The Vikings

							      The Vikings

And how they ruled the world
Date, Locations, and Geography

The Viking explosion in medieval Europe
 after 793 A.D. from Ireland and the Baltic
 to the Mediterranean and Constantinople
 was the start of these pirate like
 barbarians!
                 Expansion
Vikings from different parts of Scandinavia went
  raiding in different directions.
 Modern Sweden sailed east into the Baltic
  Sea-traded with the rich Byzantine Empire
 Modern Denmark sailed west to coast of
  northwest Europe
 Modern Norway Sailed to Ireland and the
  north and west coast of Britain
Viking expansion map
     Agriculture and Technology
Furs of northern forest animals, seal skins, and
  beeswax were European delicacies, which the
  Scandinavians or Vikings had. Also had many iron
  tools. Sails and improved plows reached
  Scandinavia around 600 A.D. The improved ship
  technology allowed the Scandinavians to spread
  and trade goods fairly quickly . Trading eventually
  lead to raiding and Scandinavians changed to
  Vikings which ultimately means “raiders.” First
  official raid happened in the year 793 A.D., with
  an attack on the rich and defenseless monastery
  of Lindisfarne Island off the northeast English
  coast. Raised a lot of live stock (cows and pigs)
  and grew mostly barley.
Aren’t they stylish!! This was
da bomb back in the day man,
this is what your Great great
great great great grandfather
wore! And I must say it’s
pretty hot (made from the
rare animal furs that the
Vikings had access to and
began trading.)
                   Social Classes
   Hierarchy-with social
    classes, slaves chiefs.
    Chiefs were highest and
    had many conflicts with
    kings of other nations.
   Chiefs competed with
    each other either really
    peacefully, or violently.
   Either they out-gift the
    other chief when in
    conflict or kick them out
    of the area.
                  Viking Religion
   At first they were Pagan-they
    remained pagans during
    their raiding periods.
    Believed in Thor, Frey, Odin
    and many other gods
   After many go overseas and
    settle peacefully in areas
    they intermarry
   Many Vikings convert to
    Christianity and the tradition
    is taken home to Scandinavia
    where it spreads rapidly also.
    Trading!!!!!! And economy
So basically we started off as Scandinavians, and
  traded wool, beeswax, and seal skins, then we
  got greedy and was like man this sucks! We
  aren’t getting anything fast enough! Hey I have
  an idea!! Let’s just steal all the other people’s
  crap! Then we’ll become well known and people
  will shiver at the sound of our names. We’ll be
  called the Vikings!!...And yes years later they
  become wealthy enough not to raid anymore
  and settle down in areas and become
  assimilated into the people’s culture.
        Rise and fall of power
Well everyone in Europe
 eventually expected
 the Vikings to come
 and raid them so they
 prepared themselves.
 Eventually the beat
 the Vikings back and
 they turn back into
 Scandinavians. What      A great Viking battle

 a bummer!
The vigour and vitality of the      Scandinavian Art
  Viking Age was also
  expressed in art. The
  surfaces of objects were
  covered with patterns
  created from the bodies of
  stylised animals in a
  centuries-old tradition. But in
  the Viking Age, new animal
  forms were created, such as
  gripping beasts and
  magnificent four legged
  creatures, absorbing motifs
  and artistic impulses from
  outside Scandinavia. Nearly
  all Viking Age art is applied
  art, that is, the decoration of
  a wide variety of objects
  used in daily life. However,
  woodcarvers, sculptors and
  metalworkers brought a
  dynamism and inventiveness
  to their task which has left a
  rich legacy of extravagant
  animal ornament.
          Navigation and Astronomy
  We obviously know that
   the Vikings were great
   sailors I mean what do
   you think of when you
   think of Vikings…That’s
   what you think of


Their compasses used the shadow created by the light of the sun. Also before going
on a huge voyage they would stop at a port and keep tack of which way they are
going with the stars. They actually know where they are through the stars in the
sky. That’s amazing!! Obviously the ships weren’t easy to build either…So that
proves they were great astronomers and architectures! Along with being great
warriors with good tactical skills.