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History of Greenland | HearLore
— Ch. 1 · Paleo-Eskimo Migrations —
History of Greenland.
~6 min read · Ch. 1 of 7
The first humans arrived in Greenland around 2500 BCE, bringing with them the Saqqaq culture. These early settlers came from North America and navigated the Arctic Archipelago to reach the island. Their descendants eventually died out, replaced by new groups migrating across the Nares Strait. The Independence I culture emerged in northern Greenland between 2400 and 1300 BCE. Around 800 BCE, the Independence II culture arose where the previous group had lived. Some Independence II artifacts date as recently as the 1st century BCE, suggesting a long overlap with later cultures. The Early Dorset culture appeared around 700 BCE and lasted until approximately CE 1. Archaeologists found Dorset artifacts as far north as Inglefield Land on the west coast and Dove Bay on the east coast. After the Early Dorset disappeared, Greenland remained uninhabited for centuries until Late Dorset people settled near the Nares Strait around 700 CE. This late culture persisted until about 1300, when the Norse began their arrival in the south.
Norse Settlements And Decline
Gunnbjörn Ulfsson sighted islands off Greenland while sailing from Norway to Iceland during a storm in the late 9th century. Erik the Red led explorers who reached the southwest coast of Greenland in the 980s. He named the land Greenland to encourage others to settle there. Twenty-five ships left Iceland with Erik the Red in 985, but only fourteen arrived safely. Radiocarbon dating at Brattahlíð confirms a settlement date of about 1000. The Norse established three settlements: the Eastern Settlement, Western Settlement, and Middle Settlement. Estimates place the combined population between 2,000 and 10,000 people. Archaeologists identified ruins of approximately 620 farms across these regions. The economy relied on pastoral farming mixed with hunting caribou and seals. Farmers kept cattle, sheep, and goats for dairy products while hunting walruses and narwhals for export commodities like ivory. Trade ships traveled annually from Iceland and Norway until the late-13th century. Laws required all ships to sail directly to Norway beginning around that time. The climate began cooling significantly in the 14th and 15th centuries.
The Little Ice Age Impact
Scientists drilled into the Greenland ice cap to study core samples revealing the Medieval Warm Period lasted roughly 800 to 1200. By 1420, the Little Ice Age had reached intense levels in Greenland. Excavations showed a shift from cow and pig bones to sheep and goat remains as winters lengthened. A study found maximum summer temperatures decreased by up to 7 degrees Celsius compared to modern averages. Lowest winter temperatures of the last 2,000 years occurred in the late 14th century and early 15th century. Bone samples confirm the typical Greenlander diet increased from 20 percent sea animals to 80 percent by the mid-14th century. Soil erosion became a critical danger as the Norse cleared land for farming. A farm in the Vatnahverfi district was buried under layers of drifting sand up to three meters deep. Palynologists proved the Greenlanders struggled with deforestation and soil degradation. As agricultural suitability declined, they resorted first to pastoralism then to hunting. They never adopted Inuit techniques like kayak navigation or ring seal hunting. The Western Settlement disappeared before 1400, while the Eastern Settlement likely ceased operations by the middle of the 15th century.
Danish Recolonization Efforts
Hans Egede petitioned King Frederick IV of Denmark in 1711 to travel to Greenland and re-establish contact with Norse settlers. He founded the settlement of Nuuk, originally called Godthåb, in 1728. An attempt to establish a royal colony under Major Claus Paarss resulted in mutiny and deaths from scurvy. Two child converts sent to Copenhagen returned in 1733 carrying smallpox, which devastated the island population. Jacob Severin secured a large royal stipend and full trade monopoly from the king. He successfully repulsed Dutch forces at the Battle of Jacobshavn during skirmishes in 1738 and 1739. Hans Egede quit the colony after his wife died, leaving the Lutheran mission to his son Poul. Both studied Kalaallisut extensively and published works on the language. Repeated attempts to cultivate wheat or clover failed throughout Greenland despite introducing kale and lettuce. By 1911, the population reached about 14,000 people scattered along southern shores. They were nearly all Christian due to missionary efforts by Moravians and Hans Egede. His grandson Hans Egede Saabye continued these activities until 1817.
World War II Strategic Shifts
The Nazi invasion of Denmark in 1940 cut Greenland off from Danish control and supplies. Henrik Kauffmann signed a treaty with the United States on the 9th of April 1941 granting permission to establish stations. The Danish government accused him of high treason but took no effective action. A series of fourteen American bases were built on both coasts to ferry aircraft to Europe. These facilities provided bases for American, Canadian, and British forces to attack German submarines. German forces attempted to set up weather stations in Eastern Greenland as part of the North Atlantic weather war. Greenland established the Sirius Dog Sled Patrol in 1941 using small teams of Greenlanders and sled dogs. One Dane and one German were killed during fighting, forcing Germans to abandon their stations by 1944. Because it was difficult for the Danish government to govern the island during the war, Greenland enjoyed independent status. Successful exports of cryolite helped maintain this autonomy. Supplies were guaranteed by the United States throughout the conflict.
Cold War Military Presence
In 1951, the Thule Air Base became permanent in northwest Greenland under a new agreement replacing the 1941 treaty. Some Inuit families were forced to move from their homes to provide space for base extension. This relocation created friction between the Danish government and local people. On the 21st of January 1968, a B-52 crash contaminated the area with radioactive debris from four hydrogen bombs. Most contaminated ice was cleaned up, but one bomb remains missing as of 2022. A 1995 parliamentary scandal known as Thulegate revealed nuclear weapons were routinely present in Greenland's airspace. Denmark had tacitly approved this activity despite its official nuclear-free policy. The United States upgraded the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System to a phased array radar. Opponents argue the system threatens the local population if targeted during nuclear war. During rapid urbanization, many villages were cut off from support while migration toward cities increased. New immigrants suffered extreme mental health issues including high suicide rates that persist today.
Path To Home Rule
Greenland was raised from colony status to an autonomous province in 1953. It received nominal representation in the Danish Folketing despite its small population. From 1948 to 1950, the Greenland Commission studied conditions seeking to address isolation and economic stagnation. Royal Greenland Trading Department monopolies were finally removed by 1950. Denmark began reforms aimed at urbanizing Greenlanders to replace dependence on seal populations. These changes led to problems like modern unemployment and the Blok P housing project. Inuit could not fit through doors wearing winter clothing, and fire escapes were blocked by bulky fishing gear. Television broadcasts began in 1982. The collapse of cod fisheries and mines in the late 1980s damaged the economy significantly. Despite 70.3 percent rejecting entry into the European Common Market, Greenland joined with Denmark in 1973. On the 23rd of February 1982, a bare majority voted to leave the EEC, completing withdrawal by 1985. The capital Godthåb was renamed Nuuk in 1979, and a local flag adopted in 1985. Following a successful referendum on self-government in 2008, powers expanded further.
Common questions
When did the first humans arrive in Greenland?
The first humans arrived in Greenland around 2500 BCE. They brought with them the Saqqaq culture and navigated the Arctic Archipelago to reach the island from North America.
Who named the land Greenland and when did they settle there?
Erik the Red named the land Greenland to encourage others to settle there during the 980s. Twenty-five ships left Iceland with him in 985, but only fourteen arrived safely to establish settlements like Brattahlíð by about 1000.
What caused the decline of Norse settlements in Greenland?
The climate began cooling significantly in the 14th and 15th centuries, leading to the Little Ice Age reaching intense levels by 1420. Soil erosion became a critical danger as deforestation occurred, and farmers resorted to hunting after agricultural suitability declined.
How many American bases were built on Greenland during World War II?
A series of fourteen American bases were built on both coasts to ferry aircraft to Europe. These facilities provided bases for American, Canadian, and British forces to attack German submarines while Greenland enjoyed independent status due to difficulties in Danish governance.
When was the Thule Air Base established and what happened during its expansion?
In 1951, the Thule Air Base became permanent in northwest Greenland under a new agreement replacing the 1941 treaty. Some Inuit families were forced to move from their homes to provide space for base extension, creating friction between the Danish government and local people.