The 17th of May was not celebrated to any significant degree in the first years after 1814. There were sporadic attempts to celebrate the day in Trondheim but it did not seem to interest the Trønders yet.
   In 1824, Georg Fredrik von Krogh was president of the Student's Society in Oslo. He suggested that they should celebrate the 10th anniversary of the constitution. And the Student's Society decided that they should make the 17th of May one of the Society's public holidays. This did not sit well with King Carl Johan. He wanted rather that the Norwegians should celebrate the 4th of November, to mark the union with Sweden. Carl Johan saw the celebration of the 17th of May as Norwegian endeavour to achieve independence.
   In 1827, some Swedish actors were to inaugurate the new public holiday in Oslo with a play called 'Foreningen' (The nion). The play was poor and the public jeered the Swedes. Then the king became furious. He believed the whole country was in revolt and that the Norwegians would destroy the union with Sweden. The viceroy at that time, the Swedish Count Sandels, was fired because the king did not think he was strict enough with the Norwegians. Count Platen was appointed as the new viceroy.
   The following year, 1828, the king came to Oslo and forbade the people to celebrate the 17th of May. Stortinget, which had marked the day, the year before, with a banquet, respected the order. Nor did the students dare to celebrate the day this time. People in the streets who sang patriotic songs and hailed the day, had to appear for questioning the next day. Some schoolboys who shouted out an open window, 'Long live the 17th of May' at the moment some of the king's men walked by. They also had to be questioned the next day. So, these were serious times. They can almost remind us of the WWII occupation.
   To make sure that the Trønders also did not celebrate the 17th of May, the king sent people to Trondheim with the task of keeping an eye on the Trønders.
   But the Trønders had always been different and that showed this time as well. They were totally unconcerned about the king's delegates or the police chief. When they received a request from one of their own parliamentarians, they let it be. And this was probably for the best for it was said that had decided to impose absolute power if the Norwegians did not desist.
   The 17th of May 1829 was a fine spring Sunday with blue skies and bright sunshine. There seemed to be an air of excitement during the morning. There were many people 'in town' and they were curious and excited that something might happen.
   Henrik Wergeland, who was a theology student, left Eidsvoll the 1st of April for Oslo to prepare for his exams. people were a bit tense tht 17th of May as they had not forgotten the difficulties the year before. It was not without danger to defy the king. Anxious parents spoke seriously to their sons and among those who were advised to stay away from celebrations and crowds was Henrik Wergeland.
   In 1826, the government had bought two steamships from England. One of them, the 'Constitutionen' sailed the route from Kristiansand to Oslo. By coincidence, it was to arrive in Oslo exactly that day, and a great crowd of people gathered at the docks. When the ship came into the harbour, they shouted, 'Long Live Constitutionen' But this was much like shouting 'Long Live' the constitution, and this was nothing to fool with. After the ship had arrived, the people walked the streets, it was too nice a day to go home. Finally, a great number had gathered in the main square. When the police tried to disperse them there was much shouting and whistling.
   The police then read the riot act and the cavalry charged out from Akershus fortress. They were accompanied by soldiers on foot, and with drawn swords they attacked the crowd. The people were terrified and ran off as fast as they could. The commanding Major-General Wedel Jarlsberg was present on horseback. The attack was surprisingly bloodless. No one made any resistance, but the people were very steamed up. Some cursed General Wedel Jarlsberg, but most were just happy to escape the turmoil with life and limb.
   At midnight, when Henrik Wergeland was on his way home, he met a soldier who gave him a heavy blow with his sword, damaging his student's uniform. He became one of the leaders in the fight for the national holiday and through his speeches and writings the day gained a broader conclusion.
   This overreaction led the people and the spokesmen for the national holiday to demand more strongly that the king should give in to their demands. In 1830, the Storting recommended to King Carl Johan that the 17th of May should be recognized as Constitution Day and a public holiday. In 1836, the Storting officially celebrated the 17th of May and from that year we can date the beginning of the public holiday.
   Bjønstjerne Bjørnson eagerly joined in and it was on his initiative that the first children's parade was begun in 1870. At first this was only boys, but girls joined in in 1889. And the children's parade has grown stronger ever since. Since 1906, every year, with the exception of the war years, the royal family greets the procession from the balcony of the palace in Oslo.

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