If I said to you, 1688, would you immediately think of:
1- The number of cheeseburgers sold in the first hour by a new McDonald's in Beijing?2- The number of lies a certain candidate has told in his political career.
3- The price of Smirnoff's Vodka at Costco marked down from $20?
Let's not always see the same hands. For all I know, they're all true but I'm thinking of the year when the Dutch invaded England with 400 ships including a new King and Queen and 20,000 of their closest friends. Strong winds sped their journey across the Channel while the British fleet was stuck in the Thames estuary by that same gust. William & Mary deposed James II and that ended the Papist rule in England forever.
One of the first defectors from James to Willliam was John Churchill, great grandfather of Winston. The Churchills have always had a nose for the next best thing.
The Brits don't like to talk about it; in fact, they spin the whole takeover as The Glorious Revolution. To be sure the new monarchs were welcomed by some but not all. Europe has always been noted for disgruntled monarchs eager to have the multitudes give their lives to settle family squabbles
William of Orange brought significant changes into Britain. No, he did not bring orange juice. He invigorated the parliamentary system, initiated new finances (stock market), made innovations in horticulture, science, the arts and philosophy. The reign of William and Mary triggered the Age of Enlightenment which led to our Democracy,
A case could be made that governments then (as now) are instruments of corporate interests. The British East India Co. swapped with the Dutch East India Co. In one of the great swindles of history the Dutch traded Manhattan for Suriname in South America. This was worse than the trade which brough Babe Ruth from Boston to the Yankees.
Among the club of West European imperialists (Spain, Portugal, France and England), Holland did the least nibbling at the Americas. Their time came and went yet it was not without a trace.
There are currently five million Americans at least partially descended from the Netherlands. They bequeathed to us some heavy hitters including five presidents, Van Buren, the two Roosevelts and the two Bushes. Also of Dutch descent were Walt Whitman, Thomas Edison, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Walter Cronkite, Marlon Brando and Meryl Streep. And let us not forget Old Dutch Cleanser.
We have also kept some of their place names like Brooklyn (Breukelen), Coney Island, Harlem, Staten Island, Schenectady and give my regards to Broadway (Breedeweg).
Look how much more you know now than you did five minutes ago. No need to thank me, just pass a slice of Dutch apple pie and a Heineken.
The Brits don't like to talk about it; in fact, they spin the whole takeover as The Glorious Revolution. To be sure the new monarchs were welcomed by some but not all. Europe has always been noted for disgruntled monarchs eager to have the multitudes give their lives to settle family squabbles
William of Orange brought significant changes into Britain. No, he did not bring orange juice. He invigorated the parliamentary system, initiated new finances (stock market), made innovations in horticulture, science, the arts and philosophy. The reign of William and Mary triggered the Age of Enlightenment which led to our Democracy,
now hanging by a thread.
A case could be made that governments then (as now) are instruments of corporate interests. The British East India Co. swapped with the Dutch East India Co. In one of the great swindles of history the Dutch traded Manhattan for Suriname in South America. This was worse than the trade which brough Babe Ruth from Boston to the Yankees.
Among the club of West European imperialists (Spain, Portugal, France and England), Holland did the least nibbling at the Americas. Their time came and went yet it was not without a trace.
There are currently five million Americans at least partially descended from the Netherlands. They bequeathed to us some heavy hitters including five presidents, Van Buren, the two Roosevelts and the two Bushes. Also of Dutch descent were Walt Whitman, Thomas Edison, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Walter Cronkite, Marlon Brando and Meryl Streep. And let us not forget Old Dutch Cleanser.
We have also kept some of their place names like Brooklyn (Breukelen), Coney Island, Harlem, Staten Island, Schenectady and give my regards to Broadway (Breedeweg).
Look how much more you know now than you did five minutes ago. No need to thank me, just pass a slice of Dutch apple pie and a Heineken.
No comments:
Post a Comment