What kind of government did the Dutch form?

In the present-day United States, their New Netherlands colony was ruled by a Governor-General. The best known is the last one, Peter Stuyvesant. Although he regularly consulted with the prominent citizens of the colony, authority lay with him alone.

The Netherlands themselves were a federal Republic since the late 16th century. The Estates General - a sort of national Parliament of the representatives of the Dutch provinces - was the highest authority.

Since 1814 the country is a constitutional monarchy, again with Parliament as the highest power.