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7.3 - The Enlightenment in Norway (the 18th century)

7.3 - The Enlightenment in Norway (the 18th century)

Norsk for Beginners vor 3 Jahren

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Transcript: https://laernorsknaa.com/7-3-the-enlightenment-in-norway-the-18th-century/

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Norwegian Enlightenment began in the early 18th century and
lasted until the early 19th century. It was a period of
significant changes in Norway. New ideas arrived in Norway from
other European countries. New plants, like the potato, came from
South America. People enjoyed better health and longer lives.
This was a period marked by the ideals and values of the
Enlightenment, although the Norwegian Enlightenment was not
identical to the French. But what was the Enlightenment really?

The Enlightenment was a period in the 18th century when
intellectuals in Europe, led by French intellectuals, began
advocating for science, freedom, and tolerance. The French
philosophers Montesquieu, Voltaire, and Rousseau are especially
well-known. In Norway, the Enlightenment was led by priests and
bishops.

Priests played a central role as intellectuals in Norway. They
formed networks for the collection and dissemination of
knowledge. Johan Ernst Gunnerus, the bishop of Trondheim, was
particularly important. He was a skilled network builder for
Norwegian science and gathered a wealth of historical and
scientific knowledge in Norway. Priests also played a crucial
role in spreading knowledge in agriculture. This is how the
potato was introduced to Norway. Priests, who earned the nickname
"potato priests," traveled around Norway and convinced farmers to
plant potatoes from South America. Potatoes are highly resilient,
and many in Norway had more to eat because of them.