Final answer:
The first Dutch settlement in the New World was New Amsterdam, established in the 1620s on Manhattan Island, which evolved into a major seaport and the government center of New Netherland.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first Dutch settlement in the New World was New Amsterdam, which was established at the mouth of the Hudson River. In the 1620s, Dutch colonists, under the leadership of Peter Minuet, purchased Manhattan Island from the local Native Americans for sixty guilders. The settlement served as both a major seaport and the seat of government for the Dutch colony known as New Netherland. Fort Amsterdam was constructed on the southern tip of Manhattan Island to defend the growing city. New Amsterdam became a pivotal trading post and was notable for its religious toleration, although it did not adopt the liberal republican government of the Dutch motherland.