Erik Krogstad:NORWEGIAN HISTORY (hand-out, Norw. Life&Society)

10 000 BC
4 000 BC
500 BC
200 AC
4-600
800-1050
1152
1220-1319
1319-1537
1537-1814
1814
1850-1905
1884
1905-1918
1920-1935
1940-45
1945-1973
1973-81
1981-90
1990-97
1997
2001-2005
2005-2013
2013 / First evidences of human population. Nomadic hunters. Agriculture gradually introduced
Iron age
Runic alphabet
Migration of new tribes into Norway. Growth in population. Local tribes/kingdoms with internal conflicts.
Viking era. Colonization in Iceland, Greenland, the Faroes, Shetland, the Orkneys, the Hebrides, Man, Ireland and Scotland. Viking settlement in New Foundland, Canada.
Norwegian nationwide kingdom established under Harald Hårfagre (Fairhair) 872.
Towns founded as a result of trade. Tønsberg 871.Trondheim 997. Oslo and Bergen some decades later.
Introduction of christianity by viking kings from late 9 hundreds. Resisted by local chieftains. Norway christianized after the death of king Olav den hellige (the Holy) 1030.
Norway incorporated as a province under the Roman catholic church. Trondheim emerged as religious center and center of pilgrimage (the Olav cult). Military conflicts between the church and secular monarchs until beginning of the 13th century.
The ”golden age” of the Norwegian medieval kingdom. Vivid trade with the overseas settlements, England and the European continent. The formation of a medieval state. A common law for all of Norway 1276.
Religious as well as secular literature (the sagas). Snorre Sturlason.
The grat decline in the late middle ages. Gradual disintegration of the state and loss of national independence.
The Norwegian royal dynasty died out 1319. The Black Death 1349. The Hanseatic League gained control over the Norwegian trade and foreign policy.
1397: The KalmarUnion with Sweden and Denmark. Norway remained in union with Denmark until 1814.
1537: The Lutheran Reformation.
Norway under Danish rule and Danish cultural influence. Economic progress and growth in population in Norway from the 15 hundreds. Timber trade. Mining industries from the 16 hundreds (silver, copper, iron).
Wars between Denmark/Norway and Sweden over political control in Scandinavia and the Baltic region. Seven years war 1563-70. Kalmar War 1611-13. War 1643-45. Revenge War 1657-60. The great Nordic War 1700-1720.
1660: Absolute Monarchy introduced in Denmark/Norway. Modernisation of state administration.
Public schooling in Norway 1736.
Economic progress in Norway in the late 17 hundreds. The Napoleonic wars ended the union with Denmark in 1814.
National revival in the spring of 1814. The liberal constitution: Representative government,division of powers. November 1814: Norway enters union with Sweden.
Economic depression after the war.
1837: Local Government Act: Municipalities.
National romanticism. Henrik Wergeland. Ivar Aasen and the national linguistic movement.
New industries based on natural resources: Wood processing and fish processing industries. Vast growth in Norwegian shipping.
Modern communications: Roads. Railways from 1854. Postal services.
Political polarization between liberals and conservatives in the parliament.
Parliamentarism introduced in Norway. The formation of political parties: Venstre and Høyre 1884. Social Democratic party 1887.
Venstre’s struggle for national independence. Union with Sweden abolished 1905.
Modern industrialism. Improvement of communications. Modernisation of agriculture. Rise and radicalisation of the labour movement. Norwegian neutrality in World War 1.
Economic and social crisis. Unemployment. Political unstability. 1935: Arbeiderpartiet (social democracy) gets into power. Economic progress. Political stability restored.
World War 2. German occupation of Norway.
”The golden age of social democracy”. ”State capitalism”. The welfare system. Social equalisation. The orientation towards America.
1948: The Marshall plan. 1949: NATO membership.
1965: First non-socialist government after the war. 1966: The National Insurance Act. 1972: EU membership turned down by popular vote.
Inflation, industrial crisis and unemployment. Political unstability. Left wing movement among intellectuals. Radical feminism and women’s right movement.
Increasing revenues from oil industry. Conservative dominance in politics. Economic liberalism. Decline in welfare system. Less State management and public spending. More private enterprise and private welfare.
Political come-back for Arbeiderpartiet. Political stability under prime minister Brundtland. Vast earnings from oil export. Active foreign policy. ”The Oslo agreement” for peace in the Middle East. Increasing gap between rich and poor. 1994: EU membership turned down by popular vote.
Christian ”centre” government coalition by KrF, Senterpartiet and Venstre.
Conservative cabinet by Høyre, Krf and Venstre.
“Red-green” coalition cabinet by Arbeiderpartiet, Sosialistisk Venstreparti and Senterpartiet.
Controversial political issues: Immigration.Norway’s relation to EU. Norway’s relation to America’s war on terror.Norway's participation in NATO mission in Afghanistan.
July 22nd 2011: Terror attacks against government buildings and youth political summer camptake 77 lives.
Conservative coalition cabinet by Høyre and Fremskrittspartiet.