The Vikings

I. The People

A. Merchants

1. Sailing for trade

2. Spreading religion

B. Origins

1. Scandinavia

2. Sweden

3. Denmark

C. Women

1. Women treated like equals

2. Much different from Europe

D. Free life

1. Men and women owned land

2. Farmed land for free

a. Farmed wheat and hay

b. Men and women worked land side by side

II. Geography

    1. Vikings sailed across Atlantic
    1. To Greenland, Iceland, and eastern Canada
    2. Conquered Christian settlements (they used this to develop their religion further)
    3. Charlemagne and Byzantine Empire’s
    1. Traveled South through Russian rivers
    2. Later sailed to Constantinople
    3. Varangians were the eastern equivalent of the vikings
    1. Had their own empire
    2. Lived where russia and ukraine currently are

III. Life

    1. Life for Merchants
    1. Sailed day and night
    2. Long boats with oars and sail
    3. Sailing brought religion and spread culture (and vice versa)
    1. Family
    1. Grandparents lived with entire family (extended family)
    2. Skalds would tell stories to everyone.
    1. Houses
    1. Houses were long one room huts
    2. Had one hole in ceiling for smoke from central fire/cooking area.

IV. Contributions

    1. By sailing spread culture and religion
    1. Sailed many places in the world, Russia, England, Greenland, most European and northern Atlantic countries
    2. From all of these places picked up bits and pieces for a better culture and religion