Definition

Proper noun: * A Dutch colony in North America: New Netherland was a 17th-century Dutch colonial province located along the eastern coast of North America. Its settlements were primarily situated along the Hudson River, Delaware River, and Long Island Sound. The colony was administered by the Dutch West India Company and was centered on its capital, New Amsterdam. It was annexed by England in 1664 and subsequently renamed.

Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The colony of New Netherland was established by the Dutch West India Company in the early 1600s.
  • Peter Stuyvesant served as the Director-General of New Netherland.
  • The English takeover of New Netherland in 1664 marked a significant shift in power in the region.

Advanced Usage

• Historical Context: The term is used almost exclusively in historical contexts to refer to the period of Dutch governance before the English conquest. It is often discussed in relation to the broader colonial competition between European powers in North America.
  • The fur trade was the primary economic driver of New Netherland.

Variants and Related Words

• New Amsterdam: The capital settlement of New Netherland, located on Manhattan Island. It was renamed New York after the English annexation.
• Dutch West India Company: The chartered company that founded and governed New Netherland.

Synonyms

• Dutch colony (in North America): A more general descriptive term.
• (The) Dutch province: Sometimes used in historical texts.

Related Phrases

• Fall of New Netherland: Refers to the events surrounding the English annexation in 1664.
• Director-General of New Netherland: The title of the colonial governor appointed by the Dutch West India Company.

Noun

1. a Dutch colony in North America along the Hudson and lower Delaware rivers although the colony centered in New Amsterdam; annexed by the English in 1664