1. Trade and industry in the Dutch Republic

• Geschiedenis
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 2

2.1 Trade and industry in the Dutch Republic

Learning objectives 

1. You can describe the economy of the Dutch Republic 
2. You can explain how the economy of the Dutch Republic became part of the world economy and the roles that the Dutch East India Company and the Dutch West India company had in it.
3. You can make the links between triangular trade, the slave trade and slavery on the plantations. 

The economy of the Dutch Republic 

Late Middle Ages trade flourished in Western Europe

After 1450: Amsterdam, Hoorn and Enkhuizen took over the Baltic routes. 

Antwerp was the most important trading city in the Netherlands until 1585 

Antwerp

Recaptured by the Spanish in 1585.

The port was blockaded by the rebels. 

Merchants and craftspeople fled to the Netherlands. Taking their expertise, money and labour with them. 

Trading 

In the Dutch republic most money was made by trading. 

They used staple markets to their advantage. 

When trading becomes the main focus we call this: Merchant captalism.

The Dutch East India company

Trade in Europe was the most lucrative for the Republic

But a global economy  had arisen. 

Spain and Portugal had divided the world and all sorts of new products went to Europe. 

Cane sugar, coffee, pepper, cloves. 

East-Indies

The Dutch wanted in on these lucrative trades. 

Merchants from the republic wanted a piece of this trade. 

In fear of competition they merged precursor companies in the Dutch East India Company. (VOC). 

They had a number of special priveliges: 

1. Trade monopoly 
2. Going to war

West India Company (WIC)

The Dutch East India company was such a succes. That merchants set up a second trading company the WIC. 

They had trade monopoly in West Africa and America. 

Privateering ( Piracy ) 

A lot of competittion of Spain, England and Portugal. 

Slavery in the colonies

Plantations were set up in the Americas 

The natives were used as slaves at first. 

After a while they started transporting people from Africa to the Americas 

Triangular trade 

Plantation slavery 

Slavery was active in the VOC and WIC 

The VOC had many privileges"
What are privileges? And name two privileges.

1602

1621

Spices

Plantation 

Pepper

Coffee

Nutmeg

Sugarcane

Suriname

Indonesia

Triangular trade