Set the Scene:
Let’s start with some engaging questions to connect your everyday life to the subject of the activity. Please consider the following:
- Have you ever heard of the Dutch East India Company or its impact on global trade?
- How do you think a small European country like the Netherlands became a global trading empire?
- What do you know about the spice trade and its significance in history?
- Have you ever invested in stocks or know someone who has? How does it relate to the concept of a stock market?
- What comes to mind when you think of colonial expansion and its effects on different regions?
Featured Image Analysis & Prediction:
Look at the featured image and answer the following questions:
- What do you see in the image?
- What do you think this activity will be about based on this image?
- How does the image relate to the Dutch East India Company or the Netherlands?
Introduction:
Please read the introduction to the activity, which provides an overview of the Dutch East India Company and its significance in history.
Video Engagement:
Watch the video associated with the activity, available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewCs5CF5HEg. Pause the video at the following strategic points and discuss the questions:
- Pause at 2:00 minutes: What were the early challenges faced by the Dutch, and how did they impact the establishment of the Dutch East India Company?
- Pause at 5:00 minutes: How did the Dutch East India Company’s monopoly on trade and sovereign powers contribute to its success?
- Pause at 10:00 minutes: What were the consequences of the Dutch East India Company’s colonial expansion, and how did it affect the regions it conquered?
For more information, visit the original post at https://maestrocursos.com.br/quizzed-esl-activities/when-the-dutch-ruled-the-world-the-rise-fall-of-the-dutch-east-india-company-2/.
Key Vocabulary:
Review the key vocabulary related to the activity, including:
| Term | Definition | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch East India Company | A Dutch trading company established in 1602 that played a major role in the Dutch Golden Age, granting a monopoly on trade and sovereign powers. | The Dutch East India Company was instrumental in establishing trade routes with the Far East, making the Netherlands a global trading empire. |
| Monopoly | Exclusive control over a particular market or trade, preventing others from participating. | The Dutch East India Company was granted a monopoly on trade with the Far East, allowing it to dominate the spice trade. |
| Sovereign Powers | The authority to negotiate and declare war, typically held by a state or government. | The Dutch East India Company was granted sovereign powers, enabling it to negotiate treaties and declare war on behalf of the Netherlands. |
| Stock Market | A platform where companies raise capital by issuing shares to investors, who can then buy and sell these shares. | The Dutch East India Company created the world’s first stock market, allowing citizens to invest in the company by buying shares. |
| Initial Public Offering (IPO) | The first public sale of a company’s shares, used to raise capital from investors. | The Dutch East India Company’s initial public offering raised over 6 million guilders, equivalent to $110 million today. |
| Colonial Expansion | The process of a country or company establishing colonies in other regions, often through conquest or settlement. | The Dutch East India Company engaged in colonial expansion, conquering Indonesia and establishing factories in India. |
| Profit Margin | The difference between the selling price and the cost of producing a good or service, expressed as a percentage. | The Dutch East India Company earned high profit margins of up to 1500% through its trade with the Far East. |
| Land Reclamation | The process of converting land that is unsuitable for use, such as swamps, into usable land through drainage, filling, or other methods. | The Dutch East India Company invested its profits in land reclamation projects, turning swamps into farmland in the Netherlands. |
| Bankruptcy | The state of being unable to pay debts, often resulting in the closure or restructuring of a company. | The Dutch East India Company was destroyed by a combination of wars and invasions, leading to bankruptcy in 1799. |
Vocabulary Quiz:
Take the vocabulary quiz to test your understanding of the key terms:
- Which word means ‘a company or group having exclusive control over a particular trade or market’?
- A) Monopoly
- B) Sovereign
- C) Empire
- D) Colony
- What term describes ‘the first sale of stock by a company to the public’?
- A) Stock Exchange
- B) Initial Public Offering
- C) Trade Agreement
- D) Business Partnership
- Which phrase means ‘to take control of a country or area by force’?
- A) Declare War
- B) Establish Trade
- C) Conquer
- D) Form Alliance
- What term refers to ‘the process of making land suitable for farming or other uses’?
- A) Land Reclamation
- B) Colonial Expansion
- C) Trade Negotiation
- D) Stock Investment
- Which word means ‘a lasting impact or effect left by an event, person, or thing’?
- A) Legacy
- B) Profit Margin
- C) Global Power
- D) Business Empire
Answer Key:
- A) Monopoly
- B) Initial Public Offering
- C) Conquer
- A) Land Reclamation
- A) Legacy
Grammar Focus:
The grammar focus for this activity is the use of the past perfect tense. Review the following examples and explanations:
The past perfect tense is used to describe an action that occurred before another action in the past. It is formed using the auxiliary verb “had” + the past participle of the main verb.
Examples:
- The Dutch had struggled to gain independence before the Dutch East India Company was formed.
- The Portuguese had controlled the spice trade before the Dutch lost access to Lisbon.
Grammar Quiz:
Choose the correct answer for each question:
- By the time the Dutch East India Company was formed,