History of Pennsylvania control of the Dutch (and former Swedish) holdings in North America. At the end of the Third Anglo-Dutch War, the 1674 Treaty of Westminster permanently confirmed England's control of the region. Following the voyages of Giovanni da Verrazzano and Jacques Cartier, the French established a permanent colony in New France in the 17th century to exploit the North American fur trade. During the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, the French expanded New France across present day Eastern Canada into the Great Lakes region, and colonized the areas around the Mississippi River as well. New France expanded into western Pennsylvania by
Global silver trade from the 16th to 18th centuries and countries, such as the Dutch and Portuguese served as a middle man between the two countries. In the famed "The Wealth of Nations," Adam Smith noted the sheer force and great reach of the global silver trade. He was impressed by its market value but more intrigued with the way this single item of commerce brought together new and old worlds i.e. the Americas and China. Although China acted as the cog running the wheel of global trade, Japan's huge contribution of silver exports to China were critical to the world economy and China's liquidity and success with the