AHC: Huge Dutch North America

raharris1973

Gone Fishin'
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Here's the challenge - have the Dutch win the colonization race on the east coast of North America that New Netherlands extends, at a minimum, from Cape Fear to Cape Cod.
 
If you want this to happen there are a couple of problems to solve,
The first is timing. Since the Netherlands wasn't independent in the 16th century, there would always have been a lag between the Dutch and English and French
Secondly there is population. The Netherlands is a lot smaller than England, or France or Spain. It simply does not have as many people to fill up America
Thirdly is freedom. Many English settled in Northern America to find more freedom. The Netherlands already was a (relatively) free country. Jews, Anabaptists, even catholics were able to exist and practice their religion in the Netherlands. There even was quite a lot of political freedom and (obviously) economic freedom. The Netherlands itself was the target of immigration. There was no need for the Dutch to settle other areas
Fourthly and ver importantly is focus. Dutch colonisation focused almost exclusively on trade and money. They were not interested in settling the America's (or South Africa). The Dutch were in the colonial game to get filthy rich, which they did. They were uninterested in actualy settling other areas.

The 3rd and 4rth points are relatively easy to solve. You need a different Dutch Republic to arise after the Dutch revolt. Maybe the stadholders gain more power after the revolt. there was a power struggle between William II and the regents. Maybe he wins (and survives) limiting Dutch freedom somehow, making the losing parties in the struggle to leave the Netherlandsfor the America's. Or something like that.
The second part is a bit harder. But we can have a POD during the Dutch revolt and end up with a larger piece of Flanders after the war. Antwerp alone is a game changer, but what about a significant part of Flanders (Bruges, Ghent, Ostend).That would strengthen the Dutch quite a bit. We can even change the 30-year war somewhat. Maybe the protestants do worse and many German protestants flee towards the Dutch North American colonies. he Dutch would have a relatively easy task to assimilate the already closely related Germans. Besides that, maybe the succesful Stadholders will be more expansionist and expand into the Southern Netherlands and north western Germany, giving the Netherlands a larger population base.

The hardest is the first point. You can't realy change it. You need an independent Netherlands and you can't get it earlier without truely changing what the Netherlands is. As long as the Netherlands is Spanish, or Austrian the Netherlands will not (be allowed) set up colonies for themselves. If the Netherlands is Burgundian, it will be Burgundian and not Dutch. Sp I think the best option is a major setback for the main Dutch rival: England. Let England be hit by some missfortune. A couple of colonies fail. they are distracted by internal and external conflict, while theDutch thrive and can capture some English colonies forcing the English out of the cape Fear-cod area. A Dutch alliance with France would help, neutralising a major threadfor the Dutch, while at the same time gaining a powerful ally.
 
I think the best option is a major setback for the main Dutch rival: England. Let England be hit by some missfortune. A couple of colonies fail. they are distracted by internal and external conflict, while theDutch thrive and can capture some English colonies forcing the English out of the cape Fear-cod area. A Dutch alliance with France would help, neutralising a major threadfor the Dutch, while at the same time gaining a powerful ally.

Best screw is a successful Spanish Armada which ties down Spanish troops in England instead of defending Antwerp and butterflies the Union with Scotland. Have the English free themselves in the 50ish year range but spend another 25 years sorting themselves out while the Dutch surge ahead/accept English refugees works.
 
If you want this to happen there are a couple of problems to solve,
The first is timing. Since the Netherlands wasn't independent in the 16th century, there would always have been a lag between the Dutch and English and French
Secondly there is population. The Netherlands is a lot smaller than England, or France or Spain. It simply does not have as many people to fill up America
[...]

The hardest is the first point. You can't realy change it. You need an independent Netherlands and you can't get it earlier without truely changing what the Netherlands is. As long as the Netherlands is Spanish, or Austrian the Netherlands will not (be allowed) set up colonies for themselves. If the Netherlands is Burgundian, it will be Burgundian and not Dutch. Sp I think the best option is a major setback for the main Dutch rival: England. Let England be hit by some missfortune. A couple of colonies fail. they are distracted by internal and external conflict, while theDutch thrive and can capture some English colonies forcing the English out of the cape Fear-cod area. A Dutch alliance with France would help, neutralising a major threadfor the Dutch, while at the same time gaining a powerful ally.
I don't see your first point, because dutch exploration and colonization started not that much later than the english. And it happened before the formal independence. The activities in the America's fell under the responsibility of the WIC. That company wasn't as succesfull as the VOC, because they could't make the transfer from piracy to setting up a trade network.
Your second point, i see as the biggest problem to be tackled.
 
Hmm..
How about Dutch Patriots flee to the New World during the conflict with Spain, then when the Netherlands achieves Independence, they've got a head start on the other European nation's.
 

Infinity

Banned
There was a time in the 17th century when the Dutch had the largest fleet, despite having a disadvantage in population. Then countries with larger populations teamed up to overthrew Dutch maritime hegemony. The Netherlands never recovered.
 
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