Vikings+by+JackH-CMS


 * Vikings **

INTRODUCTION
From the early 700s to the late 1000s the seas were terrorized by many nuisances. The most feared of all these were the Vikings. However contrary to popular the Vikings had a council, culture, traditions, and a lifestyle.

BACKGROUND
The Vikings were all generally in the Scandinavian area. They lasted for about 300-400 years,during the middle ages. With their bad reputation, well crafted ships, and fierce weapons they took what they wanted.

**TRANSPORTATION**
The main type of transportation they used was the long ship or as many people know it today the Viking ship. Viking ships were about 30 meters long (long ship paragraph 7).That’s a main reason people feared the Vikings and their enormous ships. These ships could hold up to 30 people in them. The ships could be rowed up to 6 knots, but with a good wind they could do 10 knots.

The ships were not just thrown together they had a pretty complex design. They had two types of ships, the trading ship and the exploration ship. Their trading ship had big hulls, but still had good sailing capabilities. Their exploration ship was amazingly portable and fast and still had room for Vikings and supplies.

The long ship was Vikings main way of transportation but not the only way. They also rode wagons with goods in them on land. The Vikings least used form of travel was s walking.

**ARMS & ARMOUR**
The Vikings were well armed with there wide variety of weapons. They were masters at killing people. They had weapons such as axes, bows, spears, and swords.(weapon pg 382) They were all used for a different purpose. These barbarians also had a very uncomplicated set of armor. They made this armor mostly out of leather from animals. “the leather tunic they wore was sometimes studded with metal for extra protection.”(Lafontaine p17) The armor wasn’t great but it helped.

The shield they used was much better than thier armor they called it the round shield.(shield pg 382) The shield was a circle of wood about 3 feet in diameter. The coolest thing about this shield was the metal spike in the middle. They used there shield when they were up or lost their weapon.

**RAIDS**
Vikings are also well known for raiding people. The Vikings would raid to obtain loot or supplies. Sometimes the Vikings would raid if you didn’t trade with them. They would also raid even if you traded with them and they didn’t like you

They would raid at any time of the day and most of the time raided monasteries.They also would kill everyone in raids. The only prisoners they took were women. They would also sometimes take kids.

They had special strategies for raiding people I t wasn’t unorganized. First, they would send in 100 warriors. Then if that didn’t kill them they would send in ships with 30 people each on them. They would keep sending ships till it killed them.

**RATING SYSTEM**
The Vikings had a very uncomplicated rating system, at the top of it was the chief. The chief made all major war decisions. He was also head of the council. The council was a group of men that made decisions, the council was called ”thing.”

The second in line to the chief was the warriors. The warriors were in charge of their family and land. They fought in battles and had a chance to become chief. The only way to become chief was if his son died.

Women were at the bottom of the pyramid. The women in this culture had a lot more rights than most back then. They could partially own land and pick who they married. They usually got married for land rights.

**TRADITIONS, BURIALS AND FESTIVALS**
The Vikings had a very famous way of burial or more cremation. They are known for putting the dead on a boat, putting it to sea, and lighting it on fire. They believed that would bring there spirit to the gods.

They also got married in there culture, like I said before. They also got to agree on if they wanted to be married and picked who they would marry. They were married by there chief and had a feast after.

Their culture also had many festivals they celebrated. Some were to celebrate marriage others to celebrate gods. Since they were farmers they always had feasts at the celebration. They also danced and drank a lot of wine.

**CONCLUSION**
===**The Vikings were a vicious group to most people. However, they were somewhat civilized, had a basic council, and rating system. They also had festivals traditions and marriages so they weren’t just murders.** ===

===Mandia,Scott."Vikings During Medeival Period"__Sunny Suf Folk.__ Mar 11-11. [] ===

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