The Vikings Research Paper

The Vikings were people who lived from 800-1100 AD. Most of the lived in Scandinavia, but they also had colonies in places such as England, Ireland, Scotland, and many other places in Eastern Europe. The main language that they spoke was called Old Norse, and it has become the basis of many languages today, including Norwegian, Danish, and Swedish. The word Viking comes from the Old Norse word vikingr, which means "camp", or "dwelling place". They wrote in an alphabet known as Runes. Runes were also used to write many Germanic languages at this time.
The Vikings had a simple government. They had many kings, each ruling a separate part or colony of the Viking territory. Usually, the great military leaders became the kings. The Vikings valued
They managed workshops and farms when their husbands were away. Otherwise, they raised children, organized slaves, and did household chores. They were also allowed to fight in the army, thought that would've required extra training from them as a child. The children in Viking society did not go to school. The girls helped their mothers with household chores and the managing of shops, and the boys trained for fighting in the army. The boys had to be ready to fight for the Vikings by the age of 15 or 16.
The Vikings followed the Norse religion and mythology. The Norse religion believed that there was an afterworld called Valhalla where the virtuous, and glorious, and the people who died in battle went. Some of the gods that they worshipped in the Norse religion were Odin, who was the king of the gods, Freya, goddess of love, and Thor, the god of thunder and war. In 993, though, the Vikings were converted to Christianity by Leif Erickson. The clothes in Viking time and culture were simple. Women wore long, linen dresses and woolen overcoats. Men wore linen undershirts, tunics, and wool pants. Everybody wore boots and cloaks. In the winter time, they wore woolen hats and gloves. The colors of power during the Viking time were red and
He piloted the boat over to the sinking ship and saw that there were trading goods on board. By the laws of the ocean, Leif was allowed to take those goods and keep them for himself. This was good because he would be able to sell them and make a profit. For this, he was given the nickname "Leif the Lucky". The start of Leif's own career as an explorer began when he heard a tale of a man name Bjarni the Timid who had seen new land west of Greenland but not explored them. Leif had an interest in exploring and a knack for piloting boats, so he bought Bjarni's boat and crew and set off for the new lands in late 1000 AD. He used sciences such as solar position, warmth of the water, and the sighting of certain animals to guide his trip. Leif first landed in 1001. It was a flat, barren, and rocky land. Leif and his crew decided on the name Helluland, because it was the Old Norse world for "flat stone rock". Helluland is believed to be modern day Baffin Island, Canada. The second place that Leif landed in was a place full of trees and vegetation. He named it Markland, which meant "forest land" in Old Norse. Markland was believed to be modern day Labrador,