Dutch Dance
Dance History 203-10
Faith Gallagher
April 16th, 2015
Dutch dance was, and still is, an integral part of the history, culture, and traditions of the Netherlands. Fascinating history, culture, and traditions have all impacted the Netherlands to create an impressive lineage of dance. I chose this culture as my topic for this paper because my mothers’ family can be traced back to one of the original groups of immigrants on the Mayflower, and I while I have previous knowledge of my own ancestry, I knew very little about Dutch culture in general. After researching the history, culture and dance information, I have learned an extensive amount of information of Dutch dance and culture. The history of the Netherlands starts with the settlement of Frisian tribes in 100 AD. By about 600-700 AD, the Frisians came in to conflict with the Franks. Around this time is when Christianity was introduced to the tribes, with the beginning of minimal monarchial rule. Less than 200 years later in 838 AD, a massive flood in northern Netherlands killed almost 2,500 people (Balkenende). The 1st century only brought about even more natural disasters. In 1170 AD, the All Saints flood happened, separating the Zelder Zee region from the rest of the Netherlands, and 1212 another flood 60,000 people in what …show more content…
As Emperor, he gave control of the Netherlands to his son, Phillip II of Spain, in 1556. The Eighty Years War, also known as the Dutch Revolt, began when the Duke of Alba declared William of Orange, defender of the Dutch, as an outlaw, and the Office of the Holy Roman Empire condemned all inhabitants of the Netherlands to death. William of Orange became Viceroy of Holland, Friesland, and Utrecht, while huge massacres were happening across Dutch regions. In 1576, all 17 regions of the Netherlands were unified under the Pacification of Ghent, and in 1579 the Dutch Republic was formed. Two years later, the Dutch declared independence from