Dutch History

[Nico Zijlstra]

In the Netherlands a governmental committee has published a 'canon'of Dutch History.

These fourteen “main lines of the canon” are meant to serve as background texts to the fifty windows. They are the red threads running through the history of the Netherlands that indicate the cross-links between the separate windows, thereby helping to create cohesion in the topics, objects, persons and themes featured on the chart.

Interesting is to know how the debate on History is going on in your country and what you think of the Dutch approach

1. The Low Countries by the sea

2. On the periphery of Europe

3. A converted country

4. A Dutch language

5. An urbanised country and a trading hub at the mouth of the Rhine, Schelde and Maas rivers

6. The Republic of the Seven United Netherlands: founded on rebellion

7. The blossoming of the Golden Age

8. Business sense and colonial power

9. Nation-state, constitutional monarchy

10. The rise of modern society

11. The Netherlands in a time of world wars: 1914-1945

12. The welfare state, democratisation and secularisation

13. The diversification of the Netherlands

14. The Netherlands in Europe

Further reading: http://www.entoen.nu/default.aspx?lan=e

Edited October 22, 2006 by Nico Zijlstra