PATROONSHIP Meaning and
Definition
-
Patroonship is a historical term that refers to a system of land ownership and governance established by the Dutch West India Company in the 17th century in the New Netherland colony, which encompassed present-day New York, New Jersey, and parts of Delaware. The term is derived from the Dutch word "patroon," meaning "patron" or "sponsor." A patroon was an individual or group of individuals who were granted expansive land tracts, known as patroonships, by the Dutch West India Company.
Under the system of patroonship, the patroons were responsible for establishing and developing settlements on their granted lands. They possessed significant powers and privileges, including control over local governance, the administration of justice, and the collection of rent from settlers. Patroons were encouraged to promote colonization by bringing in settlers, but they had to provide certain provisions and services to their tenants in return.
The institution of patroonship, however, was not met without controversy. It was criticized for fostering a feudal-like system, with power concentrated in the hands of a few wealthy individuals. The patroonship system was eventually abolished in the mid-19th century, following the British takeover of the New Netherland colony from the Dutch.
The term patroonship is therefore used to describe both the system of land ownership and the land tracts themselves granted to patroons in the colonial era of North America. It represents an important chapter in the history of land ownership and colonization in the region.
Common Misspellings for PATROONSHIP
- oatroonship
- latroonship
- -atroonship
- 0atroonship
- pztroonship
- pstroonship
- pwtroonship
- pqtroonship
- parroonship
- pafroonship
- pagroonship
- payroonship
- pa6roonship
- pa5roonship
- pateoonship
- patdoonship
- patfoonship
- pattoonship
- pat5oonship
- pat4oonship
Etymology of PATROONSHIP
The word "patroonship" is derived from the Dutch word "patroon", which means "patron". The concept of patroonships originated in the Dutch Republic during the 17th century when the Dutch West India Company granted large land grants called "patroonships" to investors who agreed to populate and develop the land in the New Netherland colony (which later became New York). The term itself combines "patroon" with the suffix "-ship", which denotes a condition, status, or office, thus forming "patroonship".
