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The Dutch Republic

Document Based Question Essay

Sakoun Phommavongsa
Mr. Macksoud
AP European History
28 October 2008
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The Dutch Republic, also known as the United Provinces of the Netherlands

would emerge as a nation after revolting against Spain in 1572. Consisted of seven

provinces, the Dutch Republic was the wealthiest, and most trade active country in

Europe during the 17th and early 18th centuries. Factors such as trade led to a major

economic growth of the Netherlands during this time, bringing about its Golden Age.

This economic growth however, would later decline. From the period of 1650 to 1713,

the Dutch Republic faced many challenges involving its security, unity, and prosperity;

these challenges included conflicts with foreign nations, political distrust and gradual

disunity of the provinces, and foreign trade issues which would lead to the slowdown of

Dutch prosperity. The other countries in Europe would be at great competition with the

Dutch.

There were a great number of challenges the Dutch faced when it came to security

during the 17th and 18th centuries. Most of these challenges came from foreign nations,

particularly France and England. From 1652 to 1674, during the three Anglo-Dutch Wars,

many Dutch ships were seized by the English. Approximately 2,000 to 2,700 Dutch ships

were seized, whereas only 500 English ships were seized (Doc. 3). This shows just how

the Dutch had troubles to security with foreign nations, one of them being England. Also,

The French ambassador to the Dutch Republic, Marquis de Pomponne wrote in a report

to the French government that “trade competition was the real cause of the war which

broke out in the 1650’s between England and the Dutch Republic” (Doc.11). This would

be a foreign opinion, that of a French ambassador. Factors such as trade would of course

lead to wars with the Dutch, which would cause in increase in the need for proper
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security. In 1669, a pamphlet published in the province of Holland stated that “We must

take defensive fortifications on land as well as outfit warships at sea; but we must also try

to end the heavy taxes” (Doc. 5). This document shares the belief that foreign enemies are

greatly troubling the security of the Netherlands, and that measures need to be taken in

order to raise finances for the military. The Resolution of the Amsterdam City Council in

1671 stated that “Not only the French monarch but other kings seem more and more to

scheme how to ruin what remains of the trade and navigation of the Dutch Republic”

(Doc. 7). Other nations are seeking to destroy and ruin a huge part of the Dutch Republic,

and because of this, the Dutch, having many foreign enemies, must try to increase its

security. This is also shown in the Treaty of Dover in 1670, when it states that “Each of

the allied sovereigns will then jointly declare war on the Dutch Republic” (Doc. 6).

Because of this alliance between France and England, the Netherlands would later face an

invasion of France led by Louis XIV, causing many problems in security of its

international boundaries.

The unity of the Dutch Republic gradually began to disintegrate after the death of

William of Orange in 1702. Sir George Downing, an English ambassador wrote in a letter

to the English government in 1664, that “The government of the Dutch Republic is a

shattered and divided thing” (Doc. 4). This foreign opinion of course would prove to be

true and this shattering and dividing would contribute to the disunity of the Netherlands

as a whole. There was much distrust also. The Dutch Republic, another government

report in 1674, stated that “Toward the end of 1671, the mutual distrust among the Dutch

provinces hindered deliberations on how to oppose the violent attacks of Louis XIV”
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(Doc. 9). Of course, because of this political distrust between the provinces, the Dutch

Republic would steadily no longer be considered unified. The opinion of an Englishman

resident stated that as a result of this disunity between the provinces, the number of men

in each battalion decreased incredibly (Doc. 14). This evidently was due to the disunity

and incapableness of the provinces to elect a military leader. This lack of Dutch

agreement would later lead to the economic decline of the Netherlands.

At its Golden Age, the economy of the Dutch Republic was very successful. Its

role in the Baltic Sea Trade and the Amsterdam Bourse help prove this. In 1683, a

political pamphlet published in Amsterdam stated that “Dutch cities and provinces all too

easily consent to a recruitment of thousands of men to fight the French.” This pamphlet

also states that the wealthy citizens of Amsterdam are to provide this money (Doc. 10).

This is from the idea that there are wealthy citizens in the city of Amsterdam, making the

prosperity of the Netherlands become apparent. Although, this Dutch prosperity would

begin slow down. This would be due to the foreign competition of trade, and the rising

national debt of the Netherlands. From the year 1688 to 1713, the national debt of the

Dutch Republic would increase from 30,000,000 guilders, to 148,000,000 guilders (Doc.

12). This immense increase would lead the decline of the economic prosperity of the

Netherlands. Other factors such as competitions in trade also led to this decline. As

shown on a map of the Dutch and its rival states, a lot of this Dutch trade was interrupted

by English warships (Doc. 1). England was of course, one of the main competitors in this

competition of trade. In a letter to the directors of the Dutch East India Company in 1705,

a Dutch colonial administrator states that “the commercial competition from the English,
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French, Portuguese, Chinese, and Muslims in Asia cannot be checked” (Doc. 13). The

competitions of trade during this time have made the profits turn into losses, thus

contributing to the economic turmoil. The Dutch Republic would also gradually play a

smaller role in the Baltic Sea Trade, making their wealth slowly decline. The percent of

voyages by Dutch ships would decrease by approximately 40% from the years 1645 to

1695 (Doc. 2), making the disintegration of Dutch affluence greatly shown. Konrad Van

Beuningen writes in a letter in 1672, that “Dutch lands will become permanently a theater

of war or they will be overwhelmed or flooded, in either case ruining our commerce”

(Doc. 8). Because of all the wars the Netherlands were involved in, their economy would

be ruined.

By the eighteenth century, the great wealth and supreme power of the Dutch

would be smaller than what it was before. The security, unity, and prosperity of the Dutch

Republic would change in many ways, as there were many challenges. Had not there was

an economic decline and lack of unity in the Netherlands, the Dutch might have remained

a superlative European power.