What describes the Dutch approach to neighbors and labor in their early colonies?

• A. They built walls to keep natives out and imported slaves due to labor shortage.
• B. They formed peaceful trade alliances with all neighboring peoples.
• C. They avoided conflict by retreating inland.
• D. They pursued a policy of strict religious conversion of all natives.

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is how the Dutch in their early colonies combined defensive measures with labor practices to sustain their settlements. They built a defensive wall and fortifications to regulate access and deter Native attacks, reflecting a focus on maintaining control over their growing outposts. At the same time, economic needs created a labor shortage they addressed by bringing in enslaved Africans and relying on other labor sources to work in fur-trading operations, farms, and households. This mix—defensive posture toward neighbors and the use of enslaved labor to support economic activity—best fits the described approach.

The other possibilities don’t line up with what actually happened. The Dutch did not consistently pursue peaceful alliances with all neighboring peoples, as conflicts and competition with Native groups and other Europeans occurred. They did not simply retreat inland to avoid conflict. And they were not driven by a policy of forcing religious conversions on indigenous populations.