Countess Albertine Agnes of Nassau

At the table

Beer as a safer everyday drink

Because water was frequently contaminated, ordinary families drank beer with every meal, including breakfast. This beer was typically a low-alcohol variety, often called small beer, which was safer to consume than water.

What people wore

Layering wool for winter warmth

During winter, Dutch people of all classes wore extra layers of wool under their indoor clothes to keep warm while skating.

Getting around

Travel times and costs between towns

A journey from Delft to Rotterdam took one hour and forty-five minutes and cost five stuivers in the hold or ten stuivers in the cabin. Children under two traveled for free, while those up to twelve paid half price.

What it cost

Bread as a primary expense

Bread was the cornerstone of the diet for the poor, who often spent 50 percent or more of their income on it.

Music

Music in daily Dutch life

The Dutch enjoyed music at home in small amateur groups called Collegia Musica or during family gatherings, while common folk played instruments like fiddles, bagpipes, and hurdy-gurdies at taverns, weddings, and seasonal festivals. Songs were integral to daily life, with maids singing during housework and lullabies used to put children to sleep.

Daily life

Drinking Beer Instead of Water

Because water could be contaminated, children and adults alike drank weak beer with meals, as the brewing process killed dangerous bacteria through extreme heat.