800-900: The Vikings

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Who were the Vikings?

● not a specific “race” of people

● a Viking was a Scandinavian who partook in overseas exploration○ Scandinavia = Northern

Europe

Viking Name

The name Viking came from the Old Norse word "vik" (bay or creek) which formed the root of "vikingr" (pirate)

Not this kind of pirate. More or less just an

explorer!

How were they distinct from other Europeans?

● came from a foreign land

● not “civilized”● not Christian

FOREIGN!!!!!

NOT FOREIGN!!!

Viking Culture

1. women had basic rights2. when not exploring, spent

most of the time farming3. further developed the sport

of skiing4. being Blond was the

beauty standard

They didn’t wear horned helmets either….

Reason for Exploration

● still uncertain but historians have speculated overpopulation to be one cause

● earliest Vikings looking for resources, not land○ how is this different from what we have seen before?

Viking Exploration In England

● 793- attacked monastery off the coast of England

● continued for 200 years● By mid 800’s- gained

control of Ireland and Scotland

How are the Vikings portrayed?

http://www.history.com/topics/exploration/vikings-history/videos/the-vikings-raid-england

Viking Exploration in Western Europe

● 799- plundered St. Philibert in France

● 800’s- Franks paid Vikings to NOT plunder their towns

Viking Exploration in Western Europe

● still sacked important cities○ Paris, Pisa

● 911- Frankish king granted territory to Viking in exchange for protecting against raiders○ Normandy = “land of the

Northmen”

Viking Exploration Across the Ocean

● 9th century- colonized Iceland● later settled in Greenland (Leif Eriksson)

○ “discovered New World” before Columbus????○ no permanent settlement

End of Viking Age

● 1066- “Viking” culture absorbed by mainstream European culture○ infused language

● New power in England- William the Conqueror

How does this video portray the Vikings?

http://www.history.com/topics/exploration/vikings-history

Legacy of the Vikings

Days of the WeekTuesday- Norse God TyrThursday- Thor’s dayFriday- Norse goddess Freya

Ship Building

● longship○ could cross open ocean

with sails○ switch to oars to come to to

shore○ lighter and more efficient

compared to England and France

Stereotypes

a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing

what are some stereotypes of your generation?

Do you think the Vikings have been unfairly stereotyped?

In your notes, write about these three things:1. Write about one stereotype someone might have of

you. Why would people think that?2. Then, compare that to the stereotypes surrounding the

Vikings. How did we come to think of the Vikings in a particular way?

3. How does knowing one side of the story create stereotypes?