3.2 A world economy: The VOC and WIC (part 1/2)

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3.2 A world economy: The VOC and WIC (part 1/2)

Goals for this lesson

At the end of this lesson you...

• know hom Amsterdam became a commercial centre.
• understand why the VOC was founded.
• know how the VOC operated.

What is the 17th century often called in Dutch History?

Which city in the Low Countries was the centre of trade before Amsterdam?

1. Brussels
2. Utrecht
3. Antwerpen
4. Rotterdam

3.2 A world economy: The VOC and WIC (part 1/2)

Trade between European cities in the late Middle Ages

Which important event could have shifted the centre of trade?

The Golden Age of Antwerp

• Antwerp became the most important trade city of North-western Europe.
• It had its own Golden Age in the 16th century.
• Antwerp joined the Dutch Revolt against the Spanish. 

What does Antwerp look like now?

Spanish fury in 1576 Antwerp

Around 8000 people were murdered by the looting Spanish soldiers. In 1585 The city fell for the second time and was no longer part of the Dutch Revolt.

Antwerp

Amsterdam

Amsterdam

• New centre of trade.
• Became rich by buying products for low prices and selling them somewhere else for a profit.
• especially the trade with the Baltic was profitable. 

Amsterdam in the late 16th century

Commercial centre

Goods were stored in Amsterdam from all around the world

VOC

• Established in 1602
• Ruled by 17 regenten
• VOC had a monopoly on Asian spice trade = only company allowed to trade there.

First multinational company

Jan Pieterszoon Coen

•  Governor-General of the VOC.
• Used violence to strengthen the VOC.
• Burned down Jacarta and built Batavia on the ruins.

Banda massacre 1621

What is a trade monopoly?

Name two things you have learned today?

Goals for this lesson

At the end of this lesson you...

• know hom Amsterdam became a commercial centre.
• understand why the VOC was founded.
• know how the VOC operated.

3.2 A world economy: The VOC and WIC (part 1/2)