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Wat if the Dutch never traded New Amsterdam for Suriname?

Somewhere in the 16th century (I believe) after some wars and negotiations the English and the Dutch finally settled  their disputes and started to trade. The Dutch, always keen on getting the latest spices basically had not much to gain in New Amsterdam, but Suriname, which was then under control by the English was more lucrative. Some people say that, seeing it from current perspective it was a foolish move of the Dutch to trade New Amsterdam, which the English turned into New York and got Suriname back for it, but in THOSE days, there was no United States of America, and Suriname was economically far more interesting. This trade agreement was for the Dutch at that time far more interesting than keeping New Amsterdam.

But since the United States, 400 years later is now the only world super power, it makes me wonder: How would the world have been looking today if the Dutch and English never came to this agreement and the Dutch kept New Amsterdam. I suppose also the Dutch would seek out all the land behind it, but I am just thinking would I be even alive if they kept that town, which would later be grown to one of the largest cities in the world? And for the record, I am a Dutch guy.

All things we know for sure. New Orleans would not have been flooded in 2005 by Katrina if the Dutch were still there, controlling the entire landmass of the United States. :-)

1 Answer

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  • 4 weeks ago

    How could anyone know what might have happened? That one thing is not the only event that could affect how things would be 300-plus years into the future.

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