THE DUTCH ONCE BUILT SHIPS FASTER THAN ANY OTHER NATION IN THE WORLD During the 1600s, the Netherlands became a shipbuilding powerhouse—launching vessels at a pace no other country could match. Dutch shipyards were so efficient that they could complete a fully functional ship every few weeks. This incredible speed helped the Dutch dominate global trade, exploration, and naval power for decades. • Dutch shipyards pioneered assembly-line style production long before the Industrial Revolution • The