3.3 Absolutism

3. The Time of Regents and Monarchs
3.1 Absolutism

+ disaster hits the Republic
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This lesson contains 51 slides, with interactive quizzes, text slides and 5 videos.

time-iconLesson duration is: 50 min

Items in this lesson

3. The Time of Regents and Monarchs
3.1 Absolutism

+ disaster hits the Republic

Slide 1 - Slide

AGE 6. The Time of Regents and Monarchs
3.1 Republic of Regenten

Slide 2 - Slide

Slide 3 - Slide

Slide 4 - Slide

Slide 5 - Slide

Reading Task:

1. Open paragraph 3.1

2. Grab two pens with a different colour

3. Read the goals on the board

4. Start reading. Underline with one pen the words you do not understand, and with the other pen te answers to the questions on the board.

5. Compare your textbook with the person next to you and find the  correct answers + the meaning of the words.

6. Copy the underlinded parts in your notebook.

7. Make the exercises of 3.1
Goals paragraph 3.1:

  • How did king Louis XIV expand the French territory and increased his power in France?

  • How did the English king became less powerful?

  • How was the Netherlands governed?

Slide 6 - Slide

Golden Age of the Netherlands

Slide 7 - Mind map

Amsterdam canals

Slide 8 - Slide

Triangular trade
After the long and perilous journey, the ships would arrive in Brazil or the Caribbean, where some slaves were sold and others were shipped even further north to North America. We call this the transatlantic slave trade. After delivering their cargo, the trade ships would take American products back to Europe, where they would sell these. With this money they would buy products to trade for slaves in Africa. This triangular trade made sure that the ships were never empty and therefore as efficient as possible.




 







Print shows sailor on a slave ship suspending an African girl by her ankle from a rope over a pulley. Captain John Kimber stands on the left with a whip in his hand. Published in London in 1792; attributed to Isaac Cruikshank.
source A
slaves are thrown overboard from the slaver "Zong" in 1781
Triangular Trade

Slide 9 - Slide

Which group of people was responsible for the triangular trade?

Slide 10 - Open question

the Time of Regents and Monarchs
1600 - 1700
During the seventeenth century the Republic of the 7 United Netherlands became one of the wealthiest countries in the world. 

How could a small republic become so wealthy? 
Why is this age called the Golden Age? 
And how can a Dutch artist's work, made almost four centuries ago,still be world famous today?



Typical Aspects:



-the Dutch Golden Age
-the beginnings of a world economy
-the Scientific Revolution
-the power of absolute monarchs




The 17th Century / the Golden Age




Slide 11 - Slide

Slide 12 - Slide

What is this lesson about?
King Louis XIV of France strived for absolute power. In 1672, he formed an alliance with England and two German states to attack the Dutch Republic. Because the army of the Republic was heavily neglected and due to a political struggle between Orangists and anti-Orangists, there was no stadtholder who could lead the army, so the French army easily took over the Republic. William III was made stadtholder in 1672 to lead the Dutch army in battle against France. He would win the war in 1679.

Slide 13 - Slide

Main Questions

  1. What is absolutism?




  1. What's the difference between Orangists and anti-orangists?
  2. Why was 1672 a "Disaster Year"?

Slide 14 - Slide

people in this lesson
Colbert
Johan de Witt
Willem III
Michiel de Ruyter
king Louis XIV

Slide 15 - Slide

Important dates in this lesson:


1650 - 1672: First Stadtholderless Period
1672: Disaster Year
1679: William III wins the war against France

Slide 16 - Slide

Word Duty





KEY WORDS


Absolutism: a system in which a king has absolute power 
Divine right of kings: claim by an absolute monarch that he is made king to carry out God's will
Mercantilism: an economic system in which a country focuses on its own economy and in which 
export is very important 
import: bring products into the country to be sold
export: send products to other countries to be sold
Orangists: regenten who wanted the Republic to reform into a strict Calvinist monarchy with an Orange as a king
Anti-Orangists: regenten who wanted a strong Republic led by the States General.
First Stadtholderless Period: time period from 1650 to 1672 in which the Republic did not have a stadtholder 
Disaster year: 1672. In this year the Republic was attacked from three sides at the same time





Slide 17 - Slide

Louis XIV 

After years of ruling together with his chief minister, the French king, Louis XIV, astonished his court in 1661 by declaring that he would from now on rule alone. 
Louis XIV did have a small counsel of high ministers from whom he took advice. He could call or dismiss his ministers at will, listen to their advice or disregard it. When a king has absolute power, we call this absolutism. This meant that Louis took every important decision in France by himself. Louis XIV, as every other king in Europe at that time, believed in the divine right of kings: he claimed that he was made king by God to carry out God's will. During his reign, Louis XIV turned France into a centralised state that was governed from his palace in Versailles.
 







king Louis XIV

Slide 18 - Slide

Versailles

Slide 19 - Slide

inside Versailles: the Hall of Mirrors
next slide: watch the animation about the development of Versailles

Slide 20 - Slide

Slide 21 - Video

Use your notebook. Make a schematic like you see below.
Go to this website of the palace of Versailles. 
Write Louis XIV agenda for the next Wednesday. Start by his awakening and end by when he goes to bed.

Slide 22 - Slide

1. Explain the connection between the keywords "absolutism" and "divine right of kings"

Slide 23 - Open question

Slide 24 - Video


Louis XIV

  • He became king at the age of four.
  • He married a Spanish princess who was his first cousin
  • He built the extravagant palace of Versailles
  • He is known as the Sun King. His best known quote: "The state, that's me!"
  • he took away the right of worship from French Protestants
  • The American state Louisiana was named in his honor.



Slide 25 - Slide

2. Put the events in the correct chronological order
Louis XIV started to rule as an absolute king
Johan van Oldenbarnevelt is executed
the WIC is established.
The Twelve Years' Truce is signed
The Peace of Münster is signed
The VOC is established

Slide 26 - Drag question

Mercantilism

Because of the many wars it waged in the seventeenth century, France was almost at the point of bankruptcy. Louis XIV appointed Jean-Baptist Colbert as controller of financial affairs and ordered him to improve the finances of France. Colbert introduced a new economic system, called mercantilism. He suggested that for a country to become more powerful it must get as much gold and silver as it can. To do this that country must export more than it imports
If that is the case the country has a favorable balance of trade and thus makes a profit.
Raw materials (like silver, tobacco, spices) from the colonies (= import) were taxed, so the colonists made less profit and France made more profit.
Then France turned these raw material into products and sold them back to the colonies (= export) with profit. At the same time the colonies were not allowed to turn the raw materials into products themselves. They were forced to send the raw materials to the mother country (France). Colonies were also forbidden to trade raw materials or products with each other. The extra gold and silver France received from its export turned it into a wealthy nation once again.
Watch one or both of the next 2 videos that explain mercantilism....







Colbert

Slide 27 - Slide

Slide 28 - Video

Slide 29 - Video

3a) Which of the following best describes the term "mercantilism"?
A
an political system in which a country focuses on its own economy and in which import is very important
B
an economic system in which a country focuses on its own government and in which export is very important
C
an economic system in which a country focuses on its own economy and in which import is very important
D
an economic system in which a country focuses on its own economy and in which export is very important

Slide 30 - Quiz

3b) a favorable balance of trade means:
A
import > export
B
export > import

Slide 31 - Quiz

3c) Explain that mercantilism is the opposite of commercial capitalism, used in the Dutch Republic

Slide 32 - Open question

Political struggle in the Republic 

Back in the Netherlands, Maurice, and after him Frederick Henry, tried to make the stadtholdership hereditary in order to reform the Republic into a strict Calvinist monarchy, with an Orange as king. Some regenten in the States General supported this idea. They are known as Orangists. Other regenten were more in favour of a strong Republic led by the States General. This group is known as the Anti-Orangists

After Frederick Henry's death in 1647, his son William II was appointed stadtholder but he died soon afterwards of chickenpox.
William II left no heir to succeed him, because his son William III was born eight days after the death of his father. 
The States General decided to do without a stadtholder until William III would be old enough. This idea got a lot of support from grand pensionary and Anti-Orangist Johan de Witt. The period from 1650 until 1672 is known as the First Stadtholderless Period. De Witt even tried to abolish the post of stadtholder completely. He did not succeed. In fact, in 1672 a number of events occurred that required a new strong military leader.








Johan de Witt
In the movie "Michiel de Ruyter", Barry Atsma plays  Johan de Witt and Roeland Fernhout plays his brother Cornelis de Witt. When the two actors heard about the statue of the Witt brothers on the Fishbridge in Dordrecht, the plan was soon made. The actors were in the picture with the statue.

Slide 33 - Slide

Disaster strikes for the Republic 

In 1672, the French king started a war against the Dutch Republic. Louis XIV wanted possession of the Spanish Netherlands. He claimed that these areas belonged to him because his wife, daughter of the king of Spain, inherited them. 
Louis had made secret agreements with England and two German states, Cologne and Munster, to join his attack on the Dutch Republic. England had agreed, because it was jealous of the Republic's successful trade and wealth. 

So when Louis XIV started the war, the English attacked the Republic at sea. 
At the same time the French army and the armies of the German states invaded the Republic. The Republic was not prepared for this kind of war. At sea the Republic was very strong. Admiral Michiel de Ruyter defeated the English fleet, preventing the English army invading the Republic. So after a year, England was forced to withdraw from the war. The Republic’s land defences, however, were not good. The French army was able to invade and control parts of the Republic in no time. 1672 is known as the Disaster Year ('Rampjaar'), because the Republic was attacked from three sides at the same time.


 








Top: French troops invade the Republic

Slide 34 - Slide

4a) England joined France in the war against the Republic, because England was jealous of the Republic.
A
TRUE
B
FALSE

Slide 35 - Quiz

4b) Louis XIV started the war with the Republic because his wife complained she had too little land
A
TRUE
B
FALSE

Slide 36 - Quiz

4c) The Dutch Republic was very strong at sea
A
TRUE
B
FALSE

Slide 37 - Quiz

4d) France did not take over large parts of the Republic
A
TRUE
B
FALSE

Slide 38 - Quiz

4e) Because the Republic was attacked from three sides,
we call 1672 the Disaster Year
A
TRUE
B
FALSE

Slide 39 - Quiz

Source
Presentation of the cruelties committed by the French troops in the Dutch villages Bodegraven and Zwammerdam, at the end of December 1672. The inscription is carried in the air by personifications of the war and the French cruelty. Left to the burning village of Zwammerdam with the pickup bridge. In the foreground rapes, tortures and murder parties.

Slide 40 - Slide

5a) Look at the source in detail. You can click to enlarge it.
Write down at least two cruelties you see in the source.

Slide 41 - Open question

5b) What do you think is the goal of the source?

Slide 42 - Open question

Slide 43 - Video

Slide 44 - Slide

The need for a stadtholder 

As the French army advanced, panic broke out in the Republic. People called out for a stadtholder to lead them against the French invasion. The Orangists in Holland and Zeeland seized this opportunity to convince the regenten of the Provincial States to appoint William III as stadtholder. It made Johan de Witt realise that he could not maintain his position as grand pensionary. His resignation did not satisfy the Orangists however. When Johan came to visit his brother Cornelis in prison, both brothers were murdered and their bodies were mutilated by a group of Orangists. 

William III proved a successful military leader and the war with France ended in 1679. The war had a big impact on the Republic's economy. This resulted into the decline of the Republic as a powerful country.





 








Willem III of Orange
source
Link to find out more about this painting and the brutal murder of the brothers de Witt.
https://historiek.net/schilderij-moord-gebroeders-de-witt-nog-gruwelijker/17980/

Slide 45 - Slide

7a) Explain that the war against France was actually
an advantage for William III's position.

Slide 46 - Open question

7b) Visit the website of the painting in the previous slide.
Write down what the painting is about and what is special about the way this event is painted.

Slide 47 - Open question

7c. Put the events in the correct chronological order
William III was appointed stadtholder.
Johan and Cornelis de Witt were executed
Because of the French invasion, people called out for a stadtholder. 
William III proved to be a good military Leader and ended the war with France. 
 Johan de Witt resigned as grand pensionary. 

Slide 48 - Drag question

Summary Lesson 3.3

Slide 49 - Slide

Slide 50 - Slide

congratulations
congratulations

Slide 51 - Slide