10/24/2026
What if New York had remained Dutch?
The Dutch were not as prolific in their settlement of North America as the Spanish, French and English were. Though a global power with a strong navy, the Dutch focused more on trade than on permanent settlements (though they notably held holdings in Asia).
The Dutch West India Company originally conceived New Netherland in 1621 to capitalize on the North American fur trade. The port city of New Amsterdam became a major hub for trade between North America, the Caribbean and Europe.
In early 1665, the Second Anglo-Dutch War had begun. New Amsterdam was taken, with little resistance, by English forces. By the end of July 1667, Charles II of England and the Dutch had come to an agreement, and one provision was that the English kept the colony, naming it New York.
About five years later, Charles II was at it again. This time the Dutch took back New York, naming it New Orange, after William of Orange, who would later become William III of England. During this time, there were diplomatic and military interactions with Connecticut and Massachusetts, while Maryland troops sacked the Dutch settlement of Hoerenkil in 1673 and '74.
The city was returned to the English in 1674 in exchange for Suriname (in South America, north-east side).
