Sámi Basics
In which four modern countries do the Sámi traditionally live?
Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia
In which centuries did Europeans first significantly impact Sámi lands?
15th and 16th centuries
What religion were the Sámi forced to convert to during colonization?
Christianity
What resource was discovered in Nasafjäll in the 1600s, opening the door to mining in Sámi lands?
Silver ore
What is the Sámi name for their traditional homeland?
Sápmi
Which colonizing groups impacted the Sámi by establishing borders that divided them into four regions?
the Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, and Russian governments
What type of school system was used to assimilate Sámi children?
Residential or missionary schools
In 1647, which type of mine was first created in the Norrbotten area, paving the way for future mining?
Iron mine
Approximately how many Sámi people exist today?
80,000
What valuable resources attracted Europeans to Sámi lands?
Animal pelts, food, and natural materials
What sacred Sámi cultural items were burned by Europeans who saw their religion as “devil worship”?
Their drums
What mine, opened in 1900, became the world’s largest underground iron mining operation?
The Kiruna mine
Which language is mentioned as the most commonly spoken among the Sámi?
Finnish
What happened to the Sámi when European borders were drawn through their territory?
They were divided into four separate groups/regions.
What happened to Sámi children who attended assimilationist schools?
They were forbidden from speaking their language and practicing their culture.
What effect did timber harvesting in the 1800s have on Sámi traditional lands?
It destroyed animal habitats and Sámi hunting grounds.
What animal is central to the Sámi’s traditional nomadic lifestyle?
The reindeer
What form of living did the Sámi adopt in response to European expansion and taxation?
Becoming nomads who herded reindeer
What happened to Noaidi (Sámi spiritual leaders) who resisted European religious control?
They faced execution or imprisonment.
What environmental impacts did mining have on Sámi lands?
Soil displacement, ground deformation, and water and soil pollution. (Any mentioned)