In ancient times, the area now called Bosnia and Herzegovina had many a people living there under different rulers. Originally called Illyricum, it was taken over by the Romans around the time of the 2nd and 1st centuries B.C. Around the 4th and 5th centuries A.D. the area became the Roman Province of Dalmatia. From there the Byzantine Empire took claim to the land at about the time of the 6th century. The 7th century brought the Slavs. And around 1200 Bosnia officially won its independence from Hungary and was there forth an independent Christian state for 260 years. But in 1463 the Ottoman Empire conquered the country and held its rule for more than 400 years. After these four uninterrupted centuries of rule, the Austro-Hungarian Empire annexed the ruled country. "Following the Great War and the consequent fall of the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires, Bosnia-Hercegovina, along with other South Slav regions, united with Serbia to create the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1918, renamed Yugoslavia in 1929" (Military).
Because there have been so many rulers and settling happening over hundreds and hundreds of years, many different cultures have come about in such a small area. Since the beginning of the country to today, Bosnia and Herzegovina has been home and refuge to all types of religions and ethnicities including Christians, Muslims, and Serbians.
The land known as Bosnia and Herzegovina was settled, taken over, and wanted for many reason. It is not entirely known why the first settlers decided to make this land their home, but there are key characteristics surrounding the area that could have been the main reasons. When hunting and gathering was the way of the world, the mountain terrain and forests of Bosnia hold many animals that could and would provide food to those living in the area. Herzegovina, which lays in the south, on the other hand was farmland with a coastline stretching 13 miles along the Adriatic Sea. In the beginning this coastline would have been good for the hunters that learned to fish and find animals that depended on that water for survival. This section would also be important when people started realizing that they could domesticate the land and its animals for agriculture. Creating pathways from the water to their villages to help irrigate their crops had to have been a factor of why so many people fought over this land and its resources.
Because there have been so many rulers and settling happening over hundreds and hundreds of years, many different cultures have come about in such a small area. Since the beginning of the country to today, Bosnia and Herzegovina has been home and refuge to all types of religions and ethnicities including Christians, Muslims, and Serbians.
The land known as Bosnia and Herzegovina was settled, taken over, and wanted for many reason. It is not entirely known why the first settlers decided to make this land their home, but there are key characteristics surrounding the area that could have been the main reasons. When hunting and gathering was the way of the world, the mountain terrain and forests of Bosnia hold many animals that could and would provide food to those living in the area. Herzegovina, which lays in the south, on the other hand was farmland with a coastline stretching 13 miles along the Adriatic Sea. In the beginning this coastline would have been good for the hunters that learned to fish and find animals that depended on that water for survival. This section would also be important when people started realizing that they could domesticate the land and its animals for agriculture. Creating pathways from the water to their villages to help irrigate their crops had to have been a factor of why so many people fought over this land and its resources.
Before the Bosnia and Herzegovina war the country was made up of three main ethnicity's: Croatians, Bosniacs, and Serbians which is important to now because these are the people who lived her, who thrived here, who moved in and out of the country due to the changing of rulers. (http://www.bosnia.org.uk/news/news_body.cfm?newsid=2771)
When looking for information pertaining to the settlements of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the following website displays information put together in a coherent and an easy to read fashion.
Miller, O. (n.d.). Countries and Their Cultures. Bosnian Americans. Retrieved August 29, 2014, from http://www.everyculture.com/multi/A-Br/Bosnian-Americans.html
Another website that was very helpful when searching for information was the following because it gave very descriptive information that was relevant as well as maps that helps you to understand the material being provided.
Military. (n.d.). Bosnia and Herzegovina. Retrieved August 29, 2014, from http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/ba-people.htm
Miller, O. (n.d.). Countries and Their Cultures. Bosnian Americans. Retrieved August 29, 2014, from http://www.everyculture.com/multi/A-Br/Bosnian-Americans.html
Another website that was very helpful when searching for information was the following because it gave very descriptive information that was relevant as well as maps that helps you to understand the material being provided.
Military. (n.d.). Bosnia and Herzegovina. Retrieved August 29, 2014, from http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/ba-people.htm