The region was initially explored in 1609 by
Henry Hudson on an expedition for the
Dutch East India Company. It was later surveyed and charted, and was given its name in 1614. The
Dutch named the three main rivers of the province the Zuyd Rivier (South River, now the
Delaware River), the Noort Rivier (North River, now the
Hudson River), and the Versche Rivier (Fresh River, now the
Connecticut River). They intended to use them to gain access to the interior, the indigenous population, and the lucrative
fur trade.
International law required discovery, charting, and settlement to perfect a territorial claim. Large scale settlement was rejected in favor of a formula that was working in
Asia of establishing
factories (trading posts with a military presence and a small support community). This period is sometimes referred to as the
Dutch Golden Age, despite on-going
wars on the European continent, and it was difficult to recruit people to leave the economic boom and cultural vibrancy of Europe. Mismanagement and under-funding by the
Dutch West India Company hindered early settlement, as well as misunderstandings and armed conflict with Indians. Liberalization of trade, a degree of self-rule, and the loss of
Dutch Brazil led to exponential growth in the 1650s. Transfers of power from the
Netherlands to
England were peaceful in the province, the last one formalized in 1674.
The
States General of the
Dutch Republic awarded the newly formed
Dutch West India Company a trade monopoly for the region in 1621, and New Netherland became a province of the
Dutch Republic in 1624. The
South River was initially chosen as the site of the capital because the colonists felt that it had the best climate. However, summer humidity, mosquitos, and winter freezing made the
North River more appealing. A number of ships brought settlers to the
New World, at first to
Noten Island and soon after to the tip of
Manhattan, and the colonists began construction of
Fort Amsterdam, around which the colony began to grow. Small groups of the early arrivals were dispersed to
Fort Orange, to
Fort Wilhelmus, or to
Kievets Hoek, but those who went to Fort Wilhelmus and Kievets Hoek were later recalled. Among those who made the crossing were many
Walloons and 11 Africans as company-owned slaves.
In 1629, the Dutch West India Company introduced the
Charter of Freedoms and Exemptions, a series of inducements commonly known as the
patroon system. Invested members could receive vast land patents and manorial rights, somewhat reminiscent of a
feudal lord, if they were willing to fulfill certain conditions, including transporting and settling at least 50 persons. A number of attempts were made, but the only notable success was the
Manor of Rensselaerswyck.[3]Pavonia, across the river from New Amsterdam, was returned to the company and became a company-managed holding. In 1640, company policy was changed to allow land purchases by individuals in good standing.[1]
The Dutch established a short-lived factorij trading post at Kievits Hoek (or Plover's Corner) in present-day
Old Saybrook, Connecticut, shortly after constructing their first settlement on the island of Manhattan. They abandoned it soon after, however, in order to focus on the trading post at
Fort Goede Hoop on the
Connecticut River, which was completed in 1633. The Dutch also had a trading post and possible fort at the mouth of the Branford River in
Branford, Connecticut, which still contains a wharf called "Dutch Wharf."[6][7][8] Soon after, settlers from the
Massachusetts Bay Colony formed the
Connecticut Colony in 1639,[9] and the
New Haven Colony soon followed.
Petrus Stuyvesant attempted to prevent further competition for the area and agreed to a border 50 miles west of the river in the
Treaty of Hartford (1650). This did not stem the flow of New Englanders to
Long Island and the mainland along
Long Island Sound, however.
A municipal charter was also granted to
Beverwijck in 1652, which had grown from a trading post to a bustling town in the midst of
Rensselaerswyck.[10] In 1657, the homesteads scattered along the west bank of the
Hudson Valley in
Esopus country were required to build a garrison that became the province's third largest town of
Wiltwijk.
^The Dutch set up a trading post at the mouth of the Branford River in the 1600s, the source of the name "Dutch Wharf."
"Branford Chamber of Commerce, Branford Connecticut". Archived from
the original on 2006-06-26. Retrieved 2006-06-27. Branford Chamber of Commerce
^
abc*Lucas Litchenberg, De Nieuwe Wereld van Peter Stuyvesant: Nederlandse voetsporen in de Verenigde Staten,
ISBN90-5018-426-X, NUGI 470, Uitgeverij Balans, 1999
^Bert van Steeg,Walen in de Wildernis :
"Walen in de Wildernis". Archived from
the original on 2008-05-17. Retrieved 2008-12-02., soon after abandoned
Bij aankomst in de kolonie werden de kolonisten opgesplitst in vier groepen en werden er op een aantal plaatsen kleine vestigingen gesticht, vooral in de buurt van de al bestaande handelsposten. Een aantal families werden gevestigd aan de Delaware. Hier werd fort Wilhelmus gesticht. Twee families en zes mannen werden naar de Connecticut rivier gestuurd. Ook op Governors’ eiland werden een aantal kolonisten geplaatst om een fort te bouwen. Het grootste aantal kolonisten, onder wie Catalina Rapalje, werd echter net ten zuiden van het huidige Albany geplaatst. May liet hier een klein fort bouwen dat de naam Fort Orange kreeg. Hier verbleven ongeveer achttien families.[30]Brodhead, J.R., History of the state of New York (New York 1871 || 150-191
^
ab"Our History". Frishkill Reformed Church. Archived from
the original on 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2011-07-27. By 1716 they wanted their own Dutch Reformed church so they would not have to cross the river to Kingston or New Paltz to worship. In that year two congregations were established on October 10th: one in Poughkeepsie and one in Fishkill. Poughkeepsie's church building was finished in 1723