While you walk to the next stop, I will tell you more about the VOC (the Dutch East India Company) and the WIC (the Dutch West India Company). But please, keep an eye out for traffic and do not forget about the bicyclists!
The VOC was founded in 1602 and they traded in spices (like pepper, nutmeg and clove) and other products that are difficult to get in Europe. The VOC was the only Dutch company that was allowed to trade with Asia. A bit later, in 1621, the WIC was founded. Just like the VOC, the WIC got a commercial monopoly. Not on Asia though, but on the coast of West Africa and South America. This meant that they were the only ones who were allowed to trade in that area. If you look at your screen, you can see the logo of the WIC.
Because of the VOC, Amsterdam became even more wealthy and successful. The VOC became rich out of the stock they sold, and this made them able to invest in ships. Whoever wanted, could buy VOC stock. Even people who did not make a lot of money, like cleaners, bought small amounts of stock.
But there was also a lack of freedom because of the VOC and the WIC. A lot of violence was used to get access to the Asian market. Sometimes entire tribes were wiped out, which means they were murdered.
A lot of countries that traded with the VOC and the WIC became colonies and were dominated by the Dutch. Many of those foreign people and children were forced to become slaves.
The freedom of Amsterdam meant a huge lack of freedom for others. That is why you could wonder if the Golden Age is an appropriate name for this period.
The Amsterdam Museum thought the name was so inappropriate, that in September 2019 they announced that they would no longer name the seventeenth century the Golden Age. This was also criticized, because other museums said that in this way you try to forget to past.
What do you think: should you stop using words like these because we know better now, or should you use these words because they also teach us something about the past?
