Jews arrive in New Amsterdam, fleeing the Spanish Inquisition in Brazil

Historical Context Note

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 3.2.1: American (US) Writing and Culture: The Colonial Period, 1604-1783.
Vol. editors: Emory Elliott (University of California, Riverside), Stephen E. Meats (Pittsburg State University), Scott Slawinski (Western Michigan University)

Domains

Population, migrations and new settlements

Dates

Date of occurrence 1654

Places

United States (Location)
Brazil (Involved)
Spain (Involved)

Resources

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In 1654 Jews began to arrive in New Amsterdam, having fled the Portuguese reconquest of Dutch territory in Brazil. Jewish people had arrived in Brazil earlier in the 16th century from the Netherlands, where many had settled in order to escape the Inquisition in Spain and Portugal.

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