- published: 24 Feb 2011
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The Dutch Golden Age (Dutch: Gouden Eeuw, Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɣʌudən ˈeːw]) was a period in Dutch history, roughly spanning the 17th century, in which Dutch trade, science, military and art were among the most acclaimed in the world. The first half is characterised by the Eighty Years' War till 1648. The Golden Age went on in peace time during the Dutch Republic until the end of the century.
In 1568, the Seven Provinces that signed the Union of Utrecht (Dutch: Unie van Utrecht) started a rebellion against Philip II of Spain which led to the Eighty Years' War. Before the Low Countries could be completely reconquered, a war between England and Spain broke out, forcing the Spanish troops under Philip II to halt their advances. Meanwhile, Philip's Spanish troops had conquered the important trading cities of Bruges and Ghent. Antwerp, which was then arguably the most important port in the world, had to be conquered. On August 17, 1585 Antwerp fell, which initiated the delineation of the Southern Netherlands (mostly modern Belgium). The United Provinces (roughly today's Netherlands) fought on until the Twelve Years' Truce, which did not end the hostilities. The Peace of Westphalia, which ended the Thirty Years' War, brought formal recognition and independence for the Dutch Republic in 1648.
A golden age is a period in a field of endeavour when great tasks were accomplished. The term originated from early Greek and Roman poets who used to refer to a time when mankind lived in a better time and was pure (see Golden Age).
A society's Golden Age marks that period in its history having a heightened output of art, science, literature, and philosophy.
A golden age is often ascribed to the years immediately following some technological innovation. It is during this time that writers and artists ply their skills to this new medium. Therefore, there are Golden Ages of both radio and television. During this nascent phase the technology allows new ideas to be expressed, as new art forms flower quickly into new areas:
At least one technology had its "Golden Age" in its latter years:
Technology and creativity spawn new genres in literature and theatre. The onset of a new genre will be its Golden Age:
The Golden Age of Freethought is regarded the era from about the 1870s through the beginning of World War I in which freethought flourished in the United States. Social trends clashed with religious orthodoxy and caused people to question their traditional ideas about the world.
Carl Edward Sagan ( /ˈseɪɡɪn/; November 9, 1934 – December 20, 1996) was an American astronomer, astrophysicist, cosmologist, author, science popularizer, and science communicator in astronomy and natural sciences. He published more than 600 scientific papers and articles and was author, co-author or editor of more than 20 books. He advocated scientifically skeptical inquiry and the scientific method, pioneered exobiology and promoted the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI).
Sagan is known for his popular science books and for the award-winning 1980 television series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, which he narrated and co-wrote. The book Cosmos was published to accompany the series. Sagan wrote the novel Contact, the basis for a 1997 film of the same name.
Carl Sagan was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a Ukrainian Jewish family. His father, Sam Sagan, was an immigrant garment worker from Kamenets-Podolsk, Ukraine; his mother, Rachel Molly Gruber, a housewife. Carl was named in honor of Rachel's biological mother, Chaiya Clara, in Sagan's words, "the mother she never knew." Sagan graduated from Rahway High School in Rahway, New Jersey, in 1951.