Vikings

=Vikings = = =  Over 1000 years ago, a powerful civilization ruled over the majority of England. This civilization was cruel as well as innovative. This civilization chaged our world in many ways. The name of this civilization? The Vikings are that civilization. The Viking civilization has affected modern civilization the most through their intricate culture, their powerful military force, their prominent geography, and the many historical figures they have produced.
 * Created by Ali Shareef, Matthew Lenz, and Gabby Kottke**

Geography
Viking geography was very prominent and well-known. The geography of the Vikings was very important because it shaped their vivid culture and their ruthless personalities. Location, place, and region were all a part of the geography. These three important aspects of their geography affected things such as trade routes and economical growth.

Location
The Vikings lived in a very unique geographic location. Their location is very well known today, but was very separated from other civilizations of their time.(Lassieur Pg. 14) Sweden, Norway, Scandinavia, Denmark, and the coast of Europe were populated with the most Vikings.(Margeson Pg. 6)Some Viking remains were also found in Jutland, present day North America.(Greenblatt Pg. 299) Vikings were usually located in lands with healthy soil and excellent farmlands.(Margeson Pg. 6) Also, they were located near the Roman Empires for first-class trade.( pg. 6)



**Place **
The Vikings were affected by the harsh characteristics of their place. The place of Viking settlements was usually very icy and cold with mild winters.(Margeson Pg. 37) It had lots of different landforms and bodies of water.(37) There were deep valleys, vast forests, swampy swamps, and steep mountains.(Lassieur Pg. 15) Many people of this place relied on the sea for a living.(Margeson Pg. 37) Also the area had a variety of wild animals making the people really good hunters.(Lassieur Pg. 16) Almost all of these factors affected the Vikings.



Region
The region of the Vikings was very helpful in their success and contributions. They lived in a Northern European region known as Scandavia.(Margeson Pg. 36) The Vikings usually settled on healthy farmlands.(Lassieur Pg. 14)They lived on farmlands for good harvest and even better trade.(Margeson Pg.38)This area was mostly flatlands teeming with sea life and wildlife.(Margeson Pg. 37) This included bears, wolves, mink, foxes, deer, and boar.(Margeson Pg.36)The land was also full of different landforms and rivers.(Lassieur Pg. 15)The fjords served for getting a water supply.(Lassieur Pg.15)Lots of the people in the area practiced Christianity and spoke Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Icelandic, and Faroese.(Margeson Pg. 39)These people were traders and builders for a living.(Lassieur Pg. 15)

Movement
Most Viking movement resulted in trade and a more prosperous economy. Their biggest movement was their Migration Period.(Lassieur Pg. 21)This period lasted from the 5th century to the 6th century A.D. The Vikings got many rare goods from the Roman Empires. Eventually the Romans declined, causing an economic collapse for the Vikings. Vikings fall and migrate eventually rising again from other trade.(Lassieur Pg. 21)Other Viking movement occurred when the lands of the Vikings got overpopulated. This caused the Vikings to venture into new lands as explorers. They discovered and settled in the Faroe Islands, Vinland, Iceland, and Greenland. Sooner there were more Vikings trading in lands and gaining lots of power.(Margeson Pg. 20-21)



Impact on Culture
The geography of the Vikings shaped their vivid culture. Scandavia, the region of the Vikings, had many obstacle-like landforms. It also had lots of fresh bodies of water. There were steep cliffs, forests, and many other natural barriers. The Vikings had almost no communication with other civilizations. The landforms caused the Vikings to be very barbaric and wild like.(Lassieur Pg. 13)

The Vikings are well-known for their vibrant and amazing culture. Vikings believed in a intricate system of gods and goddesses. They had unique arts, simple education, modest and humble architecture, legendary navigation, and they impacted our lives today immensely.

The Vikings' religion gave them an explanation for the goings-on in their daily lives. At first, Vikings worshipped gods similar to Germanic gods. Then, they developed different gods to accomodate to the enviroment. They believed that the gods were responsible for weather and the growth of crops. The Vikings offered sacrifices to the gods to get what they wanted, such as rain or being freed from a plague. Most Vikings had shrines to the gods in their homes. The Vikings were very proud of their gods and wrote stories about their achievements. These stories later became known as //Eddas.(//Greenblatt and Lemmo, pg.303)

__Gods__

 * Odin/Wodan:** King of the gods. Was the sky god,(Greenblatt and Lemmo, pg.304) god of war, wisdom, learning, and magic. Day of worship was Wednesday. Patron god of kings, warriors, and poets.(Schomp, pg.19)
 * Balder:** The god of light, joy, purity, innocence, beauty,(Schomp, pg.19) and spring.(Greenblatt and Lemmo, pg.304)
 * Bragi:** The god of poetry and stories.(Greenblatt and Lemmo, pg.304)
 * Freyr:** God of rain, sunshine,(Greenblatt and Lemmo, pg.304) harvest, wealth, peace, and harvest.(Schomp, pg.19)
 * Loki:** The god of fire(Greenblatt and Lemmo, pg.304) and lies; the mischief-maker.(Schomp, pg.19)
 * Njord:** God of the sea, winds, and fire.(Schomp, pg.19)
 * Thor:** The god of thunder, lightning, weather, crops,(Schomp, pg.19) and the tides. Day of worship was Thursday.(Greenblatt and Lemmo, pg.304) Patron god of seamen and farmers.(Schomp, pg.19)
 * Tyr:** God of legal contracts, truth,(Greenblatt and Lemmo, pg.304) war, and justice.(Schomp, pg.19) Day of worship was Tuesday.(Greenblatt and Lemo, pg.304)
 * Heimdall:** God of light and the moon; guardian of the bridge to the home of the gods.

__Goddesses__

 * Frigg:** Goddess of earth, marriages, and motherly love. Day of worship was Friday. Also was Odin's wife. (Greenblatt and Lemmo, pg.304)
 * Freya:** The goddess of beauty, (Greenblatt and Lemmo, pg. 304) love, and crops. Sister of Freyr.(Schomp, pg.19)
 * Idun:** Goddess of youth and spring. (Schomp, pg.19)
 * Hel/Hela:** The goddess of the dead. (Greenblatt and Lemmo, pg.304)

When a Viking hero or warrior died in battle, he was carried up into the sky by a Valkyrie, or corpse maiden on her eight-legged horse, Sleipnir. When he arrived, Odin would welcome him with a feast with the dead warrior and many other warriors that had died. Thor was a popular god among peasants and farmers. He rode through the sky in a chariot pulled by goats. Many stories tell of Thor clubbing giants and monsters to death with his mighty hammer.

Loki was the mischief-maker of the gods, and was always getting into mischief. When he lost a bet to a dwarf, the dwarf sewed Loki's lips together. Loki never disturbed anybody again. In Iceland, the gods were worshipped at Godafoss, which means, "waterfall of the gods." The Vikings also believed in the Norns, who were the three Fates of Destiny and were supposedly more powerful than the gods themselves. Early in the Viking Age people worshipped outdoors. Later, they built temples. Interesting Note: The traditional Christmas celebration is largely rooted in Viking culture. The Vikings exchanged presents at the winter solstice. They believed that their gods flew through the night sky carrying gifts in their chariots. As you can see, this is very similar to the idea of Old Saint Nick flying through the sky in his sleigh! (Margeson, pgs. 52 and 53)



Arts
Viking arts consisted of a variety of storytelling, dancing, and even board games. The Vikings were very avid storytellers. They had many stories passed down from generation to generation. Kings were very lucky and had their own poets called scalds. Popular stories such as " Thor's Fishing Trip" were carved into runestones. Runestones were stones that writing carved into them. The writing was usually about bravery in battle or significant achievements. The Vikings had many stories related to present day folklore or fairy tales. Dancing was also a very popular activity for the Vikings. One kind of dance was the wilder dance. People would dance wildly, jumping around violently. Later after the arrival of Christianity, priests stopped dancing altogether. Board games were also a favorite activity. Board games were played mostly during feasts. The Viking people were very active and loved the outdoors. In mild winters they loved skiing, sledding, and skating. During the warm summers the enjoyed fishing, swimming, and boating. (Margeson, pgs. 34 and 35)

Vikings also had a variety of different art periods. There were a total of six different periods. These periods consist of the Broa/Oseberg period, the Borre period, the Jellinge period, the Mammen period, the Ringerike period, and the Urnes period. The Broa/Oseberg period went from 780-840 A.D. They ornamented ship wagon sledges, bedsteads, and animal headposts. The animals were curvaceous, with small heads, frond like feet, and a plethora of tendrils. It consisted of wood carving and metal works. Gripping beasts were often carved into the wood. They were evil looking beasts. The posts have no known use but the scary appearance led historians to believe them to be used to ward off evil spirits(Graham-Campell, pgs. 132-134). The Borre period went from 840-980 A.D. It is named after the bridle mountains from Borre in Norway. It has three main styles being a two-stranded plait whose intersections are bound by a ring, a gripping beast that grasps the frame it in, and a pigtailed quadruped. The Jellinge period went from c.870-1000 A.D. It is often intertwine with the Borre period. Once a Borre design was carved into a Jellinge brooch. The Mammen period went from c.960-1020 A.D. It consists of full and thick animals. It differs from the Jellinge period becuse the animals aren't ribbon like. The Ringerike period went from c.980-1090 A.D. The animals became fiercer and seemed to dominate the surrounding animals. This art style flourished when Canute was king. The date of the Urnes period is unknown. It consisted of two types of wood carving. One was a high round relief with deep, thin strands. Another was a low flat relief.(Muireadhaigh and Collins)

The Vikings had no formal education. The children were often taught skills by their parents instead of by a teacher. Girls were taught household schools such as spinning, weaving, sewing, cooking, making cheese and butter, and brewing ale and mead. Boys were taught how to use a bow and arrow and were taught how to be good fighters. They also learned about boat making, blacksmiths, goldsmiths, etc. (Lassieur, pg. 65)

Architecture
Architecture of the Vikings was relatively simple and adapted to environment. Home life revolved around a central hall or a living room. Most houses were the same in the Viking world, with a hearth in the center and a smoke hole above the hearth. The floor was stamped earth, and people sat and slept on raised platforms on either side of the hall. The homes of the rich had a few pieces of wood furniture and a chest for precious belongings. The rich also had rooms for cooking, spinning, and baking ovens on either side of the hall.

Homes were protected by a thick layer of birch bark and a thick layer of turf. The birch bark kept out the rain. The turf kept the Viking home insulated. Good timber was scarce in Iceland, so many Vikings had to build home with a stone foundation and walls and roof made out of turf. These homes kept the Vikings warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The walls were lined with wood paneling to keep the cool and damp out. (Margeson, pg. 66-67)



Science
Navigation was a prominent science of the Viking Era. The Vikings were renowned coastal navigators. The Vikings sailed mostly to raid, and sometimes to explore the vast world. The Vikings sailed the coast of Europe, raiding as they went. The Vikings also followed the contiental shelf in the Northern Atlantic to Iceland, Greenland, and ultimately to North America. In about 1001, the Norseman Leif Eriksson (see Leif the Lucky, Major Historical Figures, for more information) made a transatlantic voyage to North America. Using just the pole star, he followed the North Atlantic's contiental shelf to the northeastern coast of North America. The Vikings remained coastal navigators until the first half of the fifteenth century. (Stephen//, Gale Virtual Reference//)



Impact on daily life
The Vikings had a huge impact on daily life because they were the first to discover North America. They were also ship-builders. The ship associated with Vikings is long ships. They were made with thick timber. They were long and narrow with sixteen oars. The ships were decorated with yellow or black shields. A dragon was carved on the front. This impacted us with a new ship design and design ideas. The ships also had awnings. The Vikings also had leather sleeping bags which protected them from getting very wet. they carried bronze pits around with them for cooking and they plotted land by the position of the sun and stars.(Greenblatt and Lemmo, pg. 300)

Military
The Vikings had a powerful and destructive military, and using their ships and powerful warriors, they had many battles before their eventual decline. With their oddly simple tactics, powerful iron weapons, and their devoted warrior, known as Beserkers, the Vikings became one of the dominant forces of medieval England. They will forever be remembered for their power.

Ships
Viking ships were a helpful source to their military force. Vikings built powerful ships with timber from dense forests. These ships were long and narrow, with 16 oars on each side of the boat. Each side was decorated with colorful shields. Tall bows were carved into the shape of a dragon's head to scare away enemies and spirits of the ocean. The sails were strongly sewn, square, and usually striped yellow and red. Awnings in the front of the ships protected the Vikings from bad weather. These ships were extremely fast for their time, and could strike fast and ferociously. Viking ships were an extremely dangerous force. (Greenblatt and Lemmo, pg. 300)



<span style="color: #f47410; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Warriors
The average Viking warrior was the main power of the Viking military. The spirit of the Viking Age was courage. To a Viking, honor and glory lasted forever. Vikings usually wore iron helmets with noseguards. (Margeson, pg. 12-15) These helmets were decorated with animal figures. Shirts made with iron rings covered by by cloth protected the Viking warrior. (Greenblatt and Lemmo, pg. 301-302) Chieftains wore iron helmets and gear, whereas poor warriors wore leather clothing. Vikings didn't wear uniforms in battle, so it was hard to recognize your allies from your enemies. Helmets did __not__ have horns, contrary to popular belief. (Margeson, pg. 12-15)

These powerful warriors were known as //Berserkers.// Berserkers valued deeds that called for courage and strength and believed in a life of action. They fought for wealth, honor, and fame. To call warriors into battle, someone would light a bonfire on a mountain or tall hill. Those who saw the fire would light another fire to spread the message. Berserkers preferred to die by their own hand than give their enemies the satisfaction of killing or capturing them. (Greenblatt and Lemmo, pg. 301-302)



[] Click here for a Viking fight video.

<span style="color: #f47410; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Significant Battles
The Vikings fought many significant battles in England and conquered a large portion of it. The Vikings had many gory and violent battles. In 869, Ivar the Boneless and his army invaded England and terroized the countryside. Ivar's army captured the king of East Anglia and tied him to a tree and shot him full of arrows. When he didn't die, the Vikings cut off his head. The Vikings later settled in this area under their leader King Guthrum. In 793, the Vikings raided the famous monastery of Lindisfarne. This event shocked the Christian world, and the Vikings began to venture further inland in England.

The Vikings roamed in the North Sea and English Channel, raiding at will. They sailed up rivers like the Rhine, Seine, Rhone, and Loire. The raiders of these areas settled in those places for the winters, and new Viking colonies began appearing. In 795, the first raids on Ireland began, and by the 820s, the Vikings had worked their way around the entire island. Dublin then became a thriving Viking trade center. In one raid on March 28, 845, the Vikings conquered Paris. Charles the Bald, the French king, paid 7,000 lbs. of silver to get the land back! (Margeson, pgs. 7, 16, and 17)



<span style="color: #f47410; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Tactics
The Vikings used very clever tactics to defeat their enemies. They would usually attack with hundreds of warships carrying 30 warriors each. They would land, overpower, and overrun. When attacking small areas they only used 2 to 10 ships each with only 15 to 20 warriors. They did this to conserve warriors, weapons, and ships. They attacked large areas very rarely. The Vikings attacked small chunks of land at a time for a better chance of success. They quickly attacked, robbed, and moved on to the next target.

They usually robbed items only of use to them such as animals, riches, and food. The largest target for the Vikings was a church. They loved attacking churches because the churches had many valuables. They would often capture high officials for ransom. They also took monks and slaves. The keys to their attacks were very simple. They would do a surprise attack, strike very fast, and retreat very quickly.



<span style="color: #f47410; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Weapons
Vikings used a large assortment of weapons, including swords, axes, and spears. Viking swords were usually double-edged. A sword that was beautifully ornamented probably belonged to a rich or wealthy warrior. A strong sword was a Viking's most prized weapon. A sword was distinctively worked, with steel blades, iron guards, and pommels inlaid with silver, brass, or copper.

Axes were another powerful weapon. Axes with a long, wooden handle were the most commonly owned weapon by Vikings. The head of the axe was usually made out of iron. The Vikings also used the axes not only for battle, but also for cutting down vast amounts of wood. T-shaped axes were used for shaping wood.

Spears were a puissant weapon of the Vikings. Spears were used as thrusting weapons and not for throwing, unlike other civilizations used them. Spears had a broad blade made from iron, and their sockets were often decorated. Throwing spears of the Vikings, on the other hand, had lighter, narrower blades, so that they would fly straight and true. (Margeson, pgs. 14 and 15)





**<span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Major Historical Figures ** Without the many major historical figures the Vikings produced, the world would be a much different place. Many of the major historical figures of the Vikings have seriously impacted the world of today, and without them, our world would have an entirely different future and past.

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace;">King Cnut
King Cnut was prosperous ruler who became the sole ruler of England. Cnut, (also known as Canute.) was the son of the Danish king Svein Forkbeard. (Schomp, pg. 96.) When his father died, the Anglo-Saxons refused to make Cnut their king. Cnut then led the Danes in a war of conquest. In 1016, Cnut became the sole English king. Cnut's reign kept growing, and in 1018, Cnut inherited the Danish throne. Then, Cnut seized the throne of Norway in 1028. Cnut's reign over England was stable and prosperous, and Cnut himself was a wise and just ruler. (Greenblatt and Lemmo, pg. 307) Cnut died in 1035, and his empire collapsed soon after his death. (Margeson, pg. 66)

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace;">Erik the Red
Erik the Red was a Viking chieftain who found the land of Greenland. Erik the Red was given his name because of his salient red beard and red hair. Born in Jaeren, Norway in 950, he was extermely quarrelsome and was banished because of killings. In his three years of exile, Erik found the land of Greenland. When he went back to Iceland, he encouraged people to live there. He then returned to Greenland and stayed there until his death in 1001.

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace;">Leif the Lucky (A.k.a. Leif Eriksson)
The land of North America was discovered by an adventurous Viking explorer, Leif the Lucky. Leif was the son of Erik the Red, and was born in the year 975. Leif, intriuged by stories of land west of Greenland, sailed across the Atlantic in search of new land. (Schomp, pg. 98) He was the first man to set foot on the land of North America. The place where he landed in 1001 was proclaimed Vinland, which means, "Land of Wine." (Margeson, pg. 67) Vinland was at the tip of present-day Newfoundland in Canada. However, the Vikings did not set up a settlement there because it was so far away from home and they were repeatedly attacked by Native Americans. (Greenblatt and Lemmo, pg. 305.) Leif died in 1020. (Schomp, pg. 98)



<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace;">Saxo Grammaticus
The play __Hamlet__ by Shakespeare was thought to have been inspired by Saxo Grammaticus. This historian was Denmark's earliest. Born in 1150, Saxo wrote sixteen volumes of books called __Deeds of the Danes__. These books are a good source for myths, legends, songs and poetry of the Viking Age. (Schomp, pg. 96) Saxo also wrote the __Gesta Danorum__, a collection of stories written by Saxo. One of these stories in this book was thought to have inspired __Hamlet__ by William Shakespeare. (Margeson, pg. 67)

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace;">King Harald Bluetooth
King Harald Bluetooth ruled over the land of Denmark during the 10th century. Bluetooth succedeed his father, Gorm the Old, in 958. (Schomp, pg. 91) Bluetooth ordered the building of the first bridge in Scandavia, and commisioned the Jelling Stone, the greatest stone monument in Scandavia. The Jelling Stone still stands today, and was consturcted in honor of Bluetooth's dead parents. The king also converted the country of Denmark into a Christian country in the 960s. (Margeson, pg. 66) Bluetooth died when his son, Svein Forkbeard, rebelled against him. (Schomp, pg. 91) Interesting Note: The modern-day bluetooth was named after this king!



<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace;">Olof Skötkonung
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Vikings also had a wealth of many other famous people, such as explorers, kings and warriors. Olof Skotkonung was one of them. He was born in 995, and was the first king to have ruled a unified Götar and Svear. He was also Sweden’s first Christian king. His name means "tax king" because he was the first Viking to create coins and collect taxes. Olof died in 1022.

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace;">William the Conqueror
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Vikings also had a wealth of many other famous people, such as explorers, kings and warriors. William the Conquerer is an example. Born in 1027, William was a Norman leader. In 1066, at the battle of Hastings, he defeated the English army and was crowned king. He was a descendant of a Viking who settled in Normandy, France. Being a true Frenchmen at heart he ended the Viking age in Britain. William died in 1087.

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace;">Decline
The eventual decline of the Vikings was brought about by the coming of Christianity. Chrisitianity began to besiege the Viking world in the 10th century. In 1024, King Olaf Haraldsson turned Norway into a Christian country. Haraldsson had old temples destroyed and forced people to convert if they resisted. Across the Viking world, similar events were occuring in the Viking countries. In Denmark, the country was converted to Christianity in the 960s. Norway converted in the early 11th century, while Sweden converted at the end of the 11th century.

The Vikings remained loyal to the gods as long as they could, though. The reason for converting? When the Vikings saw that kings and missionaries who destroyed statues of the Viking gods were not punished by the gods themselves, they turned away from the old gods. Hence, the Viking Era of power and terror ended. (Margeson, pgs. 62 and 63)

=<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;">Works Cited =


 * < Graham - Campbell, James A., Ph.D. "Vikings." World Book Online Reference Center. world book, 29 Apr. 2010. Web. 29 Apr. 2010. <http://www.worldbookonline.com/student/ article?id=ar585500&st=the+vikings&sc=0#cite>. ||

GRAHAM-CAMPBELL, JAMES. //The Viking World//. Ed. Felicity Laurd. 1980. London: Frances Lincoln Publishers Limited, 2001. Print.
MUIREADHAIGH, AINE NI, BA, and NEIL COLLINS, MA LLB, eds. //Visual-Arts-Corks.com//. N.p., 2010. Web. 23 May 2010. <http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/ancient-art/viking.htm#borre>. SCHOMP, VIRGINIA. //People of the Ancient World: The Vikings//. N.p.: Scholastic, 2005. N. pag. Print.