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Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius, is a busy city. If you walk around the city, you will observe
tallbuildings,ofces,manyvehiclesontheroadandcrowdedstreets.Youwillcomeacross
many hawkers and vendors selling a variety of goods.
You will also see mosques, churches, temples and pagodas, showing that people of different
cultures and religions are living peacefully.
In this unit, you will explore how Port Louis was in the past and how it has changed today.
The pictures below show Port Louis as it is today.
(i) Observe the pictures above. Discuss with your friends what you notice
in each picture. Write two sentences about each picture in your copybook.
(ii) Collectotherpictures,postcardsandstampsofPortLouisthatyoundinteresting.
Make a poster of Port Louis as it is today. Display your poster in class.
1.0
Pic. 1 port louis today
ACTIVITY 1.0 discuss and share
You have learnt previously that the Dutch landed at Ferney which is located in the south east
of Mauritius.They settled at Grand Port and named the harbour Warwyck Bay.
Later, the Dutch also came to know about the second harbour that was in the north west of
the island.They named the second harbour Noord Wester Haven.
Observe the map below. Note carefully the location of the two main harbours in the island.
Find out how the north west harbour is known today.
The Dutch were not much interested in the second harbour.
Why did the Dutch prefer to settle at Grand Port and not at Port Louis?
Discuss your ndings in class with your teacher and friends.
1.1 port louis during the dutch period (17th century)
N
WARWYCK BAY
GRAND PORT BAY
NOORD WESTER HAVEN
PORT LOUIS
map 1 MAP SHOWING THE HARBOURS IN THE ISLAND
FIND OUT
Source:
J.Addison & K.Hazareesingh