Goal 2: The VOC (3.2)

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

Short flashback

How did Amsterdam become the staple market of Europe?

Moedernegotie?

Merchant capitalism?

Effect on agriculture?

Most important product

Goal 2: Why was the VOC founded and how did this trading company operate?

First multinationals

Small Dutch expedition companies started sailing to the East Indies, however they had to compete with a lot of other Dutch companies and the lowered their prices to sell their goods. 

In 1602 the States General decided to join all the small companies into a big one: The Dutch East India Company, the VOC. The VOC had a trade monopoly in the trade with East India.

Stock exchange

Small part of the company

Small part of the company

Small part of the company

Small part of the company

Share

The Dutch East India Company would be the only Dutch company that was allowed to trade with the East Indies: it had a monopoly. 

Route of the VOC

Benefits of VOC for the Republic.

• Increasing industry

• Employment opportunities

• New spices generated a lot of profit for shareholders

Jan Pieterszoon Coen

To get more profit from the spice trade, the VOC decided to cut out the local merchants by taking over areas overseas. They placed these areas under the direct control of the Dutch Republic, making them colonies of the Republic. In this way, the Republic acquired a monopoly on the trade of spices such as cinnamon, clove, mace and nutmeg. Batavia and Sumatra are examples of these colonies. 

In 1619, Jan Pieterszoon Coen was appointed the Governor-General of the VOC. Coen came up with an idea to make the trade with the East Indies more profitable.

To establish a monopoly on the spices nutmeg and mace, Coen used the VOC's right to wage war to establish control over the Banda Islands. These were the only islands where these spices were grown. This proved to be a black day in the history of the Republic: to gain control over the Banda Islands many men, women and even children were killed. Their villages were burned down to the ground and their ships were destroyed. 

Watch the following video. 

Write down at least 5 facts that your teacher mentioned during the explanation (or that are in par 3.2)