a rhetric tat is meant t justf te actons of a long sufering
colonial people t shake of extrnal dominaton and establish a sovereign naton. Tere is in
bot a justfcaton of te right of citzens t revolt against a trannical monarchy. Te Act of
Abjuration predats te Glorious Revoluton, making it arguably te earliest recorded document
of te rights of te citzens t combat a trannical ruler in te colonial period. It is notworty
tat bot documents menton repeatd atempts by teir counties t seek redress of teir
complaints trough existng European taditons of legal civic channels. Like te Declaration of
Independence, te Act of Abjuration would boil over int a biter propaganda war fom bot sides
involved in te rebelion. Te propaganda tchniques of bot rebellions ilustat colonial rule
as 'tranny’ and 'barbarous cruelt’ and te blackening of te names of bot monarchs
associatd wit te colonial occupier. Like te American Revoluton, twn councils were used t
consult te militas and citzenry, knowing tat tey were bot resolutly opposed t te king
aftr te Act of Abjuraton was issued.
8
When despotc autorit repeatdly rebuked each of te documents, te plaintfs had no
altrnatve but t invoke te right of revoluton. Each of tese documents symbolizes te birt of
a naton and an act of rebelion tat also consttutd an act of self-detrminaton.
Furtermore, bot documents bring forward prominently te cental idea tat rulers are
responsible t te people and can legaly be deposed by tem. Tis growt of tis concept is
cental t te development of bot consttutonal and republican government, which was
enshrined in bot te Declaraton of Independence and te Unitd Stats Consttuton.
Conclusion
Evidence tat te Dutch Plakkaet inspired similar actons and documents in
seventent-century England during te era of te Glorious Revoluton and te English Bill of
Rights (1689) is formidable. Clearly te Plakkaet has a contnuing legacy in te foundaton of
American representatve government, wheter hidden. It is likely no coincidence tat te many
similarites between te Plakkaet and te Declaration of Independence shows tat Jeferson and
te oter Founding Faters looked t te Dutch and teir stuggles for independence fom
Spain for inspiraton. It is arguable wheter tat evidence was eiter primary or secondary in
nature. It is however clear tat te cental teses of bot of tese documents address what had
happened t a people and how tese events over tme gave legitmacy t te inhabitants
argument t disregard teir king as sovereign.
Tis Seminar has given me te valuable opportunit t develop a more balanced
perspectve on te roots of modern representatve government, as wel as a broad foundaton of
modern economic tought regarding globalizaton. Te statgy I plan t utlize for my
restuctured curriculum is t approach te development of an Atlantc world as a major epoch
9
tat featured bot ideological and matrial exchanges. Te opportunit t examine te exchange of Atlantc ideologies, especialy in regard t representatve government wil be extemely
valuable in my curriculum. Just as te Dutch Act of Abjuration could be considered an early
influence on te ideals of American representatve government, te legacy lives on tday over
what could be learned fom te progressivism of te Dutch.
References
Claunch, Anne, “The Dutch are Missing in the American Curriculum”. Social Education, Vol. 73,
Number 5 (Septmber 2009): pp. 248-251; 256.
Darby, Graham (ed), The Origins and Development of the Dutch Revolt. London: Routledge, 2001.
Gelderen, Martn van, The Political Thought of the Dutch Revolt, 1555-1590, New York: Cambridge
Universit Press, 2002).
Israel, Jonaton , The Dutch Republic: Its Rise, Greatness, and Fall 1477-1806. Oxford:
Clarendon Press, 1998, pp.209-211.
Kossman, E. H., Politieke theorie in het zeventiende-eeuwse Nederland. Amstrdam: 1960.
Lucas, Stphen E., "The 'Plakkaat van Verlatinghe': A Neglectd Model for te American Declaraton of Independence", in Rosemarijn Hoft and Johanna C. Kardux, eds.,
Connecting Cultures: The Netherlands in Five Centuries of Transatlantic Exchange. Amstrdam,:
1994, pp. 189– 207.
O’Connor, Karen and Larry Sabat, American Government: Continuity and Change, New
York: Pearson Longman, 2006.