The Origin Of Dutch Cities

Question 1

Urban plannin

Answer 1

Sewage 500 bc
Clean water 300bc
Air quality ordinances (wood, coal)
Tannerys
Waste
Lead mines

Question 2

The Netherlands

Answer 2

• Low population density
• Limited roman towns
• Small villages
• Agriculture
• Dorestad: max. 10.000 inhabitants
• From about 650-900 Ad
• Stayed agricultural for a long time
• First cities started mostly after 1000 Ad after the first era of prolonged population growth since the Roman Era

Question 3

Urban developments

Answer 3

• The Netherlands was relatively late (only serious in 13th and 14th century)
• Starting in Flanders; around 1300, Brugge and Gent had about 40.000/ 50.000 inhabitants; among the big ones in Europe
• The development and evolution of dutch cities often relied on at least one or more of the following ingredients
• Physical location -> high ground (flooding), resources, transport (water)
• Relative location -> trade
• Historical developments -> castles and abbys
• Defense systems -> Stadsrechten (City right)

Question 4

Site and Situation

Answer 4

• Site refers to the actual location of a city in a physical sense
• It includes aspects such as water supply, soil quality, defendable location, availability of building materials, water infra (harbours), natural hazards
• Situation refers to the relative location of City in context of other locations and human settlements
• It includes aspects such as distance to markets, availability of skilled workers, distance to other cultures , best place to build a bridge in a river

Question 5

Trade

Answer 5

• Trade was crucial allowed for the accumulation of capital
• Therefore, cities emerged that had attractive locations
• This was true for cities emerging from Castles and Abbys, from small agricultural or fishermens villages or that simply were created due locations

Question 6

Defense

Answer 6

• Rising role of power, governments, institutions
• Protect trade and goods
• Rule over areas

Question 7

Stadsrechten (city rights)

Answer 7

• Localities that were villages or smaller were granted (city rights) by local or regional lords
• Stadsrechten constituted specific economic trading rights, legislative powers (law making und judging) and governmental powers
• The goal was to trigger trade, revenues and power

Question 8

Maturing of cities

Answer 8

• Stone houses instead of wood 1300
• Houses for the poor and Hospitals 1400
• Road planning Only later
• Home to the ruling class
• Controlling trade and finances
• Part of the formation of states
  Leiden controls trade in Holland
  No castles close to cities

Question 9

The Golden Age

Answer 9

• 80 years war against the Spanish rule 1568-1648
• A free, liberal and market oriented republic emerged
• No central power (sovereign states and no real capital)
• Spanish recapture Belgium and act strong
• 1585 blocking river Scheldt by Dutch
• Mass migration from Flanders and other regions of Europe, including many rich, intelligent and innovative entrepreneurs
• A liberal social climate
• Open labour market
• High investments in education
• Relative high equality between social groups

Question 10

The Golden Age

Answer 10

• Innovative banking system
• Amsterdam as the centre of European trade
• Mostly with Baltic trade Nd colonialism
• Technical innovations
• A strong trading and naval fleet
• Even for a while the dominant world power
• Holland was 1600 the most urbanized region on globe