HISTORY OF ESTONIA Estonians are one of the longest-settled European peoples, whose forebears, known as the "comb pottery" people, lived on the southeastern shores of the Baltic Sea over 5,000 years ago. Like other early agricultural societies, Estonians were organized into economically self-sufficient, male-dominated clans with few differences in wealth or social power. By the early Middle Ages most Estonians were small landholders, with farmsteads primarily organized by village. With the collapse of the Russian empire in World War I, Russia's provisional government granted national autonomy to Estonia. A popularly elected assembly (Maapaev) was formed but was quickly forced underground by opposing extremist political forces. The Committee of Elders of the underground Maapaev announced the Republic of Estonia on February 24, 1918, 1 day before German troops invaded. After the withdrawal of German troops in November
industrialization, urbanisation and the success of the newly emerged nationalist awareness. The new passport regulation (1863) gave them first identification documents. It increased their freedom of movement and encouraged emigration to Russia. The 1866 peasant township law freed the peasants' local government councils from the landlords' authority and granted them extensive rights to decide their own economic and social affairs. In the 1860s, Estonian peasants began buying farmsteads from the estates, at free market prices. Due to the shortage of land and the large number of buyers, the prices were much higher than in Russia. The peasants made use of long-term bank credits, which they later paid back from income received from growing flax and potatoes. By the end of the 19th century, the peasants in South Estonia (Livonian province) possessed over 80% and in North Estonia (Estonian province) 50% of the available farmland.
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