While people have been living on this side of the Baltic Sea for thousands of years and the outline of those we might refer to as Estonians started appearing much sooner, Estonia's national independence goes back to the days of the National Awakening in the 19th century.

When the University of Tartu was reopened in 1802, it gave both Baltic German and a growing number of Estonian students, including public proponents of Estonian nationalism, the chance to obtain higher education. This coincided with the spread of the nationalist ideas of Johann Gottfried Herder, which greatly influenced the Baltic Germans to see value in native Estonian culture.

The process soon resulted in the founding of the Learned Estonian Society and the first newspapers in Estonian, as well as campaigns to collect Estonian folklore.

The first nationwide movements appeared in the 1860s, including the campaign to establish the Estonian-language Alexander School and the Estonian Students' Society, as well as the first national Song Festival held in Tartu in 1869.

The national epic "Kalevipoeg" was published in 1857, and in 1870, the first performances were held at the Estonia Theater.

The budding nationalist movement experienced a major split in 1878. While the moderate wing led by Jakob Hurt wanted to focus on developing Estonian culture and education, the radicals, under Carl Robert Jakobson, started demanding new political and economic rights.

Toward the end of the century, Russification began, with the Russian Empire cracking down by initiating various administrative and cultural measures to tie the Baltic governorates more closely to the empire.

German and Estonian were replaced by Russian in most general education schools and universities, with social and cultural activities in local languages actively suppressed. A new surge of nationalism appeared in the 1890s, bringing to the stage prominent figures like Jaan Tõnisson and Konstantin Päts, while Estonians started taking over control of urban local governments from Germans in the early 20th century.

The first official Estonian political parties were formed during the 1905 revolution and quickly formed the Estonian National Congress, which demanded the unification of Estonian areas into a single autonomous territory and an end to Russification.

The ensuing unrest saw both peaceful political demonstrations and riots with looting in Tallinn's commercial district and in a number of wealthy landowners' estates in the countryside.

The Estonian Students' Society had in 1881 adopted the blue, black and white as Estonia's national flag, which was now prominently featured during these demonstrations.

The first attempt to declare Estonia an independent country took place in the village of Vaali in Järva County in December of 1905. The result was a brutal crackdown by the Tzarist government in which some 500 people were executed and hundreds more were jailed or sent to Siberia.

Independence

During World War I, when over 100,000 Estonian men were mobilized into the Imperial Russian Army, ideas started to take root for a national Estonian army, while the dire situation in Estonia led to civil unrest.

In 1917, following the February Revolution, the Russian Provisional Government conceded to Estonian political demands: the two main separate governorates inhabited by Estonians were merged into one, Estonia was granted autonomy and the Estonian Provincial Assembly was elected.

In November 1917, the Bolsheviks seized power in Estonia, declaring the Provincial Assembly disbanded. This prompted the Assembly to establish the Estonian Salvation Committee in a situation where Russian forces were retreating and the forces of Imperial Germany advancing in Estonia. The committee was granted full decision-making powers to ensure the continued activity of the Provincial Assembly. The members of the Salvation Committee were Konstantin Päts, Jüri Vilms and Konstantin Konik.

On February 23, 1918 in Pärnu and on February 24 in Tallinn, the committee declared Estonia's independence, forming the Estonian Provisional Government.

This was soon followed by the German occupation, during which it was attempted to create the United Baltic Duchy. However, following Germany's defeat in World War I, power was transferred back to the Estonian Provisional Government on November 19.

Soviet Russia invaded on November 28, starting the Estonian War of Independence. Coming within 30 kilometers of Tallinn, the Red Army was driven back by the Estonian Army and Bolshevik forces were ejected from Estonia in a matter of weeks. In June 1919, Estonia defeated the German Landeswehr which had attempted to dominate Latvia, restoring power to the government of Kārlis Ulmanis there. 

The Red Army launched a major offensive against Narva in late 1919, but failed to achieve a breakthrough. On February 2, 1920, the Tartu Peace Treaty was signed by Estonia and Soviet Russia, with the latter pledging to permanently give up all sovereign claims to Estonia.

Independence Day celebrations

Independence Day (vabariigi aastapäev), or the Anniversary of the Republic of Estonia if we're being formal, is a national holiday commemorating the Estonian Declaration of Independence from February 24, 1918.

The day begins with the flag raising ceremony at the Tall Hermann Tower in Tallinn when the sun rises. Later, the president of Estonia usually organizes a festive Independence Day reception at which state decorations are awarded to recipients whose names are announced in advance.

The tradition of Independence Day military parades by the Estonian Defense Forces, usually falling between the flag raising ceremony, numerous other solemn events and the evening presidential reception, was established after the Restoration of Independence in 1991. The first parade was held in Tallinn in 1993, marking the diamond jubilee of the events of 1918. A parade was held every year in 1919-1940 before the Soviet occupation.

In recent years, there has been the tradition of holding both the reception and parade in different cities all over Estonia. The military parade, the reception and a concert that precedes the reception are broadcast live on television. The coverage includes a speech by the president.

Because the president always holds their reception on Independence Day, similar ceremonies take place in local governments and schools already on February 23.

In Tartu, university fraternities and sororities gather to pay respects to the Estonian flag hoisted atop the Tartu Observatory on February 24.

If there is one traditional Estonian Independence Day food, it has to be Baltic herring fillets on black bread, usually topped with slices of hard-boiled egg and chives (kiluvõileib). From there, customs vary from family to family, with salted herring in a blanket of sour cream and onions, forest mushroom salad, creamy potato salad and deviled eggs making up common staples. As Independence Day is usually pretty close to Shrove Tuesday, all this savory goodness is often followed by the traditional whipped cream-topped buns called vastlakuklid.

For those who have already returned from going to see the parade or attending other events, the food is often accompanied by a shot of vodka, even though getting drunk on Independence Day is considered to be in bad taste, especially compared to Estonians' other favorite holiday, Midsummer.

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