The Kalmar Union was created in 1397 and joined Denmark, Norway, and Sweden under one crown. This made it much harder for Sweden to gain independence.

1. Loss of Control

   • Sweden lost a lot of power. The Danish king made important decisions, often ignoring what was best for Sweden.
   • People in Sweden were upset because they had no say over taxes and trade, which hurt their economy and created anger.

2. Cultural Control

   • The union made it feel like Denmark was in charge of Swedish culture. The Swedish language and traditions were pushed aside, making it hard for people to feel proud of their identity.
   • This loss of culture made many Swedes unhappy, which weakened the spirit they needed to fight for independence.

3. Struggles Within

   • There were many uprisings, like Engelbrekt's Rebellion in the 1430s, showing that people wanted to push back against foreign rule. However, these movements were often messy and didn’t achieve much, leading to even more control from Denmark.

Even with these difficulties, Sweden could still find a way to become independent through:

• Working Together and Strong Leadership: Leaders like Gustav Vasa (who later became King Gustav I) inspired the Swedish people to unite. His leadership helped build national pride and a shared goal of freedom.

• Making Alliances: By teaming up with groups in Denmark that were also unhappy, Sweden could gain support to challenge the union’s control.

In the end, while the Kalmar Union created big challenges, by working together and having strong leaders, Sweden could start moving towards independence and self-rule.