A trip through time in Espoo: Answers

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1 A trip through time in Espoo: Answers Prehistory Why did people live near water in the Stone Age? The opportunities for fishing were good near water. Waterways provided better transport routes than overgrown forests. Sandy terrain was ideal for the construction of shelters. What did people believe in during the Stone Age and the Metal Age? The dead were buried with objects during the Stone Age, which suggests that people believed in life after death. Rock paintings indicate that people probably believed in animal guardians or spirits, or perhaps a totem animal from which their tribe was descended. The dead continued to be buried with objects such as weapons and jewellery during the metal ages. The burial sites were often on the other side of water, on an island or on the opposite bank of a river. In Finnish folklore, as in that of many other peoples, the land of the living and the land of the dead are separated by water. What kinds of object were made out of iron in the Iron Age? Small tools like axes, knives, reinforcements for the wooden edge of spades, arrowheads and spearheads were made out of iron. Swords were valuable weapons, mainly brought to Finland from abroad. Think of reasons why the number of people living in Espoo was very low during the first millennium (that is, between the years 1 and 1000). Scientists do not know exactly why this was the case. Suggested reasons include the clay soil being unsuitable for Iron Age farming, the cooling down of the climate, unrest on the southern coast during Viking times ( ), the people of Häme jealously guarding their hunting grounds against settlers, and so on. Can you think of more possible reasons?

2 The origin of Espoo What does an aspen tree look like? What things can be made out of aspen wood? Find a picture of an aspen tree and its leaf in a nature book or in wikipedia ( The leaves of the aspen are rounded and rustle in even the slightest breeze. The aspen has grey bark. The wood of the aspen is light and easy to work with. Aspen was used to make log canoes which, as the name suggests, were hollowed out of a single tree. Aspen was also used to make light, hollowed out dishes. These days, the wood is often used for sauna benches. Who do you think used the King s Road? Messengers travelling between Vyborg and Turku used the King s Road. Soldiers, merchants and peasants also used the road on their way to church and to market. Why did settlers build their settlements at a confluence of rivers? The land at the confluence of the Gumbölenjoki and Mankinjoki rivers was sufficiently fertile and moist for cultivation. Middle Ages What might you find on the dinner table of a peasant living in Espoo in the Middle Ages? Rye bread, rye porridge, peas and beans, turnips, game birds, hens and wild birds eggs, cured meat and fish, and fresh fish. Meat such as elk, hare, or beef or pork sausages was served on special occasions. Offal, such as liver and heart, were considered delicacies. Meals were washed down with water, beer or buttermilk. What did the obligation of hospitality mean? Explain in your own words. All subjects of the kingdom were required by law to provide food and lodgings to travellers, who were mostly messengers, soldiers or clergymen. If a royal messenger turned up at a house, for instance, the master of the household was obliged to give him food and, if necessary, drive him to the nearest inn, even if the household was busy with other work.

3 Look at the illustration on this page. Which social class do the three people on the right belong to? What about the lady on the left? The finely dressed figures are members of the nobility; the plainly dressed old lady is a peasant, or commoner. What goods were imported to Finland in the Middle Ages? And what did Finnish people sell, in Reval (Tallinn), for example? Salt and grain. Finnish people sold furs, animal skins, planks and tar, and also fish. How might a poor person have contributed to the construction of Espoo Church? Money for construction work was only provided by the nobility. Local people contributed in kind, either by donating building materials or by working at the construction site. A landless person with no property could thus make a contribution as a builder or stonemason. Turn your name into a peasant name (for example, Paul Peterson or Janet Petersdaughter) and come up with a name for your home, if it doesn t already have one. Households were often named after natural features or things that happened nearby. Modern era How did King Gustav Vasa benefit from carrying out the Reformation in Sweden? The King relied on State finances, and in the Reformation the State treasury took over the significant properties of the Catholic Church. Also, much of the power of the Church shifted to the secular authorities. After the Reformation, King Gustav was more powerful than the clergy. Why were King s manors (royal estates) established? King s manors were model farms whose purpose was to teach the common people how to farm crops and to take care of their livestock and land more effectively. What was the first book ever published in Finnish? What was it about? The ABC Book. This book was a spelling book to teach the basics of reading.

4 18th century How did people travel from inn to inn? By horse and cart or by foot. Transportation by horse and cart cost money, and the poor people were unable to afford this. Why did people often starve in 18th century Espoo? The harvest could fall below normal or fail completely in some years because of summer frosts destroying the crops, because of heavy rains causing the crops to rot in the fields, or because of drought. Crop failures were frequent during the 17th and 18th centuries. Espoo also suffered from damage caused by Russian soldiers during the two periods of occupation known as the Great Hate and the Little Hate in the 18th century. Troops were quartered at local farms, where they would often eat all the corn and destroy the fields using them as a pasture for their horses. What is Viapori known as today? Viapori from the Swedish Sveaborg, is today known in Finnish as Suomenlinna. 19th century Turku was the capital of Finland until Why do you think the Tsar of Russia wanted Helsinki to be the capital of Finland instead? Helsinki was nearer to St Petersburg, where the Tsar lived. The Tsar thought that the people of Turku were too Swedish minded and that the ties to the old motherland were too strong. What industries could be found in Espoo in the 19th century? There were brickworks in Leppävaara and Kivenlahti in Espoo. Beautiful furniture was made at carpentry workshops in Soukka. There was also a ceramics factory in Leppävaara. What happened to Espoo Church in the 19th century? It was renovated. The wall paintings dating from the Middle Ages were considered old fashioned and covered with whitewash. New rows of pews and a new pulpit were constructed. Two transepts were added to the church, making it cross shaped.

5 What is Alberga Manor jokingly known as even today? The manor is known as Sokerilinna ( Sugar castle ). The shuttering on Alberga Manor was made out of wood from boxes from Töölö sugar factory that originally contained unrefined sugar. What happened to the main building of Träskända Manor, built during the time of Aurora Karamzin? It burned to the ground in September The cause of the fire is still unknown. It was suspected that the house had been burgled and that the burglar had lit the fire to cover his tracks. Nowadays poor and ill people receive help which is paid for out of tax revenue. How were they helped in the 19th century? In the early 19th century, rich people would donate money to help the poor. Some of them, such as Aurora Karamzin, founded schools and hospitals. The Church also did what it could to help the poor. Early 20th century What did the Prohibition Act prohibit? It prohibited the sale and use of alcohol. It was in force from 1918 until However, during this time alcohol was commonly smuggled and illegally sold. Eventually, a referendum was held, and a huge majority voted in favour of abolishing the Prohibition Act. Can you guess where the name of the Kera train halt comes from? The Kera train halt is near a factory originally known as Viherlaakson Saviteollisuus Oy, which made roof tiles and ceramics. The factory later changed its name to Kera Oy, and the halt was named for the company. Why were the fortifications not completed? The construction workers had to return to Russia due to the Russian Revolution in 1917, and construction was abandoned. Where in Espoo was a battle fought at the end of the Civil War? A fierce battle was fought between the Reds on the one hand and German reinforcements fighting alongside the Whites on the other, along Turuntie road and Vallikallio in Leppävaara.

6 Which associations do the members of your family belong to? 1950s to the present day In which town in western Uusimaa did the railway line from Helsinki through Espoo terminate at the beginning of the 20th century? Where does this railway line go to nowadays? Karjaa. Nowadays the line runs through to Turku. What was Finland s first motorway? The motorway section of Turunväylä road from Munkkiniemi to Gumböle was completed in The motorway was extended to Lohjanharju at the beginning of the 1970s. What was Tapiola in Finland s national epic (the Kalevala), and in folklore? Tapio was the king of the forest, and Tapiola was his kingdom. Tapiola is therefore the forest. Why is Tapiola in Espoo still considered an architectural masterpiece? Tapiola is a well preserved, good example of 1950s town planning. It represents the best living environments of its time and a garden city designed for pedestrians and families with children. Very few similar areas have survived in the whole of Europe, so Tapiola is of international significance.