<P> The inhabitants of New Netherland were European colonists, American Indians, and Africans imported as enslaved laborers . The colony had an estimated population between 7,000 and 8,000 at the time of transfer to England in 1664, half of whom were not of Dutch descent . Descendants of the original settlers played a prominent role in colonial America, and New Netherland Dutch culture characterized the region for two centuries, encompassing today's Capital District around Albany, the Hudson Valley, western Long Island, northeastern New Jersey, and New York City . </P> <P> During the 17th century, Europe was undergoing expansive social, cultural, and economic growth, known as the Dutch Golden Age in the Netherlands . Nations vied for domination of lucrative trade routes around the globe, particularly those to Asia . Simultaneously, philosophical and theological conflicts were manifested in military battles across the continent . The Republic of the Seven United Netherlands had become a home to many intellectuals, international businessmen, and religious refugees . In the Americas, the English had a settlement at Jamestown, the French had small settlements at Port Royal and Quebec, and the Spanish were developing colonies to exploit trade in South America and the Caribbean . </P> <P> In 1609, English sea captain and explorer Henry Hudson was hired by the Flemish émigrés running the Dutch East India Company (VOC) located in Amsterdam to find a northeast passage to Asia, sailing around Scandinavia and Russia . He was turned back by the ice of the Arctic in his second attempt, so he sailed west to seek a northwest passage rather than return home . He ended up exploring the waters off the east coast of North America aboard the vlieboot Halve Maen . His first landfall was at Newfoundland and the second at Cape Cod . </P> <P> Hudson believed that the passage to the Pacific Ocean was between the St. Lawrence River and Chesapeake Bay, so he sailed south to the Bay then turned northward, traveling close along the shore . He first discovered Delaware Bay and began to sail upriver looking for the passage . This effort was foiled by sandy shoals, and the Halve Maen continued north . After passing Sandy Hook, Hudson and his crew entered the narrows into the Upper New York Bay . (Unbeknownst to Hudson, the narrows had already been discovered in 1524 by explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano; today, the bridge spanning them is named after Verrazzano .) Hudson believed that he had found the continental water route, so he sailed up the major river that later bore his name . He found the water too shallow to proceed several days later, at the site of present - day Troy, New York . </P>

What explorer was responsible for the dutch control of new netherland