The Canon of Curaçao is a list of fifty themes (called "windows") that chronologically summarizes the history of Curaçao. In the windows 50 subjects are described in approximately 400 words each. Complementing the Canon of the Netherlands and its regional canons, the Canon of Curaçao was compiled on the initiative of the General Faculty of the University of Curaçao (UoC), for the purpose of history education.
In 2020, the canon was released by a committee appointed by the University of Curaçao, the (, NAC), and the Foundation for School Materials (, FMS). The committee members are: Dr. R. M. Allen, anthropologist, part-time lecturer at UoC Drs. E. Baetens, former geography teacher and FMS employee Drs. W. Kamps, former staff member of the General Faculty of UoC Drs. M. Scriwanek, director of the NAC Drs. R. Sille, former history teacher and rector of the Kolegio Alejandro Paula (KAP) Drs. H. Vlinkervleugel, chairman of the Curaçao association of history teachers Drs. I. Witteveen, former director of the National Archaeological Anthropological Museum (NAAM) and former FMS employee
The 50 windows ThemePeriodDescription1 The original inhabitants 5000 BCE–500 The pre-ceramic or archaic period2 The Spanish period 1499–1634 The first European settlers and administrators3 The conquest of Curaçao by the WIC and the arrival of the Dutch 1634–1665 The conquest of Curaçao4 New inhabitants in the seventeenth century 1634–1700 Introduction of the plantation economy5 The slave trade and slavery 1672–1713 Curaçao as slave market6 Resistance to slavery 18th century Rebellion of enslaved Africans7 Tula 1795 From slave leader to national hero8 Papiamentu from 1700 From colloquial language to creole language9 Curaçao around 1800 1795–1803 Seizures of power10 The development of Willemstad from 1634 Urban development11 The development of habitation outside Willemstad from 1634 The population of Bandabou 12 Brión, Piar and Bolívar 18th century Historical heroes13 The plantation system of Curaçao from 1634 Running an agricultural business14 The abolition of slavery 1 July 1863 Emancipation15 The structure of society in the first half of the nineteenth century 19th century Social status based on skin color16 Buildings from 1634 Architecture of Curaçao17 The defense of Curaçao from 1634 Defensive works18 Employment and emigration between 1863 and 1920 1863–1920 Regional labor migration19 Mining industry from 1634 Salt, guano, phosphate, and limestone20 The arrival of Catholic religious from the Netherlands from 1715 The mission among the Afro-Curaçaoan population21 The arrival of the oil industry from 1912 Establishment of the Shell refinery22 The new immigrants on Curaçao from the beginning of the twentieth century 20th century Migrant flows23 The harbor from 1634 Harbor and economy24 The labor movement 20th century Origin and development25 The Second World War 1940–1945 War and neutrality26 Dr. M. F. da Costa Gomez 1907–1966 Curaçaoan statesman27 Universal suffrage 1948 Political emancipation28 The charter 15 December 1954 Reformed relations within the Kingdom29 The sixties – an atmosphere of change 1960–1969 Emergence of the trade union system30 Thirty May 1969 30 May 1969 Rebellion against oppression31 Women's emancipation 20th century Elimination of social inequality32 The cultural dynamics of the seventies from 1970 Attention to domestic art and culture33 Departure of Shell, arrival and departure of PDVSA 1976–2019 Management of the oil refinery34 The political developments from the charter to 10 October 2010 1954–2010 Autonomization and decentralization of governance35 From ‘Oil as King’ to ‘Tourism as King’ 20th century Pillars of the economy36 Sports: small island – great sportspeople – Andruw Jones 20th century International sports achievements37 Visual arts in the 20th century 20th century Curaçaoan artists38 Carnival from 1872 Origin and development of the folk festival39 Water 20th century Water sources, supply, and use40 and 20th century Pioneers of Curaçaoan cultural heritage41 Education on Curaçao 19th and 20th century Emergence, access and structure42 The plural society from 1915 Economy, labor and diversity43 Getting along with nature from 1499 Interaction between humans and nature44 Religion and religious celebrations 1965 Entry and multiplicity of religions45 The relation with Venezuela from 1634 Administrative, economic and trade relations46 The lives of Curaçaoans in the diaspora from 1880 Emigration and remigration47 The other islands of the former Netherlands Antilles from 1635 Connection with Aruba, Bonaire, Sint Maarten, Sint Eustatius, and Saba48 The development of telecommunications from 1887 History of the means of communication49 Transport from 1880 The development of road, sea, and air transport50 Media from 1812 The development of the media
See also Canon of the Netherlands
Canon of Friesland
Canon of Groningen
References