History of Greenland

The account of Greenland’s past, from its earliest settlement through Norse colonization, Inuit societies, Danish rule, and modern self-government.

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Saqqaq culture: A Paleo-Inuit archaeological culture in Greenland, dated roughly 2500–800 BCE. Its settlements provide some of the earliest evidence of human life in Greenland.
Danish colonization of Greenland: Denmark’s establishment and administration of colonial rule in Greenland, beginning in the eighteenth century. It explains how Danish authority became central to Greenland’s modern political history.
Independence I culture: A Paleo-Inuit culture found in northern Greenland, dating to roughly 2400–1300 BCE. It represents an early settlement tradition distinct from later Greenlandic societies.
Jonathan Motzfeldt: A Greenlandic politician who became the first premier of Greenland’s home-rule government in 1979. He led the new government as Greenland began exercising home rule.
Greenlandic language: The Inuit language spoken in Greenland, with Kalaallisut as its principal variety. Language policy and schooling have reflected changing relations between Greenlandic and Danish authority.
Norse Greenland: The medieval Norse settlements established in Greenland by migrants from Iceland. These colonies became a major chapter in Greenland’s early contact with Europe.
Greenland Treaty: A 1985 treaty that withdrew Greenland from the European Communities while preserving associated relations. It shows how Greenland’s political status could differ from Denmark’s within Europe.
Independence II culture: A Paleo-Inuit archaeological culture of northern Greenland, dating approximately 800–400 BCE. Its remains document a later early population in the island’s far north.
Lars-Emil Johansen: A Greenlandic politician who served as premier and helped advance the 2009 self-government settlement. His leadership connected home-rule politics with expanded self-government.
Greenlandic identity: A collective identity shaped by Inuit heritage, Greenlandic language, place, and political experience. It has informed demands for recognition and greater self-determination.