Dutch keep North American colonies?

First of all, how could the Dutch keep their North American, Atlantic coast colonies?

Second of all, how will this affect politics in colonial North America and Europe?

Could we see a Dutch version of the USA? Could the Dutch colonies expand further westward into the Ohio River Valley? Will this detract any from Dutch interest in the East Indies? If so, who steps into the power void?
 

mats

Banned
well, first you would need to get rid of the british colonies there. and then keep the french out. and the dutch didn't have the strenght to win a land war with both of them
 
What if you have Plymouth Colony not get established in 1620 and the settlers reach Virginia? Could the Dutch expand their holdings into Massachusetts while the English settle for a more populous set of Middle Atlantic colonies?
 
First of all, how could the Dutch keep their North American, Atlantic coast colonies?

Well, during the second Anglo-Dutch war, the English did offer to return the New Netherlands if the Dutch returned Surinam. So if the Dutch accept this offer, they would keep the new Netherlands. Also during the third Anglo-Dutch war the Dutch managed to recapture the New Netherlands. So I see a couple of ways. Also New Amsterdam asked a couple of times to become part of the Netherlands. Maybe if that would have happened the Dutch wouldn't have given it away so easily.
Second of all, how will this affect politics in colonial North America and Europe?
The English colonies will be split in two. I assume that with a Dutch colony there will be less of an incentive to capture all the French colonies, so maybe we see a French Quebec.
Could we see a Dutch version of the USA? Could the Dutch colonies expand further westward into the Ohio River Valley? Will this detract any from Dutch interest in the East Indies? If so, who steps into the power void?
I doubt we will see a Dutch USA. If the Netherlands kept the New Netherlands, it will probably end up as part of the Netherlands, as Dutch as Gelderland or Friesland. Because of its decentralised government it is far easier for the Dutch than for the English. It will probably expend, but not too much, it realy depends on the colonists the Dutch manage to attrack. The Dutch population on its own is too small, but if they manage to convince protestant Germans, Scandinavians, Hugenots, jews, etc (and assimilate English that settle it) to join, I think it might grow into a reasonably big settlement. I doubt it would distract them from the East Indies. Those are two entirely different colonies, with entirely different motives to go there. The East Indies were never a settlement colony, but a place to make lots and lots of money (and succesfully so). It might decrease the people willing to settle in South Africa though.
 
I think you'd either have to cripple the English naval power, or the English and the Dutch have to be best buddies for the Dutch colonies to survive.

Otherwise later the British are just going to take the New Amsterdam as soon as there's a war between the Dutch Republic and Great Britain.

Also, the Dutch will need to focus more on sending settlers to their colonies in the New World, or the Dutch colonists are going to be surrounded by a sea of British colonists. Unless, as I said before, something cripples British naval power and it halts emigration to their colonies early on.
 
I think you'd either have to cripple the English naval power, or the English and the Dutch have to be best buddies for the Dutch colonies to survive.

Otherwise later the British are just going to take the New Amsterdam as soon as there's a war between the Dutch Republic and Great Britain.

If the Dutch manage to keep (or recapture) their north American colonies (and like I said that is far from impossible), they might well keep them as since king/stadholder William/Willem III the Duch and British were allies for almost 100 years. The fourth Anglo-Dutch war was because of the help the Dutch gave to the American Revolution, something that will very likely be butterflied away.
 
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