On February 19, 1665, the Dutch rulers of New Netherland succeeded in preventing the English from conquering its colony and adding it to the British empire. The Treaty of New Amsterdam required England to pay huge reparations to the Dutch and relinquish part of Connecticut to New Netherland.
New Netherlanders have plenty to celebrate. But what if the English defeated the Dutch and took over our country? Would they have decided to expand its North American holdings all the way westward?