Finland/Fins

Finland/Fins:
Development of a Nation
How Finland became Finland,
and how the Fins became Finnish.

How
Fins as a people, and the country of Finland as a nation-state,
evolved and materialized into current form, in terms of ancestral
bloodlines, the Finnish language, borders, culture, and even how they
received their name.

Ancestral Background
Development of Language
Formation of Borders
Etymology (How Name Received)
Culture
Finland in 2008

Finnish
Ancestral Background:

1. Peoples migrating from the Ural Mountains in
   modern Russia settled around the Gulf of Finland around 4000 BC,
   becoming the ancient ancestors to Finnish  and Estonian peoples. From this
   location, they gradually began to move northwest into modern
   Finland. Those that separated to the south of the Gulf of Finland
   became the ancestors to modern Estonians.
2. From no later than the 12^th
   century, and perhaps much earlier, Swedes began to populate the
   western coastal areas of Finland, contributing somewhat to the
   genetic composition of the Finns.

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Development of Finnish Language:

1. The Proto-Uralic family of languages (~ 5000
   BC) originated in the Ural Mountains in Russia. This may or may not
   be a
   Proto-Indo-European family language.
2. The Uralic family of languages branched from
   the Proto-Uralic around 4000 BC, representing a slight change.
3. The Finno-Ugric branch develops around 3000
   BC, west of Ural Mountains, as speakers of this language cover much
   of the European portion of northern Russia.
4. The Baltic-Finnic language breaks off from
   Finno-Ugric around 3000 BC, as Uralic peoples subdivide into a
   northern group (ancestors to modern Finns and Estonians) and a
   southern group (ancestors to modern Hungarians). Spoken by Uralic
   peoples that continued to migrate west from Ural Mountain region,
   now gathered around Gulf of Finland.
5. Around 2000 BC, as some from this Baltic-Finnic
   group migrate northwest into modern Finland, as part of the group
   migrates northwest (into modern Finland), and another part to the
   southwest (modern Estonia), their respective languages diverge from
   one another, forming the basis for the modern Finnish and Estonian
   languages.
6. During the Middle Ages, as Finland was
   typically occupied by foreign powers, such as the Swedish in the
   west, the Finnish language becomes somewhat influenced by the
   Swedish language.

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Formation of Finland Borders:

1. 
   By
   the 2^nd millennia BC, the Finnic people had broken off
   from the Baltic-Finno peoples in modern Estonia, migrating northwest
   into modern Finland. The Finns that settle in this region become the
   earliest forefathers to the modern Finland nation.
2. Beginning in the 12^th century and
   into the 13^th century, the Christianized Swedish began to
   crusade into Finland, forcibly converting them to Christianity. By
   the 13^th century, Sweden controlled parts of the
   southwest coastal region of Finland, expanding within Finland until
   the beginning of the Kalmar Union in 1397.
3. By the 12^th century, large portions
   of modern eastern Finland within the possession of the Republic of
   Novgorod, a Swedish-ruled East Slav political entity.
4. Queen Margaret of Denmark marries the King of
   Norway, joining the two kingdoms under personal union in 1380. The
   kingdoms were autonomous, but combined their respective foreign
   policies. Sweden was mired by civil war, and the nobles sided with
   Queen Margaret (King of Norway husband had since died), in joining
   Sweden to the personal union as well, forming a pan-Nordic kingdom.
   This was finalized as the Kalmar Union in 1397. Each kingdom was
   autonomous, but foreign policy was dictated by the monarch. Norway
   included Iceland and Greenland, and Sweden included western Finland.
   The union was dominated by Denmark. The southwest portion of Finland
   was controlled by Sweden, and was therefore included in the Union.
   The eastern part of modern Finland was swallowed by the Grand Duchy
   of Moscow, placing it under East Slav rule.
   
   
5. 
   The Swedes grew unhappy with the
   Danish-dominated government, and the frequent wars they were dragged
   into, compelling them into an armed revolt. Independence of Sweden
   (and their territory in Finland) was achieved in 1523. Denmark and
   Norway remain under personal union, as the Kingdom of
   Denmark-Norway.
6. 1560 – Sweden conquered part of modern Estonia
   from the Livonian Order, which is in the process of collapse. Sweden
   also captured more Baltic territory from 1625 to 1629 during
   Polish-Sweden Wars. Sweden also continues to expand Finland
   territory during this time as well.
7. After siding with the victorious Protestant
   side during the 30 years war in Germany, Sweden gained parts of the
   German “Holy Roman Empire”. By now, it had expanded deeper within
   Finland as well.
8. 1809:
   Finnish War with Russia. Russia captures all of Sweden’s Finnish
   territory. Finland is fashioned into the Grand Duchy of Finland
   within the Russian Empire.
9. Finland declares independence from Russian
   after the
   
   
   October Revolution (Communist Revolution), since the
   personal union with the monarch no longer applied, as the monarch
   had been overthrown. This would begin the Finnish Civil War, between
   Reds (pro-Soviets) and Whites (anti-Soviets). The Whites would win,
   causing Finland to escape Soviet control. Soviets would intervene on
   behalf of the Reds, while Germany intervened on behalf of the
   whites, helping them to victory. As a result of opening itself up to
   Germany, Finland was on the verge of falling under German
   occupation, but Germany surrendered to the Allies soon after, ending
   World War I, leaving Finland to become completely independent in
   1918.

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Etymology (How
Name Received):

Named after the Finns,
the principal inhabitant of the region of modern Finland (“Land of the
Finns”). It is uncertain how Finns received their name. Probably word
from Baltic origin.

Finnish Culture:

Finland culture is reminiscent to that of other Scandinavian nations,
such as Sweden, in that it is egalitarian in nature, with a “live and
let live” mentality, and an emphasis on equality. Finland has always
been more rural, due to its position at away from the mainland
continent, and tucked away at the back of the Baltic Sea. Plus, it has
spent most of its history under foreign domination, primarily under
Swedish and Russian rule. As a result, its culture is influenced by both
of these nations.

Finland in
2008:

Economy: Advanced, capitalistic
economy. High unemployment has been a problem in this natural
resource-limited nation.
Government: Democratic Republic
Religion: Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (National church, where
it is not a state church, but presides over certain religiously
ceremonial functions in government) 82.5%, None: 15.1%, remaining mostly
other Christian. Survey: 41% believe in God, 41% some other form of
intelligent design, 19% atheist/agnostic.
Demographics: Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.6% (long-time Swedish
possession during post-Middle Ages)
Foreign Policy: Primary concern is Russia, generally opposes
measures in EU that might strengthen Russia, or make EU members too
reliant on Russia, as it had long been its greatest nemesis/threat.
Sweden had been its greatest threat before Russia, with the dividing
point around the year 1700, but relations with Sweden and other Nordic
nations are currently very cooperative and friendly. Geopolitically
vulnerable to Russia, due to long, hard-to-defend border with Russia
(easy to transport troops across, no natural barriers), and low
population density.
Population: 5,244,749 (2008)

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