New Netherland: Polity Style: 1624-1664

21 Jun/1 Jul 1621	the West India Company (Westindische Compagnie) is granted exclusive rights for trade and colonization in various parts of the world, including North Ameica, for the period of 24 years, starting on 21 Jun/1 Jul 1621, in accordance with a charter (Dutch: octroy) issued by the States General (Staten-Generaal) of the Netherlands on 24 May/3 Jun 1621 (Nationaal Archief, NL-HaNA_1.05.01.01_13_01; Van Rensselaer Bowier Manuscripts, pp. 86-115; New York Charters and Patents, pp. 78-115)
May 1624	the colony of New Netherland is established on the arrival of first settlers [1]
May 1624 - 30 Jul/9 Aug 1673	Nieuw-Nederland \| New Netherland
12/22 Mar 1664	James, Duke of York. is granted a portion of the territory in North America known as New England in accordance with letters patent issued by command of the King of England on 12/22 Mar 1664 (New York Colonial Documents, 2:295-298; New York Colonial Laws, 1:1-5)
29 Aug/8 Sep 1664	Fort Amsterdam and other possessions of the Netherlands in New England are surrendered to the commissioners of the King of England, in accordance with the conditions signed on 27 Aug/6 Sep 1664 and made effective upon the exchange of ratifications on 29 Aug/8 Sep 1664 (New York State Archives. New York (Colony). Council. Dutch colonial administrative correspondence, 1646-1664. Series A1810-78. Volume 15, NYSA_A1810-78_V15_0145c; Brodhead's History of New York, 1:762-763 (revised edition); New York Colonial Documents, 2:414-415)

No credible eyewitness account exists of the arrival of settlers acting under the charter of the West India Company. Indirect evidence suggests that the settlers may have arrived on the Nieu Nederlandt, which departed from a port in the Netherlands in March and reached the shores of North America in early May (Wassenaer's Historical Account, 7:11r-12v; New Netherland Narratives 1609-1664, pp. 74-75; Paltsis, pp. 56-57).