Overview
The Dutch Republic, while not directly involved in the American Revolutionary War as a belligerent until later stages, played a crucial role in the conflict, largely as a supplier of vital goods to the rebelling American colonies. Prior to the war, the Dutch, via their Caribbean colonies, had long established themselves as illicit traders, helping to bypass British mercantilist restrictions. When the Revolutionary War broke out, Dutch traders, mainly based in St. Eustatius, significantly ramped up their smuggling activities, supplying the rebellious colonies with much-needed arms, ammunition, and other supplies. The first salute to an American flag by a foreign power took place in St. Eustatius, in November 1776, an event that British intelligence noted as an early indicator of Dutch support for the American cause.
The Dutch involvement in the war escalated after the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783 when Britain declared war on the Dutch Republic in what is now referred to as the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War. This conflict came about primarily because of the Dutch Republic’s membership in the League of Armed Neutrality, an alliance of European naval powers organized by Russia in 1780, which aimed to protect neutral shipping against the Royal Navy’s attempts to prevent supplies from reaching France and the American colonies. The Fourth Anglo-Dutch War severely damaged the Dutch Republic’s economy and marked the beginning of the end for it as a significant economic power. Still, it highlighted the extent of international support for the American cause during the Revolutionary War.
Primary Sources
Secondary Sources
Edler, Friedrich, The Dutch Republic and the American Revolution (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1911)
Available as an e-book at the Dutch Republic and the American Revolution.
Researching the American Revolution 