How and why was New Amsterdam founded?
The colony of New Amsterdam was founded by the Dutch West India Company, hoping to find as much profit as the Dutch East India Company did in the spice trade. The only trade item developed by the colony was furs from the indians. The company blundered in developing the colony for settlers so that populaton growth was very slow, resulting in little production of agricultural products or manufactured goods that could be shipped back to Holland. It was almost a mercy to have the place stolen away by the British after several decades of mismangangement.
