History of Greenland
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2 Viking settlement 3 Second round of Palaeo-Eskimo cultures 4 Danish colonization 5 19th century 6 20th century 7 External links |
Palaeo-Eskimo cultures
After the fall of the Early Dorset culture, the island remained unpopulated for several centuries.
During the 980s, Icelandic Vikings made the first European discoveries of Greenland and, finding the land unpopulated, settled on the southwest coast. The name Greenland (Grønland) has its roots in this colonization (the Inuit call it Kalaallit Nunaat, "Our Land"), and there has been speculation on its meaning. Some have argued that the coasts in question were literally green at the time due to the Medieval Warm Period, others have suspected that it was mostly a marketing scam to get people to settle there. The date of establishment of the colony is said in the sagas to have been 985 A.D when 25 ships left with Erik the Red (only 14 arrived safely in Greenland). This date has been approximately confirmed by radiocarbon dating of some remains at the first settlement at Brattahlid, which yielded a date of about 1000 A.D.
This colony reached a size of 3,000 to 5,000 people, initially in two settlements – the larger Eastern Settlement and the Western Settlement (of a peak size of about 1,000 people). At least 400 farms are known. This is a significant colony (the population of modern Greenland is only 55,000) and it carried on trade in ivory from walrus tusks with Europe as well as exporting rope, sheep, seals and cattle hides according to one 13th century account. The colony depended on Europe for iron and perhaps timber. Ships traveled to Greenland each year
In 1126, a diocese was founded at Garðar. It was subject to the Norwegian archdiocese in Trondheim; at least five churches in Viking Greenland are known from archeological remains. In 1261, the population accepted the overlordship of the Norwegian King as well, although it continued to have its own law. In 1380 this kingdom entered into a personal union with the Kingdom of Denmark.
The Scandinavian colony did not thrive however. The Western Settlement was abandoned around 1350. In 1378, there was no longer a bishop at Garðar. After 1408 when a marriage was recorded, no written records mention the settlers. It is probable that the Eastern Settlement was defunct by the late 1400's although no exact date has been established. The oldest radiocarbon date found in Norse settlements as of 2002 was 1430 A.D. +/- 15 years. (Arenborg, et.al. "C-14 dating and the disappearance of Norsemen from Greenland" Europhysics News 33:3 (2002)]) Probably a climatic change brought about the disappearance of the settlement; another theory is that the soil became over-exploited until it gave less harvest. Another contributing cause that has been suggested is that the Saharan ivory trade undermined the market for walrus ivory. Lack of adaptability to changing conditions has been partially refuted by new research that showed that the Norse changed from a diet of 80% farm food at setlement to one of 80% marine food before the end. Other theories have included population depletion from the Black Death, and conflicts with native cultures, or with Basque or English pirates. Whatever the cause, the Thule culture obviously handled it better, not becoming extinct.
The Norse may not have been alone on the island when they arrived; a new influx of Arctic people from the west, the Late Dorset culture may predate them in the far northwest corner of Greenland (far from the Vikings who lived around the southern coasts). Some archaeological evidence may point to this culture slightly predating the Icelandic settlement. It disappeared around 1300, around the same time the Norse northern settlement disappeared. Around 1200, another Arctic culture, the Thule arrived from the west. They settled south of the Late Dorset culture and ranged over vast areas of Greenland's west and east coasts. These are the predecessors of the modern Inuit. The nature of the contacts between the Thule, Dorset and Norse cultures are not clear, but may have included trade elements. The level of contact is currently the subject of widespread debate, possibly including Viking trade with Thule or Dorsets in Canada or possible scavenging of abandoned sites. (see also Maine penny) No Viking trade goods are known in Dorset archaeolgical sites in Greenland; the only Vikings items found have been characterized as "exotic items". Some stories tell of armed conflicts between, and kidnappings by, both native and Norse groups.
In 1536 Denmark and Norway were officially merged. Greenland became seen as a Danish dependency rather than a Norwegian one. Even with the contact broken, the Danish King continued to claim lordship over the island. In the 1660s, this was marked by the inclusion of a polar bear in the Danish Coat of Arms. In the 1600's whaling brought English, Dutch and German ships to Greenland where the whales were sometimes processed ashore but no permanent settlement was made. In 1721 a joint merchant-clerical expedition led by Norwegian missionary Hans Egede was sent to Greenland, not knowing whether the civilization remained there, and worried that if it did, they might still be Catholics 200 years after the Reformation. The expedition can also be seen as part of the Danish colonization of the Americas. Gradually, Greenland became opened for Danish trading companies, and closed for those from other countries. This new colony was centered at GodthÃÂ¥b ("Good Hope") on the southwest coast. Some of the Inuit that lived close to the trade stations were converted to Christianity.
When Norway was separated from Denmark in 1814, after the Napoleonic Wars, the colonies, including Greenland, remained Danish. The 19th century saw increased interest in the region on the part of polar explorers and scientists like William Scoresby and Knud Rasmussen. At the same time, the colonial element of the earlier trade-oriented Danish civilization on Greenland grew. Missionary activities were largely successful. In 1861, the first Greenlandic journal was founded. Danish law still applied only to the Danish settlers, though.
Although the Thule arrived in Greenland about 1200, they concentrated there settlement in below 81° N. Only scattered shelters are found further north until the immigration of Inuit to Greenland from Canada in the 1800's. The last group from Canada arrived in 1864.
During World War II, when Germany extended its war operations to Greenland, Henrik Kauffmann, the Danish Minister to the United States – who had already refused to recognize the German occupation of Denmark – signed a treaty with the United States on April 9, 1941, granting the US Armed Forces permission to establish stations there. Because of the difficulties for the Danish government to govern the island during the war, and because of successful export, especially of cryolite, Greenland came to enjoy a rather independent status. Its supplies were guaranteed by the United States and Canada.
During the Cold War, Greenland had a strategic importance, controlling parts of the passage between the Soviet Arctic harbours and the Atlantic. The United States were interested in this position, and in 1951, the Kauffman treaty was replaced by another one. A military base, the Thule Air Force Base, was established at Thule in the northwest. The base, and a 1968 accident involving nuclear weapons, have been a source of controversies between the Danish government and the Greenlandic people.
The colonial status of Greenland was lifted in 1953, when it became an integral part of the Danish kingdom, with representation in the Folketing. After Denmark, including Greenland, joined the European Union in 1973 (despite the Greenlanders having voted 70% no in the referendum), many inhabitants thought that this was not enough, and local parties began pleading for self-government. The Folketing granted this in 1978, the law coming into effect the following year. On February 23, 1982, a 53% majority of Greenland's population voted to leave the European Union, which it did in 1985, the only entity to have done so.
Self-governing Greenland has profiled itself as an Inuit nation. Danish placenames have been replaced. The center of the Danish civilization on the island, GodthÃÂ¥b, has become Nuuk, the capital of a close-to-sovereign country. In 1985 a Greenlandic flag was established, using the colours of the Danish Dannebrog. However, the movement for complete sovereignty is still weak.
Modern technology has made Greenland more accessible, not least the breakthrough of aviation. However, the capital Nuuk still lacks an international airport. Television broadcasts began in 1982.Viking settlement
Second round of Palaeo-Eskimo cultures
Danish colonization
19th century
20th century