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WINDMILLS IN THE NETHERLANDS

WINDMILLS IN THE NETHERLANDS

Introduction to Preserving God’s WordLesson 27

Introduction to Preserving God’s WordLesson 27

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KinderdijkKinderdijkKinderdijkKinderdijk

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Kinderdijk is a village in the Kinderdijk is a village in the Netherlands. It is situated on a polder. Netherlands. It is situated on a polder.

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Polders are areas of land that once Polders are areas of land that once were under water. The water is were under water. The water is

drained away so the land can be drained away so the land can be used for farming and living.used for farming and living.

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A polderA polder

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Polder near RotterdamPolder near Rotterdam

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To drain the polder of Kinderdijk, a To drain the polder of Kinderdijk, a system of 19 windmills was built system of 19 windmills was built

around 1740. It is the largest around 1740. It is the largest concentration of old windmills in the concentration of old windmills in the

Netherlands.Netherlands.

8Windmills of KilderdijkWindmills of Kilderdijk

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Large canals had been dug, at first, to Large canals had been dug, at first, to drain the water off the submerged land, drain the water off the submerged land, but an additional way was needed, and but an additional way was needed, and windmills were built to pump the water.windmills were built to pump the water.

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KilderdijkKilderdijk

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Some of the windmills are still used, but Some of the windmills are still used, but diesel pumping stations are also used diesel pumping stations are also used

today.today.

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KilderdijkKilderdijk12

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The Zuiderzee was a shallow bay of the The Zuiderzee was a shallow bay of the North Sea in the northwest of the North Sea in the northwest of the

Netherlands, about 30 miles wide and Netherlands, about 30 miles wide and about 13-16 feet deep.about 13-16 feet deep.

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Seawalls were built and rebuilt to Seawalls were built and rebuilt to protect the land and villages around protect the land and villages around

this bay, but disastrous flooding this bay, but disastrous flooding occurred in 1282, in 1287 during a occurred in 1282, in 1287 during a

violent storm (killing 50,000 to violent storm (killing 50,000 to 80,000 people), and again in 1421 80,000 people), and again in 1421

(flooding 72 villages and killing (flooding 72 villages and killing 10,000.10,000.

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Green areas are poldersGreen areas are polders

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Early in the 20th century a large Early in the 20th century a large enclosing dam was built in response to enclosing dam was built in response to

another flood in 1916. Now large areas of another flood in 1916. Now large areas of submerged land were reclaimed for submerged land were reclaimed for

farming and housing. What are these farming and housing. What are these reclaimed areas called?reclaimed areas called?

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The building of the damThe building of the dam

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The finished damThe finished dam

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The red line at top left is the dam.The red line at top left is the dam.

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Can you find Can you find the dam and the dam and the polders?the polders?

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During the Dark Ages the Roman During the Dark Ages the Roman Catholic Church taught the people that Catholic Church taught the people that

they could not understand the Bible they could not understand the Bible and that only the priests should have and that only the priests should have

access to it.access to it.

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The people had no Bible to read in their The people had no Bible to read in their own language to, but God inspired own language to, but God inspired

some men to change all that.some men to change all that.

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John Wycliffe translated the Bible from John Wycliffe translated the Bible from Latin into English. The printing press Latin into English. The printing press

had not been invented yet, so had not been invented yet, so Wycliffe’s Bible had to be copied by Wycliffe’s Bible had to be copied by

hand.hand.

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The word of God began to break through the The word of God began to break through the barriers (seawalls) the papacy had erected barriers (seawalls) the papacy had erected

to keep the Bible from the people.to keep the Bible from the people.

At first it reached the people in trickles At first it reached the people in trickles seeping through the cracks in the symbolic seeping through the cracks in the symbolic

seawalls, but soon a great flood would reach seawalls, but soon a great flood would reach the people!the people!

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Our lesson this week is about the Our lesson this week is about the beginning of this great surge of beginning of this great surge of

truth!truth!

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Credits:Credits:

Slide 2: mystic_mabel at flickrSlide 2: mystic_mabel at flickrSlide 5: E. Dronkert at flickrSlide 5: E. Dronkert at flickr

Slide 6: Wilco Schippers at flickrSlide 6: Wilco Schippers at flickrSlide 8: Jack Versloot at flickrSlide 8: Jack Versloot at flickr

Slide 10: Vijay Duvvuri at flickrSlide 10: Vijay Duvvuri at flickrSlide 12: stevekc at flickrSlide 12: stevekc at flickr