Northern Europe

A Human Perspective

I) A History of Seafaring Conquerors
The Nordic countries include, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.

  a) Early Conquerors
1. In ancient times, waves of migrating people settled Northern Europe.
2. Each new group made an effort to push the previous residents out of its way.
3. Ancient Britain was invaded by many peoples, one of them being the Celts.
4. Because of the Norsemen invading as well, theEnglish language acquired many words of the French origin.

  b) Dreams of Empire
1. Denmark, Sweden, and Norway each became a kingdom during the 900s.
2. Great Britain built an empire that strongly affected the rest of the world.
3. Over some odd years, England won control of its neighbors, those of which are, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland.
4. Great Britain built a global empire, and by the 1800s, it had colonies in the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Oceania.

II) Moving into the Modern Age
Great Britain played a role in shaping our modern world.

  a) Representative Government
1. Britain's government is a monarchy that also has a parliament.
2. A parliament is a representative lawmaking body whose members are elected or appointment.
3. These ideas later spread to the U.S, Canada, and various British colonies.
 
b) Industrial Revolution
1. Deposits of Iron, Ore and Coal helped Britain to be the first nation to industrialize.
2. The industry used Coal as fuel and Iron to make machinery.
3. Britain imported raw materials from its colonies and sold finished goods to those countries.

  c) Since 1900
1. In the 20th century, the Nordic countries didn't really want to be invoked with other nations affairs.
2. Resulting to that, Great Britain played a major role in both world wars, fighting as one of the victorious Allies.
3. Post World War II, the British Empire underwent major change as almost all of its colonies gained independence.
 
d) The Irish Question
1. Protestant English rulers held their hold on Catholic Ireland by seizing Irish land and giving it to Scottish and English Protestants.


III) Economics: Diversity and Change

  a) Industry and Resources
1. Sweden and the United Kingdom have many types of manufacturing in common.
2. Northern Europe's economy benefits from its many natural recourses.

b) High-Tech
1. The production of computer software and hardware has been a major part of Irelands economy since the 1970s.
2. In the 1990s, the section of Scotland between Glasgow and Edinburgh became known as Silicon Glen, because it had so many high-tech companies, which use silicon computer chips.

c) Union or Independence 
1. Most nations in this region joined the European Union (EU), but Norway has chosen not to do so.
2. Not everyone was a fan of the EU policy.
3. In September 2000, Denmark voted against adopting the euro.

IV) Cultural Similarities and Modern Art

  a) Similar Languages and Religions 
1. Most people of Northern Europe speak a Germanic language.
2. When Germanic tribes migrated to the Scandinavian Peninsula and British Isles, they pushed the previous inhabitants north and west.
3. The Reformation, which began in near Germany in the 1500s, swept through Northern Europe.
4. A handful of Protestant churches took root there.
5. Most of the region still remans Protestant,  leaving Irelands main religion Catholic.

b) Modern Culture and Literature
1. The Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen is sometimes called the father of modern drama.
2. Ingmar Bergman, a Swedish director, influenced movies with his intensely personal films.
3. Both men raised psychological issues in their work that remained important in modern life.
4. Great Britain and Ireland had their strongest artistic influence on world literature, in saying that, many people consider William Shakespeare the greatest playwright of all time.

VI) Life in Northern Europe

a) Social Welfare 
1. For the most part, the governments of Northern Europe take great responsibility for the welfare of their people.
2. For instance, Finland, Norway, and Sweden give families a yearly allowance to help raise their children.
3. The Nordic governments help fund national health insurance programs, as well as Britain.

b) Distinctive Customs 
1. Some social customs of Northern Europe have gained worldwide fame.
2. For example, the British are known for afternoon tea, a small meal of sandwiches, breads, cakes, and tea.
3. The Swedes developed the smorgasbord, which is a large assortment of hot and cold dishes served buffet style.

c) Leisure
1. Even through the cold climates the Nordic countries have, outdoor sports still remain popular there.
2. Some of the winter Olympic sports developed in Norway and other Nordic countries, which include, cross-country skiing and ski jumping.
3. Many British enjoy horseback riding, horse jumping and fox hunting.
4. The British developed two sports that are quite unique, those being, Rugby and Cricket.