Warm up When you hear the word Viking

Warm up: When you hear the word, “Viking, ” what comes to mind?

Warm up: Looking at the picture, what do you observe? What can you predict?

The Vikings ● Answer the following questions based on your existing knowledge or educated guesses. Write “agree” or “disagree” based on the statement.

New Threat IN EUROPE VIKINGS

Who were the Vikings? ● Group of seafaring people (during the Middle Ages) ● Sailed the oceans looking for food & wealth ● Vikings were both feared and fearless ● Social Structure: earls/chieftains, free men, and slaves ● Word Viking actually means “to raid” or “pirate raid” in old Norse ● Also known as Norsemen (Norse means North)

Question #1: The Vikings were farming people who raided territories for more land.

Where did they come from? ● Originally from Scandinavia ○ Includes todays: ■ Denmark ■ Norway ■ Sweden ○ Long, jagged coastline ○ Lived in villages in the fjords: steep-sided valleys that are inlets of the sea

Fjord (fee • AWRDS)

Question #2 The Vikings were from Scandinavia.

Question #3: The people were divided into groups ruled by fjords.

Viking Transportation ● The Vikings built sturdy boats called longboats: ○ Long, narrow boards designed for speed ○ Used oars to row the boat ○ Had a sail to help with wind ○ Due to its shape, the boat could float in shallow water making it easier to get to land ● Using these long ships, the Vikings headed across the waters to raid villages on Europe’s northern coast and the islands of Great Britain and Scotland.

Viking Transportation

Question #4: Viking boats look like:

Why did they invade? ● Around the AD 700/800 s, the Vikings began to raid Europe. ○ Why? ■ Population was growing too rapidly to support themselves at home. ■ Looking for $$$$$$ ● Robbed Villages and Churches ○ Took anything that had value (grain, animals, etc. ) ○ Known to attack monasteries because they were defenseless. ■ Monks had no weapons and the buildings housed valuable items (books, gold, etc. )

Question #5: Around AD 700/800 s, the Vikings began raiding Europe in order to provide for themselves. They were unable to support themselves at home given the population was growing rapidly.

Question #6: The Vikings enjoyed raiding monasteries because the religious peoples engaged in a tough fight.

Where did they invade? ● Late 700 s AD - Started by raiding parts of England ○ Sailed right across the North Sea ● Long time → raided Coastal targets ○ British Isles ○ Europe ● Took advantage of the internal conflicts in Europe and continued inland ○ Franks paid $$$$$ to prevent invasion ● Late 10 th Century - first Europeans to discover North America

Where did they invade?

Question #7: The Vikings first raids targeted England.

What did they do when they invaded? Attire: ● Did not wear much armour ● Helmets: made of leather or iron (no horns) ● Chain mail coats Used: ● Long swords & axes ○ These easily cut through metal shields and helmets ● Relied on round wooden shield for protection SURPRISE ATTACKS!!

Question #8: The Vikings used long swords and axes that cut right through metal shields and helmets.

How did those being invaded respond? ● People feared their ability to show up anywhere at any time ● By the time local people got word the Vikings were near, they would be too late! ● Paid TRIBUTE ○ Way to avoid being attacked ○ Paid the Vikings to not invade ○ E. g. Franks paid tribute to avoid invasion

Why did the Vikings stop raiding? ● Changes in European societies made raiding less desirable ● Christianity spread ● Lands once raided were now inhabited by Vikings ○ E. g. Normandy (Coast of Northern France) ■ Assimilated into the culture of the people who previously owned this land ■ See picture → ○ E. g. Northeastern Russia

Question #9: The Vikings stopped raiding because they were all killed off.

Viking Map & Travel Log