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=== Under New Spain ===
=== Annexation of the Dutch Boer States ===
==== Establishment of the Voortrekker Republics ====
Although the Dutch didn't hold any written claims to the region, some settlers from the Dutch Tussenland trekked out west, crossing the Rocky Mountains and establishing sparsely populated settlements along their trail. This was spearheaded by Jacobus Corneliszoon, a former army officer in New Netherland, who moved to the Dutch Tussenland hoping to earn a fortune for himself as a trader. However, the mismanagement of the Dutch Tussenland Company (a subsidiary of the Dutch West India Company) had left settlers such as himself disgruntled. Along with other disillusioned settlers, they sought to explore new and unexplored land in the west in 1799.
Riled at attempts of Dutch settlers to set up camp in their territorial claims, Spain sought to fortify their presence in the area. This led to the creation of the Santa Maria trail and the founding of the fortified settlement of Santa Maria (in OTL Salt Lake City).
Throughout 1800-1830, the various Boer settlements that dotted the west coast region had started to form their own governments and their own internal affairs. By 1835, five Voortrekker republics had formed, namely:
* Voorlandt (founded 1803, the original boer republic)
* Kimoeenim Republic (founded 1812, derived from the native name of the OTL Snake River)
* Westerzee Republic (founded 1821)
* Goudlandt (broke off from the Westerzee Republic in 1845 after gold had been discovered, partially pressured by the Tussenland company (more on this later))
* and New Orange (1847, the least populated of the five settlements)
Note, that these Boer Republics are independent from Dutch control and is in no way affiliated with the Dutch Republic or the trade companies.
Throughout 1830 to 1840, New Spain had begun to exercise their claims to the area. New Spain invaded the Boer Republics one-by-one, and the period was known as the American Boer Wars period. It didn't help the Boer Republics that they had no unified government or standing army. The fledgeling Kingdom of the Netherlands did not want to get in a military conflict with Spain either, and takes no action.
The Treaty of Santa Maria was signed in 1840, with New Spain subjugating the Boer Republics as semi-autonomous regions with their borders clearly defined.
This however does not mean the end of Dutch precense in the area.
==== The Gold Rush of 1846, and the Goudlandt Rebellion ====
Gold has been discovered in the southern region of the Westerzee Republic in 1845. This attracted many settlers in the region and made the small settlement of Meeuwÿck grow to a large town (the town was renamed to Goudhaven, translating to "Gold Port" in the Amerikaans dialect).
However, this rush had also attracted the attention of the Dutch Tussenland company which wished to exploit the gold rich area. After the company's diplomatic attempts to partake in the gold rush was denied by the conservative ''Westerzee Republic'', the company resorted to other dirty means.
They incited and supported a capitalist rebellion in Goudlandt, resulting in the breaking away of the Republic of Goudlandt from the Westerzee Republic (although still under the suzerainty of New Spain). This new republic had allowed merchants working for the Dutch Tussenland company to set up shop in Goudlandt, brining in profit for the company. This move however, had upsetted the Spanish.
==== Smockelaer's Trail (1847) ====
It became somewhat of an open secret that the Dutch had been siphoning the gold and profit from Goudlandt, and in turn, New Spain. The trail that the Dutch merchants and miners working for the Dutch Tussenland company had used became known as the Smockelaer's Trail (meaning ''Smuggler's Trail'' in the Amerikaans dialect). This trail had also resulting in the founding of several settlements along its path. The Smockelaer/gold smuggling business of the Dutch Tussenland company was one of the many reasons behind the war. After the war ended in 1850, the Dutch Tussenland Company has been expelled from the Boer Republics, ending the smuggling of the company (as well as Spain taking Dutch Tussenland territory).
==== 2nd Dutch-Spanish War ====
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