1789-1815 1874-1918






Iceland 1815-1874

In 1816 the Islenska Bokmenntafelag (Icelandic Literary Society) was founded by a Danish linguist, Rasmus Christian Rask, it's seats were Reyklavik and Copenhagen. Demands for the reestablishment of the Althing were first raised in 1831. In 1838 a COMMITTEE OF OFFICIALS (a kind of Icelandic cabinet) was created, consisting of 10 Icelanders. In 1843, the ALTHINGI (abolished in 1800) was restored. JON SIGURDSSON emerged as the leader of the Icelanders supporting and shaping the new constitution. REYKJAVIK was selected as the new site of the Althing. The franchise was limited to men over 25 years old who fulfilled certain property or education qualifications.
When absolutism was abolished in Denmark and a democratic constitution was adopted in 1848, Jon Sigurdsson proposed a constitution for Iceland which foresaw a maximum of autonomy, virtual independence with only the dynasty binding Denmark to Iceland; the 1849 proposal was rejected by the Danish parliament in 1851.
From 1860 to 1865 POROUR JONASSEN was the first Icelander in centuries to govern the island, albeit as acting governor. The position of MINISTER FOR ICELAND was established in 1855, the ministers residing in Copenhagen until 1904; until the end of the century, Danes were exclusively appointed to the post. The Danish administration's revenues from Iceland covered roughly half the expenses, the island thus was subsidized by the Danish state. In 1874 a new constitution for Iceland was proclaimed.
In 1815 Iceland's population was c. 48,000; until 1855 it rose to c. 65,000. Emigration to America began in 1855; overall, c. 15,000 Icelanders emigrated, mostly to Canada and the USA. The stocks of sheep and cattle also expanded considerably; after centuries of stagnation, Iceland experienced sustained demographic and economic expansion. Medical progress, with the assistance of Danish veterinarians, permitted the extermination of the scab, an infectious disease afflicting sheep.
In 1855 the Danish parliament had enected FREE TRADE for Iceland, ending the exclusion of foreigners from Iceland trade that had lasted since 1602. In 1869 a group of Icelandic farmers purchased a sailing ship (hitherto Icelanders only owned fishing boats), thus beginning an Icelandic merchant fleet. The export of live ponies and sheep, primarily to Britain, was begun.
Because of the extremely low population density, Iceland, despite it's Lutheran tradition, had no elementary schools until into the 19th century, the Latin school(s), designed for the education of priests, being the only school in the country. Basic education took place at home on the farms; a significant proportion of the population could read, a smaller share could write.In the 1850es and 1860es, permanent schools were established in larger villages, while itinerant schools (i.e. teachers moving from farm to farm) became popular.
In 1861 a law was enacted according to which single women 25 years or older were permitted to rule their property, a first step toward the emancipation of women.
In 1872 an exclusive fishery zone was established, within a line 10 miles from the Icelandic coast; it was recognized by the British in a treaty of 1901.






EXTERNAL
FILES 		Timeline Icelandic History, from Nordic Usenet ; a short timeline from Nordic History, posted by Johnny Blaesta
Chronicle of Scholarly Societies founded 1800-1849 from Scholarly Societies Project
Travels in 19th Century Iceland, by Ed Jackson
DOCUMENTS Lists of Governors, Governors-General etc. from World Statesmen by Ben Cahoon
Article Iceland, in W. Gracie's General Gazetteer, 1823
REFERENCE Gunnar Karlsson, The History of Iceland, Univ. of Minnesota Press 2000, 384 pp.


This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted in 2000, last revised on June 4th 2008

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