Vikings+by+Rebecca-BMS

Rebecca-BMS is researching this topic. Vikings


 * The Fierce Vikings **

** The Vikings were a fierce warrior society who permanently affected the lands they invaded. They established settlements in England, France, Iceland, and North America that they settled in the eighth to tenth centuries (__Benet’s Reader’s Encyclopedia__ 1081). During this time, they brought their diverse culture to the lands they invaded. Not only did they bring their culture, they forced it on the people of the lands they invaded. Their culture is unique in the fact that they were very clear on what they wanted. They would fight and even kill for it. They became the bullies of this time because of their dominant actions. **

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/6986986.stm


 * __Viking Nicknames__ **


 * The Vikings were called a number of different names. They were known as the North men or Norsemen due to the fact that they came from Norway. They were also known as the barbarians. This was because they had a completely different culture than the areas they invaded and because this culture was so dominant (Stands 2). **

**__ Diverse Culture of the Vikings __ **

**The Vikings’ culture was a very distinct one. They lived in small, very cramped thatched houses (Graham-Campbell 982). They were only about thirty-three feet long and would house more than one family and their animals. On one end, the animals lived in wooden stalls. In the middle was a small fireplace and the bunks were on either side of the house (Stands 2). **
 * __ Viking Homes __ **

http://www.rosala-viking-centre.com/vikinghouses.htm
 * These houses were built of different materials. In Norway, they were made of wooden logs. In a colder, less vegetated Iceland they were made of stone b ****ecause they harsh climate made it hard for trees to grow. All roofs were made of grass plants and their roots (__Benet’s Reader’s Encyclopedia__ 1081). **


 * __Religion Practiced__ **


 * The Vikings were a multi-god religion. There were five main gods or goddesses. The god of war, Odin, was responsible for causing all wars. Frigg, Odin’s wife was the goddess of health. She was responsible for taking care of the town. Then, there was Thor. He was the god of thunder and strength. He controlled enemies with his magic hammer. Frey was the god of fertility and birth. He was responsible for the sunshine and the harvest. Freya, Frey’s twin sister, was the goddess of love and death. Freya could predict the future, this helped her with her duties as a goddess. These are only the main gods; there are many more that make up the Vikings’ culture (Fife 61-84). **


 * __Viking Travel__ **


 * The Vikings also had interesting ways to travel (Adams 88). They went to new lands in longships because of the harsh climate that made their soil too poor for farming. Their region was a dense forest and mountainous one that made farming quite hard (Stands 3). Because their soil was so poor, they were forced to move to plusher climates. **

**War ships, cargo boats, fishing boats, ferries, and rowboats were all built during this time (Mancini 868). Vikings called the most advanced in water travel of their time. They had trade routes going from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea (__Benet’s Reader’s Encyclopedia__ 1081) and they relied on the stars to guide them (Mancini 868). They were truly the most advanced of their time. **

__http://www.battle1066.com/vikpic.shtml__

__**The Vikings as Warriors**__

**The Vikings were fierce fighters and raiders. Any area they invaded they usually raided. During these raids, they took anything they could find with value (Stands 8). They were forceful with the inhabitants in order to get what they wanted. The Viking’ dominated much of the north because of their invasions. They dominated small areas along with larger, stronger areas. Scotland, the Hebrides Islands, the Isle of Man and Ireland were all** **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">invaded (Mancini 868). **

**__Viking Raids__**


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 80%;">The first Viking raid took place in 793 A.D. During this, they killed many people in a well-known monastery (Graham-Campbell 982). After this, raids became more and more popular with the Vikings. All through the 800’s Viking’s attacked their victims (Fife 61-84). **


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Viking culture might have been brutal, but their way of life depended on these dominant and aggressive actions. This culture is fun to look at, though, because it is like no other culture during this time. They truly are a unique and fascinating people. They have effect on the customs and war tactics in the areas they have invaded. **

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

<span style="font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;">** Fife, Wayne. “Semantic Slippage as a New Aspect of Authenticity: ** <span style="font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;">** Viking Tourism on the Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland.” __Journal of Folklore Research.__ Vol.4. First Edition. Indiana University Press, 2004 **

<span style="font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;">** Graham-Campbell, James A. “Vikings.” __Worldbook Online Reference__ __Center.__ 2008 [Benton Middle School] 6 Feb. 2008 <http://www.worldbookonline.com/wd/Article?id=ar585500> **

<span style="font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;">** Mancini, J.M. “Discovering Viking America.” __Critical Inquiry__. Vol.28. / summer 2002: 868. **

<span style="font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;">** Stands, Stella. __Vikings__. New York, NY: Mark Levine, 2005. **

<span style="font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;">** “Vikings.” __Benet’s Reader’s Encyclopedia.__ HarperCollins, 1996. **