At the very least, the French had laid formal claims to the St. Lawrence Valley and there has already been attempts by the French to create permanent colonies there.
La Floride: A French Huguenot Colony in North America
- Thread starter PGSBHurricane
- Start date
Early days. Everyone claims everything. Spanish and Portuguese claim whole New World.
unprincipled peter
Donor
Would be interesting to see Catholic French settlement in the Hudson Valley/St Lawrence Valley. A successful northern Catholic colony which has tensions with a southern Huguenot colony as they both grow. Now you have 5 factions vying for control of the continent: French Catholic, French Huguenot, English, Spanish, Natives. Lots of room for political maneuver
Based on OTL, I don't think there will be enough French Catholic settlers to be a large competitor to the English or Huguenots. If anything, I could see Catholics settling in the Huguenot colony as farmers, since the Huguenots were disproportionately urban IIRC, while the English (or someone else, like the Dutch, Scottish or even Scandinavians) settle the Saint Lawrence Valley.
unprincipled peter
Donor
Well, since this is ATL, not OTL, that may change.
France had enough population, they simply chose not to migrate. Here, policies/attitudes may change.The mixing of population is a maybe yes, maybe no. If the Catholics hated the Huguenots (and vice versa), mixing might not be such a good idea. One faction, or the other, may try to run the show, to the detriment of the other. I'm sure some could get along, but would the leaders? This was one of the killers in the Brazil attempt.
kham_coc
Banned
Could there be an interest from Paris to have a "loyal" colonial presence?Well, since this is ATL, not OTL, that may change.
The mixing of population is a maybe yes, maybe no. If the Catholics hated the Huguenots (and vice versa), mixing might not be such a good idea. One faction, or the other, may try to run the show, to the detriment of the other. I'm sure some could get along, but would the leaders? This was one of the killers in the Brazil attempt.
Thus having a driver not present otl.
Now that it’s determined that the first English settlement will probably be in the Mid-Atlantic region, I have a second poll up for determining which state it should be in. I put in Connecticut and Delaware because they border the Mid-Atlantic region and have more influence from here than other southern or New England colonies.
strawpoll.com
Which state should the first English-founded settlement be located? - Online Poll - StrawPoll
What's your opinion? Vote now: Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Other (explain)...
strawpoll.com
I think the first English settlement would either be at the mouth of the Delaware or mouth of the Hudson, and New Jersey has both, so that was my vote.Now that it’s determined that the first English settlement will probably be in the Mid-Atlantic region, I have a second poll up for determining which state it should be in. I put in Connecticut and Delaware because they border the Mid-Atlantic region and have more influence from here than other southern or New England colonies.
Which state should the first English-founded settlement be located? - Online Poll - StrawPoll
What's your opinion? Vote now: Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Other (explain)...
You do make some good points. It will also be a similar distance from OTL Spanish Florida and Roanoke. There were even settlements at Albany, NY and Jersey City, NJ were established as part of New Netherlands before the Pilgrims arrives in Plymouth in 1620.
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Speaking of the Dutch, if the English colonize the Mid Atlantic first, where would the Dutch go?
It really depends on where within the region the English land. The Dutch IOTL were concentrated in the tri-state area of CT/NJ/NY but by 1664 it ended up in English hands anyway (because the Dutch actually preferred Suriname to New Netherland since it was more profitable, and the Dutch took it from the English in the Second Anglo-Dutch War). Most likely they focus more on South Africa, the Caribbean, and South America. The Swedes would eventually be kicked out too.
The Dutch also had a short lived colony in Maine, so New England and the Canadian Maritimes could be an option as well.
New Holland (Acadia) - Wikipedia
Wasn’t aware of that. In any case Sir Walter Raleigh’s expedition and their decision on where to land could have massive butterflies.The Dutch also had a short lived colony in Maine, so New England and the Canadian Maritimes could be an option as well.
New Holland (Acadia) - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
They could settle anywhere where they find a nice location, good bay, river, nice land. So you can pick anywhere between Chesapeake and Newfoundland.
I wasn’t particularly sure, which is why I created the polls in the first place. Most likely though, it will be anywhere from the Delmarva Peninsula to Long Island.
Right now, there is a three-way tie. Every vote counts. If any of you readers have not voted yet, please do so as soon as possible.