AH Challenge: New Netherlands remain Dutch

[Nicole]

The title should make the challenge obvious, but.. With any POD after the fall of the Roman Empire in 476, have the New Netherlands remain a Dutch colony before independence, instead of becoming the English colony of New York. How will this affect the rest of the world, especially the future United States? I can't find out how much territory the New Netherlands claimed, but 2004 New York separates the New England states from the other states...

 

[MerryPrankster]

Perhaps Peter Stuyvesant isn't governor when the Duke of York and his fleet show up. He was such a petty tyrant that the Dutch basically turned New Amsterdam over to him without a fight.

Of course, even if the Dutch DID fight, the Duke might simply squash them militarily. However, that might cause all sorts of trouble--does anyone know WHY exactly Britain seized the colony when it did? Was there a war on with the Dutch at the time?

 

[Norman]

Part of the problem is that when the English take over after the 30 year war, the population just isn't very large, perhaps no larger that a thousand or so.

For NEw Netherlands to remain Dutch you have to have a bigger population. My favorite is that some Platduetsch German noble makes arrangements to ship off his poltical enemies.

The languages are similar enough that the Germans rapidly are assimilated into the colony, so that by 1654 (? I don't remember exactly when the English demanded the colony), there is enough of a Dutch Speaking population to retain the languiage and identity.

 

[DuQuense]

I can't find out how much territory the New Netherlands claimed,

IIRC -Manhattan, the mouth of the Hudson, and lots of large Estastes, along the River. Worked by Serfs imported from Holland. Part of the Deal turning over the Colony was -the colony of New York would retain the Netherlands laws allowing serfs.

They never went very far inland from the river Banks.

 

[Tyr]

LOL, you really are keeping a mega butterfly net on there talking of inependance and all.
If by some one in a billion (thats a English billion btw) chance things work out as per otl up until 1776 the American's would not revolt due to the presence of the Dutch on their border, the entire reason they revolted was they didn't need the English any more however with the Dutch there they still did.