People lived in Denmark as long as 100,000 years ago. There were great changes in the climate at the time. It got so cold that it was too cold for human life. 14,000 years ago the climate started to become warmer, and continuous settlement began. Farming developed about 2500 B.C.
Denmark progressed through its economic problems in the 19th century. The invention of the wooden plow came. People learned how to make metal from copper and bronze. As they became richer, important trading links were established with more advanced nations to the south. By the time of Christ, trade by the sea brought people closer into contact with leading civilizations. The contact expanded for hundreds of years. During this period , the Danes lived in small communities governed by local chieftains. During the late 1800's education, industry, and trade were expanded in Denmark.
There were many wars in the
early days of Denmark. The first
war was the Great Northern War
which happened in 1700-1721. The
second war was the Napoleonic War
of 1801. The next war was the
Nepoleonic wars of
1848, followed by the Holstein War
in 1848,
World War I in 1914,
and World War II in 1939.
A year later the Germans forces invaded Denmark. After a few hours of fighting the Danes surrendered. Even though the Danes kept their government, the resistance groups demolished factories and buildings. The Germans finally took over the government in 1943. In September of 1943, the Danes organized The Secret Freedom Council to lead the resistance movement. They helped about 7,000 Danish Jews escape to Sweden. On May 5,1948 after the fall of Germany, allied troops entered Denmark, and the Germans there surrendered. After much fighting Denmark was free from the Germans at the end of World War II.
The wars with Sweden
involved a lot of fighting for the
Baltic Sea or for territory around
the Baltic Sea. After the break-
up of the union Denmark and Sweden
were left as regional rivals and
lead to a series of wars. The Danes
lost most of their territory to
the Swedish during the war of 1657
-1660. In 1700 they attempted to
regain the lost territory. Denmark
was also involved in the Great
Northern War when they tried to
win back the territory they had
lost to Sweden.
By:
Jennifer Camden & Austin Deer
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