KEY DATES OF THE DUTCH EMPIRE

1602: Merchants from Holland and Zealand found the United East India Company (the VOC)
1615: The Dutch Republic’s first successful North American settlement, New Netherland, begins with the establishment of Fort Nassau in present day New York
1621: The end of the Twelve Years’ Truce with Spain during the Dutch Revolt, or 80 Years’ War, leads to the formation of The Dutch West Indian Company (WIC)
1621: Fort Nassau is transferred to the WIC
1624: The WIC builds Fort Orange in present day Albany, New York
1625: The WIC establishes New Amsterdam in what is now lower Manhattan in New York
1630: Dutch Brazil begins when the WIC launches an attack on the state of Pernambuco in eastern Brazil
1630s: The Dutch become actively involved in the slave trade
1654: Using land and naval forces, Portugal reacquires Dutch Brazil
1664: The English take over New Netherland
1667: The Dutch acquire Suriname from England
1780-1784: During the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War a large portion of the Dutch fleet is captured, negatively impacting the WIC and the VOC
1791: When its charter ends, the WIC is taken over by the Dutch Republic
1796: The Dutch Republic takes over the VOC
1814: At the Convention of London, the newly founded Kingdom of the Netherlands regains overseas possessions that were lost to Britain during the French occupation of the Netherlands
1816: Dutch colonial rule is reestablished in the East Indies
1825-1830: The Java War is the most serious challenge to newly established Dutch colonial rule
1830-1870: Dutch colonialism is characterized by exploitation and consolidation 1875-1899: A new type of colonial capitalist economy, dependent upon cheap labor, emerges as private entrepreneurs develop large tobacco plantations and pursue mining ventures in the Netherlands Indies
1900: Colonial administration introduces the so-called Ethical Policy, a largely unsuccessful program of reforms aimed at improving conditions for native Indonesians and introducing a degree of political autonomy
1927: Following uprisings by the Indonesian Communist Party, the colonial government formally discontinues the Ethical Policy
1935: The Netherlands Indies becomes a well-monitored police state
1942: After assuming control of Indonesia, the Japanese imprison resident Europeans and exploit Indonesian people, industry, and agriculture
1945: Following the capitulation of Japan, Indonesia declares its independence on August 17
1947-1948: After two Dutch-Indonesian wars, the Netherlands government finally accepts Indonesian independence
1949: On December 27, Queen Juliana transfers sovereignty to the Indonesian Republic
1975: On November 25, Suriname becomes completely independent
1988: Antillean residents indicate their desire to maintain relations with the Netherlands
2003: The Nationaal Instituut Nederlands slavernijverleden is founded
2006: Roughly 400,000 Indonesians live in the Netherlands, and approximately 3,000 Dutch citizens live in Indonesia

In the book 'Encyclopedia of Western Colonialism since 1450' Thomas Benjamin, editor in chief, Thomsom Gale, Farmington Hills,U.S.A, 2007. p. 375. Edited to be posted  by Leopoldo Costa.