Landsbygd i förändring : en jämförelse mellan bouppteckningar från1840-talet och sekelskiftet 1900 på Gotlands södra landsbygd

• Main Author: Blomberg, Marta
• Format: Others
• Language: Swedish
• Published: Högskolan på Gotland, Institutionen för humaniora och samhällsvetenskap 2010
• Subjects: History; Historia
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hgo:diva-567

During the beginning of the 19th century Sweden is effected by the Napoleonic Wars and in the aftermath of the war Sweden looses Finland to Russia. This loss leads to the dismissal of King Gustav IV Adolf and the introduction of the Bernadotte dynasty on the Swedish throne. Over the century the industrialization plays a big part in the progress of Sweden. The growth of the industries leads to developments in the areas of agriculture. With this essay I would like to examine if the people on the countryside of Gotland keep the same pace as the people on the mainland in their introduction of new things. Is it possible to see any new innovations on the southern part of Gotland in estate inventories from the period between year 1840 to 1900, and if so which? I will also try to examine which part of the society, social class, leads the introduction of the modern things. The material I have used is estate inventories from three parishes on the southern Gotland. To ease the examination I have divided people and things into different groups. This has helped me to see the difference between people and things, and it has also helped me to see which society class it was that introduced modern things. New crops, new tools and a new way to cultivate are some of the improvements that we can see in the areas concerning agriculture. Example of new tool that are developed during this time is the “turning” plough and “claw” harrow. There are also developments in other parts of the society, like in the textile industry. Cotton becomes more frequently used and the textile goes from being expensive to be used by all classes. My conclusion is, with some exceptions, that the countryside on Gotland has, more or less, the same development pace as the countryside on the mainland of Sweden.