| Impact | Repeated conflicts between colonial powers over holdings • Significant impacts on indigenous populations • Distinct geopolitical and economic landscape from our reality |
| United States | Remains part of Dutch New Netherland colony, limited to East Coast |
| Decolonization | Ongoing movements with different trajectories than our timeline |
| Decreased Presence | |
| Divergent Timeline | Colonial expansion and territorial control by European powers has unfolded differently |
| Major Colonial Powers |
In this alternate timeline, the processes of territorial expansion and colonization by European powers have unfolded quite differently from our own reality. While the general trends of imperialism, resource extraction, and population displacement have been present, the specific outcomes and power dynamics have diverged substantially.
Rather than the British Empire and French Colonial Empire dominating the global colonial landscape, the major expansionist powers have been the Dutch and German states. Beginning in the 16th and 17th centuries, the Dutch leveraged their naval and mercantile prowess to establish an extensive colonial network spanning Southeast Asia, South Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas.
Similarly, a unified Germany emerged as a major colonial force in the 19th century, claiming territory in Africa, Oceania, and parts of the Americas. The German and Dutch colonial domains often overlapped and competed, leading to periodic armed conflicts, but they remained the pre-eminent imperial powers through the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
In contrast, the British and French colonial empires never achieved the same scale and longevity as in our timeline. The British were largely confined to their holdings in the Indian subcontinent and a few Caribbean islands, while the French were limited to parts of North Africa, the Levant, and a reduced set of Caribbean territories.
Partly this was due to earlier and more successful nationalist and anti-colonial movements in regions like Ireland, Egypt, and Algeria that eroded the grip of the British and French. But it was also a consequence of the greater power and assertiveness of the Dutch and German empires, who often outmaneuvered or outright conquered the British and French in colonial disputes.
One of the most striking differences in this alternate timeline is the trajectory of the United States of America. Rather than expanding across the North American continent, the U.S. remained largely confined to the East Coast as part of the New Netherland colony under Dutch dominion.
Without the Louisiana Purchase, the Mexican-American War, or the Indian Removal Act, the United States never became the sprawling trans-continental power of our world. Its economy and geopolitical influence remained relatively limited compared to the Dutch and German colonial giants. This curbed the U.S.'s global ambitions and allowed other powers to dominate the Western Hemisphere.
The competing colonial empires of this timeline have repeatedly clashed over their respective spheres of influence and territorial holdings. From the Dutch-German Colonial Wars of the late 19th century to the World Wars of the 20th century, the major European powers have engaged in protracted, large-scale conflicts to expand, defend, or seize colonial territories.
These wars have had devastating impacts on both the colonizing powers and the colonized populations. Indigenous peoples have endured cycles of displacement, exploitation, and violent suppression as the European empires have battled for supremacy. Decolonization movements have also struggled to gain traction, with the colonial powers proving more resilient in the face of nationalist uprisings.
The differing trajectories of territorial expansion and colonialism in this alternate timeline have produced a global order that remains quite distinct from our own. Power is more concentrated in the hands of the Dutch and German empires, while the British, French, and American influence has been more limited. This has shaped economic and geopolitical realities across the world, with ripple effects on everything from trade patterns to cultural exchange.
Moreover, the more entrenched and violent nature of European colonialism has left a more fraught legacy. Indigenous populations have faced greater displacement and subjugation, and decolonization remains an arduous, ongoing struggle in many regions. The scars of imperialism continue to shape contemporary global politics and power dynamics in this alternate world.
