Europe and the world

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• Middelbare school
• vmbo, mavo, havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 3,4

3.3 Europe and the world

What you'll learn..

• how the trade between all continents increased in the 17th century
• How Europeans expanded their activities in Asia
• How Europeans expanded their activities in America and Africa

Colonisation of South-East Asia

Portugal began 16th century. 

Later, the rest of Europe follows—England and the Netherlands.

Spices

• Very interesting—more flavor, longer shelf life, medicine

• Only grows in South-East-Asia.

• Due to the long route with many intermediaries, spices are.. peperduur.
  
  The Silk Road 

New Problem!

• More and more Dutch companies (trading companies) start sailing to the Indies.

• This leads to a lot of competition among the Dutch themselves.

• As a result, the price of spices drops quickly, and so does the profit.

The Dutch East India Company (1602)

• The Dutch government (States General) intervenes

• Companies must merge into one company

• Now they can eliminate competition and use the profits to win the war against Spain

Goal: trade monopoly on the spice trade east of the Cape of Good Hope!

Jan Pieterszoon Coen

• Governor-General
• Notorious for the use of violence.

• VOC (Dutch East India Company) was the largest company in the world, with 20,000 employees.

• trading posts, warehouses, and offices.

Batavia

How?

• Eliminating competition (Spain, England)

• Building trading posts (Batavia)

• Contracts with indigenous rulers
• If necessary: a lot of violence
• Hunting expeditions, special missions to stop smuggling

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WIC

West India Company

Made much more use of piracy

Slave trade

Plantations

Conquest of the silver fleet in 1628
Piet Hein

Global economy 

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What you'll learn..

• how the trade between all continents increased in the 17th century
• How Europeans expanded their activities in Asia
• How Europeans expanded their activities in America and Africa

Lets get to work

Answer the following questions about the VOC and the WIC in pairs: What is the VOC/WIC?

In which areas did the VOC/WIC trade?

How did the VOC/WIC conduct trade?

What did the VOC/WIC trade in?

What share did the slave trade have in the total profit of the VOC/WIC?

Explain whether the VOC/WIC was a profitable company in the 17th century