Compare And Contrast The French And Dutch Colonies

Taryn Edwards
Mr. McGavin
Pre- Ap US History
3 October 2017
The French and Dutch Colonies

French and Native American fur trade vs Dutch and NAtive American fur trade
The discovery of the Americas lead to many explorations of the New World. Spain, New England and Portugal all began their individual goals. Starting in the early 1500s France started to send ships to the New world. The early French colonies were heavily concentrated in the northern region of North America such as modern day Quebec and Maine. Unlike the Spanish colonies, French colonies were created mainly to extend trade and get revenue for France. French colonies were not self governing and ruled by the king unlike the self governing colonies English settlements.
The Dutch

started to colonize in the 1600s in the modern day New York,New Netherland at the time. It, like French colonies, were focused on trade since it was colder climate. They claimed lands near the Hudson River and left their legacy.
Due to both French and Dutch colonies being in colder focused on trading goods and livestock rather than a largely based agricultural society like much of Southern American colonies. There was a large amount of crops, but it was not as abundant as the southern plantations. There were multiple trading goods such as timber, textiles, and other crops. The most desirable trading good was fur, or pelts, which attracted many settlers from the parent country. The most profitable fur of the time was beaver pelts.
What are some aspects of New Netherland that can still be seen in today’s world
The colony of New Netherland, present day New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and other eastern states. Numerous aspects from the original foundation of New Netherland can still be seen through the diverse array of people. Today New York still has many different ethnic backgrounds, nationalities, and language. The legacy of the Dutch can also be seen with the inclusion now modern day holiday tradition with New Year’s, Christmas, and Easter with the addition of adding the holiday figures. The economy of the time was prosper and New Netherland became a melting pot for cultures.