The Western

and Islamic
World: The
Vikings

Student
Name:_____________________________
 Lesson 1: Introduction to the Vikings
TASK 1: Mind-map
Write down words, phrases, etc. that comes to your mind when you think
about the Vikings.
TASK 2: K-W-L Table
Complete the K-W-L table
TASK 3: Find-a-word
Viking Word Search
 dragon ship
explorer
fjord
helmet
longship
loot
merchant
monastery
navigate
Norse
ocean
pillage
plunder
raid
river
saga
Scandinavia
sea
seafarer
settlement
shield
spear
swift
trade
Viking

Lesson 2: Overview of the Vikings

Learning Intention: To understand the history of the Vikings
Success Criteria:
- I will be able to draw out important events from a Timeline to
understand how the Viking Age began
- I will be able to use important terminology to write a short story

TASK 4: Glossary Task

Write a short story (about 200 words) using at least 10 words from the
Glossary list

Word Definition
Berserker The most feared Viking warriors who fought wildly and bravely in
battle
Chieftain A village leader
Danelaw An area ruled by Vikings
Drakkar Long narrow Viking ship
Futhark The Viking alphabet, named after the first six runes
Jarl A rich Viking nobleman or landowner
Knorr A merchant ship, broader than longships with more room for
storing cargo
Monastery Places the Vikings raided when they went to Europe to make a
living
Odin The king of Viking gods who was also god of battle, pottery and
wisdom
Old Norse Scandinavian language
Norse/ Another term for a Vikings
Norsemen
Plunder To attack, destroy and seize property
Rune A letter in the Viking alphabet; these were carved on wood, stone
and pieces of bone
Saga A long story told about Viking gods, heroes and kings
Scandinavia The peninsulas of northern Europe where the countries Norway,
Denmark and Sweden are located
Thing Assembly of freemen that governed a Viking community
Thrall A Viking slave
Tunic A shirt-like garment reaching to the knees
Thor Viking god of Thunder, who was enormously strong, had a fierce
temper and was found of feasting
Valhalla A hall of Asgard, the home of the Viking gods, where the souls of
the dead Viking warriors go
Vinland The area of coastal North America explored by Norse Vikings,
where Leif Erikson first landed in ca. 1000
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TASK 5: Timeline
Look at the timeline below and answer the questions that follow

Questions
1. What year did the Viking Age begin?
2. What year did the Viking Age end?
3. List 5 cities and the year that the Vikings attacked.
4. List 5 countries and the year that the Vikings settled in.
5. List 3 Vikings rulers mentioned.
6. Identify the year that:
a) The location of the first monastery attacked
b) Normandy is established
c) Vikings found a settlement in North America
d) Greenland and Iceland become Christian
e) The Battle of Hastings occurred

Lesson 3: Who were the Vikings?

Learning Intention: To understand the origins of the Vikings Age

Success Criteria:
- I will be able to describe who the Vikings were
- I will be able to use a map to identify where the Vikings homelands
were

TASK 6: Map Activity

Look at the map below and then complete the questions

Questions
1. Identify the continent shown
2. Identify the three countries that were the Vikings’ homelands.
3. Identify the countries that the Vikings settled in.

Read through the following information

The Vikings lived over one thousand years ago in the lands we now call Denmark,
Norway and Sweden. They were mainly farmers and shipbuilders. However, their land
was not very good for farming. Norway was very hilly, Sweden was covered in forests,
and Denmark had a lot of sandy, scrubby vegetation. This meant that when the
population increased, there was not enough land for everyone.

So, by the end of eighth century, some Vikings began to look for other ways to make a
living. At first they raided towns and monasteries in other parts of north-west Europe.
They stole the treasures and took the people as slaves. Some individuals at the time
wrote down accounts of these raids which were passed down through time.

For a long time, this was all that was known about the Vikings. More recently,
however, archaeologists have been able to tell us more about the Vikings and their
lives. We know that they travelled overseas to settle and trade, as well as to go
raiding. They were skilled at metal work, as well as carving in stone and wood. They

also told great stories, which we can still read today.

TASK 7: Comprehension
Answer the following questions using the information above
1. List the three countries that make up Scandinavia.
2. Outline the reasons for Scandinavia’s land not being useful for farming.
3. Explain how the Vikings at the end of the 8th Century, looked for new
land.
4. What did they steal from monasteries?
5. Until recently, we have had only limited knowledge of the Vikings. Explain
what we know about them today.
 Lesson 4: Viking Development and Expansion
Learning Intention: To understand the developments and achievements that
led to Viking expansion

Success Criteria:
- I will be able to explain the extent of Viking trade and expansion
- I will be able to explain why the Vikings went from peaceful traders to
raiders
- I will be able to use sources to explain the developments and
achievements of Viking expansion

What developments and achievements led to Viking expansion?

The extent of Viking trade and expansion

This source shows the major Viking trade routes. To the east, Viking merchants
travelled as far as Constantinople (present-day Istanbul) where they could meet up
with traders from lands even further east along the Silk Road. Up until the late 8th
century, the Vikings were known as traders with peoples outside of Scandinavia. But
this changed significantly as they began attacking villages, towns and monasteries,
plundering their wealth and capturing prisoners. For the next 200 years, the Vikings
became more feared, as they pushed outwards from their homelands.

TASK 8: Cloze Passage

Use the words in the word bank to complete the cloze passage below

Why did the Vikings become raiders?

Historians still argue today about what motivated the Vikings to change from honest
_______________ to violent _______________. Several reasons have been put forward to
explain this _______________, including the following:
- Necessity – Resorting to raids may have become necessary for the
_______________of some Viking communities that were located on poor farmland
in a cold _______________. As populations grew, the pressure on the farmland
would have increased.
- Knowledge of other _______________ gained through trade: Reports by well-
travelled _______________ would have helped the Vikings piece together an

Source 1: Viking weapons Source 2: Reproductions of authentic

Viking armour, including helmets and
chain mail on show at a battle re-
accurate picture of surrounding enactment in Iceland
_______________. They would have
heard about the riches that were held in towns and monasteries outside their
_______________, which may have motivated Viking attacks. Some historians also
suggest the Vikings attacked areas that they knew had _______________ and
divided rule.
- Developments in weaponry and _______________: By the 8th century, Viking
shipbuilding and _______________ skills were highly _______________. The Vikings
had the expertise needed to make and sail efficient warships – the longships
used for their fast and brutal _______________. The Vikings had also become
highly skilled _______________, able to sharpen the steel edges of their swords
until they were razor _______________. Wealthier Vikings could afford metal
_______________, including chain mail and helmets with nose bridges.
- _______________ for wealth and glory: Historians also argue that the change in
Viking behaviour could have been linked to a desire for quick and easy
_______________. Jarls and kings could use _______________ riches to reward their
men and increase their _______________ and _______________. Some historians
believe the Vikings were also driven by a desire for glory and _______________.
stolen desire traders raiders shift
climate regions
survival homelands weak advanced raids metal workers
navigational sharp wealth power adventure
shipbuilding merchants
TASK 9: Peel Paragraph
Using PEEL write one paragraph explaining why the Vikings transformed from
peaceful traders to raiders.
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Lessons 5 and 6: Wars, Warriors and Weaponry

Learning Intention: To understand the significant developments and/or
cultural achievements that lead to Viking expansion

Success Criteria:
- I will be able to describe the weapons the Vikings used
- I will be able to outline the role of a Viking warriors
- I will be able to explain the impact of wars for Viking development

Read through and highlight the information over the next few pages and
then complete the questions and activities that follow
TASK 10: Comprehension
Answer the questions below using the information from the reader above

1. When did Viking raids begin and what were their main features?
2. How did Viking raiding parties change over time?
3. List three features of Viking longships that made them well-suited to ‘hit
and run’ raids.
4. Explain the terms Danegeld and Danelaw.
Look at Source 1: A modern artist drawing depicting a typical Viking attack
and weapons used
5. What features of a Viking attack has the artist depicted in Source 1?
Look at Source 2: An extract from Abbo’s War of Count Odo with the
Northmen in Reign of Charles the Fat, in which a monk named Abbo recorded
his view of the Vikings attacks on Paris in November 885
6. Use Source 2 to identify:
a. Two terms used for Vikings
b. Evidence that the Vikings posed a serious threat to the Parisians
c. The result of the Viking attack on Paris
Look at Source 3: A modern replica of a Viking longship, with dragon head,
from the Roskilde Museum
7. Identify three features of Viking Longships as shown in source 3

Look at Table 1: Three different stages in the styles of Viking raids

8. Explain the stages and development of Viking raids between c. 790 – 911.

TASK 11: PEEL Paragraph

Write a PEEL paragraph answering the following question: Using Sources 1 – 3,
explain the brutality of Viking raids. (NB: when referring to sources, we say “As
referenced/seen in Source _, it…”)

TASK 12: Cloze Passage

Complete the following sentences by filling in the blanks with the correct
words from the word bank

Weapons were an important part of Viking life. All freemen had weapons and Viking
law stated they could carry their _______________ with them all the time.

Most Vikings went into battle carrying a _______________. These were round and made
of _______________. During battles, Viking warriors would stand together in a line with
their shields in front of them to create a shield _______________. This would protect them
as they advanced. Shields could also be placed along the sides of ships to protect
the crew from high _______________.

Axes made of iron were also common. They could be thrown or used to strike
enemies. Many Vikings used _______________, which they could throw over _______________
distances. They were roughly 3 metres long, made of wood and had a metal point.
Vikings also used _______________ and arrows to hit targets that were far away. The
bows were made from _______________. The arrowheads were often made of
_______________. Most Vikings carried with them a hand knife called a _______________. It
could be used to help with _______________ tasks, as well as being used in _______________.
Only wealthy Vikings used swords, as they were _______________. Swords were
_______________ symbols. They were made of steel and were almost 1 metre long. They
were sometimes decorated with silver.
spear long wood wall
everyday
bows shield wood Vikings iron
saex expensive waves combat
weapons

TASK 13: Design your own Viking Shield

Design your own Viking Shield using the template below. Use the internet to
research what Viking shields looked like
Lesson 7: Viking Ships
Learning Intention: To understand the purpose of Viking ships

Success Criteria:
- I will be able to identify the types of ships that the Vikings used
- I will be able to describe the purpose of different Vikings ships
- I will be able to label the parts of a Viking long-ship and explain why
they were important to the Vikings

TASK 14: Viewing and Answering

Watch the Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB4s3nQtZqE and then
answer the questions below
1. Why was the discovery of the Skuldelev ships significant for historians?
2. List and describe the advanced techniques used by the Vikings in
shipbuilding.
3. How and why did archeologists/historians use experimental archaeology
after the discovery of the Viking long ships?
4. According to the Museum Curator, being on board the Viking long ship is
synonymous with what? Why does he
come up with this theory?

VIKING SHIPS
The Vikings were excellent boat builders and

sailors. They built three main types of boats:

- Drakkar- longships (also known as
dragon-ships)
- Knorr - merchant ships
- small boats.
The most famous Viking sea craft was the Drakkar (longship). Longships were narrow
and about as long as a basketball court. This made it easy for them to move quickly
over the water. The hull (main body of the ship) was also very shallow, so it could sail
in water only one metre deep or right up onto
a beach. Another great thing about longships
was that the bow (front of the ship) and
stern (back of the ship) were identical. This
meant that longships could change direction
very quickly. Longships were used mainly to
transport troops during times of war.

The Vikings also built Knorr (merchant

ships) to transport goods between cities and
countries. There were large and small
merchant ships. Large merchant ships were used to carry heavy loads. They weren’t
as long as longships, but they were very wide. The hulls of the large merchant ships
were deep so that they could carry a lot of goods, and these ships sailed the open
seas. Smaller merchant ships were used to sail short distances and down rivers.

The most common type of Viking watercraft were small boats. These boats were used
for fishing and to carry people and goods between villages.

TASK 15: Knowledge and Understanding

Answer the following questions based on the information above
1. List the three different types of ships/boats that the Vikings built.
2. Describe the features of a Viking long-ship
3. Describe the features of a Viking merchant ship.
4. Outline the purpose of a watercraft.

TASK 16: Label the Long-ship

Read the definitions below and then label the parts of the long-ship below.

• Stern The stern is the back part of a boat or ship.

• Bow The bow is the front part of a boat or ship.
• Mast The mast is the tall pole to which a sail is attached.
• Sail The sail is a large piece of material used to catch the wind.
• Gunwale The gunwale is the top edge of the side of a boat or
ship.
• Prow The prow is the part at the front of a boat or ship that is above
the water.
• Oars The oars are long paddles with flat blades at the end. They
are used
for rowing.
 Lessons 8 and 9: Documentary
TASK 17: Viewing and Answering
Watch the documentary at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCs--
1NZtHk&t=1s and answer the following questions. Be sure to pay close
attention and anticipate information that you will be learning based upon
the questions given. We will go over the answers as a class.

1. What does the term ‘Vik’ mean?

2. When did the Vikings first make their appearance?
3. What original three countries made up the Vikings’ homeland?
4. There were 2 main factors that contributed to motivating the Vikings to
expand their territory. Explain how they influenced the Vikings:
a. Weather –
b. Ship Building –
5. Why would the Vikings attack monasteries?
6. How long did the Vikings assault the western world?
7. What was the Vikings’ biggest asset?
8. On Easter Sunday, what did the king offer the Vikings in order to stop
their attack?
9. What does ‘Danegeld’ mean?
10. What was the negative side effect of giving the Vikings Danegeld?
11. What happened to the Vikings that settled in Normandy?
12. The ‘Blood Eagle’ is a form of what?
13. Besides raiding, how did the Vikings make a living?
14. What do we know about the health of the Vikings?
15. How did the Vikings influence our jury system?
16. Name 2 words that the English adopted from the Vikings:
17. By the end of which century did the vast majority of Vikings convert to
Christianity?
18. Stories that are preserved and passed down from the Vikings
themselves are called what?
19. How did Iceland get its name?
20. What land did the Vikings accidentally discover?
21. Why did Erik name the land Greenland?
22. What continent did Leif Erikson discover?
23. What does Thursday stand for?
24. What enemies did the Vikings encounter in North America?
25. Why is Iceland important to Viking history?
 Lesson 10: Everyday Life in Viking Society
Learning Intention: To understand everyday life of the Vikings

Success Criteria:
- I will be able to outline key features of everyday life of the Vikings
- I will be able to use sources to write a PEEL paragraph

TASK 18: Comprehension

Read through the information about everyday life and answer the questions
Questions
1. What were longhouses?
2. Describe the construction of Vikings
homes.
3. List what Vikings home contained.
4. What is ‘self-sufficiency’?
5. How did people make a living?
6. Name two (2) of the most important forms
of work.
7. Outline the role of most peasants
8. Using figure 1, describe a ‘fjord’
9. Describe the two (2) places where Vikings lived
10. What did people spend their time doing?
11. How did Vikings make use of wood?
12. What was the most important use of
wood? Figure 1: Fjord in Norway
13. What is a metalsmith?
14. Describe the role of a metalsmith with basic skills
15. Describe the role of a metalsmith with
advanced skills
16. Describe the features of the Viking
Swords as shown in Figure 2
17. Why was boat building important for the
Vikings?
18. Finish the sentence: The Vikings were
skilled _______________, _______________ and
_______________
19. List the different types of boats the
Vikings designed.
20. Describe the role of Viking men
21. What were the responsibilities of Viking women?
22. What were two (2) rights of Viking women?
23. What was the role of children?
24. Outline the difference between the role
of male and female children Figure 2: Photograph of
Viking Swords on display at
Hedeby, Germany

TASK 19: PEEL Paragraph

Write a PEEL paragraph that answers the following question: Describe the
daily life of the Vikings. In your response, refer to one of the sources in the
reader (NB: when referring to sources, we say “As referenced/seen in Source
_, it…”)
 Lesson 11: Viking Law and Government
Learning Intention: To understand Viking law and government

Success Criteria:
- I will be able to describe the role of the Thing in Viking society
- I will be able to outline how disputes were settled
- I will be able to use sources to explain the importance of Viking law

TASK 20: Comprehension

Read through the information about Viking Law and Government and then
complete the questions

The Vikings had a system of strict laws that guided behaviour in their communities.
Each community had an assembly, known as a Thing, which was like a combination
parliament and court. All adults, except thralls and people who were living in exile
from their communities, attended things once a year, to settle disputes and make new
laws. Viking laws were not written down until the 12th century because most Vikings
could not read or write. Instead, laws were preserved in the memory of a law speaker.
It was his job to remember all laws and recite them loudly at each thing. Viking codes
of behaviour and values are also evident in their sagas (long stories or accounts of
history told in verse).

The Vikings respected their laws. This is because the honour and reputation of each
individual was important, and because some punishments were very harsh. There
were several ways of settling disputes, apart from attending the annual thing
assembly:
 Feuds. If a man was killed, his family felt it was their duty to avenge his death.
This could lead to further revenge killings, and a feud could go on for many
years.
 Duels. Sometimes quarrels were settled by duels. The duellists struck each
other in turn. A dueller was defeated as soon as his blood touched the ground.
To win a duel was regarded as proof that you were right, because the gods
always helped the right man to win.
 Fines. Some quarrels were ended by the guilty party paying a fine. The money
had to be paid in public, in front of witnesses. All Viking goods were valued at a
certain amount. The value of an item was its wergild. Anyone caught stealing
had to pay back the value of what they had taken.
 Outlaw. For a serious crime, a person might be made
an outlaw (‘outside the law’). Outlaws had to live in
the wilderness and no-one was allowed to help them in
any way. If they were hunted down and killed there
was no penalty for the person who killed them.

During the Viking Age, the Norse had an oral culture and
only rune writing existed. However, the Vikings had both law
and government even without written law. All free men of
the Vikings would gather in their communities to make law
and to decide cases in a meeting called a Thing. Each community had its own
independent Thing.

Rather than have all disputes settled by duel or family feuds, the Thing was instituted
to both write and enact laws and to decide cases of disputes within the law. The Thing
met at specific, regular times. Each Thing had a law speaker who would recite the law
from memory. The law speaker and the local chieftain would judge and settle the
cases of dispute they heard, although all free men of the community had a say. A
local, powerful family or families most likely dominated things.

At the lowest level were the local, community Things. The community Thing was then
represented at the next higher level Thing. In Iceland, disputes and laws were finally
settled at the national Thing.

The accused who were found guilty were fined, declared either semi-outlaw or fully
outlawed. To be an outlaw was a dreadful punishment for a Viking. Essentially, that
individual was banished from society and his property confiscated. They were to
receive no help, no food and no support from anyone. Besides the terrible loneliness,
these people faced the threat of being killed by anyone. They often fled the country
and tried to settle in some other location.

Besides the proto-court (a primitive version of a court system) nature of the Thing,
disputes could also be settled by arbitration, where both parties would agree on an
objective third party to judge between them. A dispute could also be settled by the
holmgang, or duel, which was fought either to first blood or to death. If the dispute
was taken to the Thing, the loser could be subjected to a fine, which would be paid to
the injured party or to partial
outlawry, which would last for
three years or to complete
outlawry as described above.

What else happened?

The Thing had both judiciary and
legislative powers, but no power
to carry out a sentence. The
injured party’s family would carry
out the sentence. Politics,
community decisions and new
laws were also functions of the
Thing. These meetings generally
lasted several days, often with a
festive atmosphere. Traders
would bring their goods for sale and merchants would set up booths for their wares.
Things were held where water was easily obtained, there was grazing for animals and
fishing or hunting would provide
food for all. Brew masters brought Source 1: A 21st Century image showing
barrels of ale and mead. During how a Viking Thing might have looked like.
the Thing, marriages were
arranged, alliances were crafted, news and gossip exchanged and friendships
established and renewed.

Questions
1. What is the Thing and what was its role in the Viking society?
2. Briefly describe what happened in the Thing? (who, when, where, what
happened)
3. Outline the ways disputes were settled.
4. Who acted as the judges in the Thing?
5. True or False. The Thing was conducted at different levels (local or even
national level) depending on the country in Scandinavia.
6. What is a Holmgang?
7. Describe the list of potential punishments received by an accused person
found guilty of a crime.
8. What does proto-court mean and why is it used to describe the Thing?
9. List at least 4 other social things/events that occurred when the Thing
was conducted.
10. Using Source 1 and your own knowledge, identify some of the activities
there were part of a meeting of the thing. Remember, you MUST
reference the source.
11.Write a PEEL paragraph answering the following question: describe how
effective The Thing was in Viking society.

TASK 21: Source Study

Read through the extract from a Viking saga below and complete the
questions

Source 2: Extract from a Viking saga

You who would be a Viking, these things you must know,

The old grow weak in battle, the sword shakes in their hand.
When the ice wind blows, the bones of old men are cold, and will not move.
When the seas grow wild, the bones of old men are weak.
Old men should tell tales to the young, the Viking life is not for old men.
The great sea is strong, the great wind is cold, the battle is too fierce.
Old men will stay on the shores and tell tales to young boys.
No man of fifty summers or more may be a Viking.
No boy of less than eighteen winters may be a Viking.
In battle, a Viking sees his foes.
He does not turn his back in fear and cry like a child when death is before him.
The worth of a man is in his arm, and in his sword.
On a Viking ship all men are brothers, brothers in battle, sword for sword.
And when the wind dies and the sea is still, then all must pull the boat to land,
Brothers at the oars.
And when there is food, or gold, or silk, or good wine, or strong beer, it is the same for each.
No man will take more than any other.
And if one breaks this rule and is found out, he will be sent away.
When the sky is black and the seas like mountains, and Death rides down from the clouds in
blackness, with his voice of thunder on a sheet of lightning,
No man will speak of fear.
And although the sun burns and the lips crack, and the seas are glass, and the winds are still,
and there be no food or water,
No man will speak of fear.
And in battle, no man will speak of fear.
No prisoners will be taken in battle – not even women or children.
It is better to die free than to live in chains.
You who would be a Viking, this you must know:
The law of the Viking must not be broken.
According to the saga:
1. What are the age limits for a Viking warrior?
2. What is meant by the sentence ‘The worth of a man is in his arm, and in his
sword’?
3. What is the most important characteristic of life on board a Viking ship?
4. List the difficulties that could be faced by Viking warriors.
5. Why do you think that Viking law dictated that no prisoners were to be taken in
battle? What other guideline in Source 2 might be the reason?
6. Using the source, write a PEEL paragraph that answers the following question:
describe the importance of Viking law within its society. Provide quotes from the
source to help you.

Lesson 12: Viking Social Structure

Learning Intention: To understand the structure of Viking society

Success Criteria:
- I will be able to outline the roles of key groups and their place in Viking
society
- I will be able to analyse sources to explain the role of key groups in
Viking society

Read through the information below and activities that follow

The Viking homelands were made up of a number of independent kingdoms. Within

these Viking communities, each group knew its role and responsibilities. Individuals
were influenced by a set of laws, an economic system, and a set of beliefs and values.

Viking social structure

Viking society was divided into three main classes. At the top were the jarls
(pronounced yarls) who were the rulers, and the wealthiest members of the
community. Their wealth and authority came through inheriting land or being
successful in battle. The title konungr (king) was given to the jarl who was chief of his
community. The power of Viking kings varied: some ruled over small regions, while
others ruled over people rather than specific areas of land. Each king depended on the
support of the jarls in his community.

At the middle level of society were the karls, who made up the majority in Viking
communities. There was a broad range of wealth within this group. Karls could be
farmers, merchants, hunters, fishermen, shipbuilders, weavers or blacksmiths – to
name just a few occupations. Some Vikings belonged to a class of professional
warriors; however, most of the Vikings who went on raids were karls. They took part in
raids for the adventure, as well to bring back wealth.
Thralls were slaves. They had few rights and were not permitted to own land. Some
thralls were foreigners who had been captured in raids and then traded as slaves.
Others had become thralls because they had been unable to pay their debts. The
Vikings generally believed thralls should be treated well. However, if a thrall broke the
law, instead of being fined like other members of the community, they could be
beaten, maimed or killed. A master who killed a thrall would not be punished.

TASK 22: Social Pyramid

Using the information above, place each of the classes onto the pyramid
below according to their ranks. You also need to put 2 important points
about each group.

Answer the following question: Choose ONE of the groups in the Viking social
structure and explain their role in society.

TASK 23: Source Study

Look at the two sources below and answer the questions

Source 1:
An artist’s
impression of
the dual
roles of a
Viking karl
Source 2

1. Outline the two roles of a Viking karl, as presented in Sources 1 and 2.

2. Describe the typical clothing and the ‘tools of the trade’ as seen
Sources 1 and 2.
3. Suggest the different reasons why a farmer would leave his fields and
family to take part in a raid.

TASK 24: Empathy Task

Read each role and identify whether they were a jarl, karl or thrall.

My name is Rolf. I am a farmer

and a freeman. I work hard and
I hope to one day have enough
land that I may become a jarl.

My name is Ivar. I am
indebted to Rolf and I am
helping him work his farm
The class to which I as a way of repaying my
belong is the debt to him. I have
_______________. brought dishonour to
myself and my family
because of this debt. I
plan to repay it as soon as
possible so that I may
once again be a freeman. The class to which I
belong is the
_______________.
 The class to which I belong is
the _______________.

Now, imagine you were either a jarl, karl or thrall. Write a diary about your
life (about ½ a page). Use the information so far to help you construct your
diary entry.

Lessons 13 and 14: Viking Beliefs and Afterlife

Learning Intention: To understand Viking beliefs

Success Criteria:
- I will be able to outline the role of different Viking gods and godesses
- I will be able to explain importance of the afterlife for the Vikings
- I will be able to examine the development of Christianity in Vikings
society

Viking belief systems

The Vikings believed that different gods were
responsible for different areas of daily life. There
were gods of harvest, love, family, fertility and
war. It is thought that the Vikings made animal or
human sacrifices to the gods to get something
they needed, such as good harvest or success in a
battle. The chief of the gods is Odin. Thor, the god
of thunder, guards men and gods against evil.
Thunder is the sound of his chariot rumbling
across the sky pulled by his two goats. Lighting is
the path his hammer takes when he tosses it.

Tales from Viking Mythology

Chief of the Gods is the one-eyed Odin, the god of
death, war and wisdom. He traded his other eye for
wisdom. With his two brothers, Odin create the
nine worlds of the cosmos (universe). Midgard is
the world of men, one of four worlds in the middle
level of the cosmos. The other three are the worlds
of dwarves, giants and dark elves. At the bottom,
level the worlds of the dead, Hel and Niflheim.

The home of the Norse gods is Asgard, filled with

halls and palaces. The most splendid is Valhalla,
the hall of the bravest slain warriors. The slain
warriors are brought to Asgard by the Valkyries,
beautiful warrior women who ride flying horses. A
colourful display of the Aurora Borealis (the northern lights sometimes seen in the
northern hemisphere) is a sign they are riding the skies. At Valhalla, the warriors train
for Ragnarok, the final battle that will end the cosmos. By day, the hack and chop at
each other with swords and axes. At night, their bodies mend and they drink and feast
with Odin.

TASK 25: Comprehension

Answer the following questions using the information above
1. What were the gods responsible for?
2. Why were sacrifices to the gods?
3. Why did the Vikings make human and animal sacrifices to the Gods?
4. Identify two natural occurrences that are explained in Viking mythology.
What is the explanation in each case? E.g. Thunder is the sound of his
chariot rumbling across the sky
5. According to the tale from Viking Mythology, what was Odin the Chief
creator of?
6. What did the Vikings believe happened to warriors after they died?
TASK 26: Webquest
The Vikings believed in a number of different gods and goddesses. In other words, they were polytheistic. They
believed Gods lived in Asgard, a place full of beautiful palaces, which they could get to only by crossing a
rainbow bridge. Complete the table below to gain un understanding of the responsibilities of each god/goddess.
The first one has been done for you. To help you, use the following website:
http://www.godchecker.com/pantheon/norse-mythology.php?explore

God/ Responsibil Characteristics

Goddess ities
Odin Chief god, Odin lived in his castle, Valhalla, in Asgard. Odin’s horse, Slepner, had eight legs so it could go
god of long distances without getting tired. His two ravens, Hugin and Munin, travelled the world each
wisdom, war, morning so that they could report back to him each afternoon with the latest news. He found it
death and hard to make a decision
poetry
Thor

Frey

Loki

Freyja

Idun

Hel
The Afterworld
The Vikings believed that after death they would journey to and live on in another
world. As with many of the ancient cultures, the Vikings sent their friends and families
into the next world with some of the things they had used in this world.

They buried wealthy and important people in magnificently carved ships, laden with
clothing, weaponry, furniture, animals and even servants who were forced to join their
employers in death. Then they either buried the ships under great mounds of earth or
set the ship and its contents alight in a great funeral pyre (a pile of things that will
burn easily).

Families who couldn’t afford this option might have arranged stones around the dead
person’s burial plot to frame it with the shape of a ship. Poorer people just had a
mound of earth to mark where in the ground they had been buried.

Valhalla and the Valkyries

According to legend, the Valkyries (pronounced Val-kear-rees) were women who used
to ride to the battle fields to collect dead warriors and take them to Odin’s castle,
Valhalla. These heroes used to relive their battles each morning and then, having
recovered from their wounds, would spend the night feasting with Odin. This legend
taught people that warriors preferred to die on the battlefield, rather than in their own
beds.
Source 1: The
Oseberg ship — a
Viking grave.
Archaeologists
discovered this in
a burial mound in
1904 and rebuilt
much of
its damaged
interior piece by
piece.

Conversion to Christianity
Viking traders had frequent contact with Christians and so did those who raided the
treasures of monasteries in western Europe. Many traders wore a Christian cross to
make it easier to travel through and do business in Christian countries.

As Vikings established settlements in Europe, they gradually began to practise the

Christian religion. From the late tenth century onwards, Vikings within Scandinavia —
influenced by European missionaries — also began to convert to Christianity.

Some people, wanting to have an ‘each way bet’ began to bury their dead with
Christian, as well as pagan, symbols. For the same reason, new converts to Christianity
often wore both a Christian cross and a symbol of their old pagan religion. By the mid
twelfth century, most of Scandinavia had become part of the Christian world.
TASK 27: Check Your Knowledge and Understanding
Answer the following questions below based off of the information above
1. Define the words in bold
a) Pyre
b) Mounds
c) Laden
d) Valhalla
e) Valkyrie
2. List what was buried with important and wealthy Vikings. What was the
purpose of this?
3. How were poorer people buried?
4. Explain the purpose of the Valkyries and Valhalla.
5. Outline how Christianity developed within Vikings society.
6. Using Source 1, list the way in which the Oseberg ship could be of use an
historian.

Read the extract called “Keep the Gods Alive” by Vanessa Card.
7. According to the text, why were some Vikings resistant to the change of
Christianity?
8. What was one of the main factors that caused the switch to Christianity?
9. Identify the different methods used by the Vikings to honour their old
gods.

TASK 28: Having Honour

The Vikings had a very strict society with a strong code of honour. They believed
that acting with honour was extremely important – even more important than living.
They believed that if they did not live a life of honour, they would not enjoy a
comfortable afterlife.

Courage
Honesty Vikings saw
Vikings were courage as a mix of
expected to speak determination and
the truth and to bravery. Once a
Having honour Hospitality
keep their word. Viking made up his
Honour wasn’t defined by Vikings were
Loyalty mind, he stuck to
the laws of the day; it was more travellers. They
Vikings believed
a sign of Viking character. understood the
that loyalty to
Honour was shown through importance of
family, clan and
honesty, loyalty, courage shelter and food
king was important.
and hospitality. when on the move.
Therefore, they
were generous to

In the spaces below, write an example of each of the following qualities. The first one
has been done for you.
a) honesty Handing in a wallet to the police after you find it in a park
b) loyalty ___________________________________________________
c) courage ___________________________________________________
d) hospitality ___________________________________________________

TASK 29: PEEL Paragraph

Write a PEEL paragraph answering the following questions: Using Source 1
and your own knowledge, explain the spiritual beliefs of the Vikings.

Lesson 15: Famous Vikings

TASK 30: Vikings Hall of Fame
Choose ONE of the famous Vikings listed below and create an informative
poster about that Viking to include in the Vikings Hall of Fame. In your
poster, include the following:
- Birth and death
- Family tree
- Their achievements (e.g. something they discovered, a famous battle,
raid)
- How your Viking has influenced the word today with images include
(e.g. a map of a region they discovered, weapons they invented)
- A PEEL paragraph on why your Viking should be included in the Vikings
Hall of Fame

Choose from ONE of the following Vikings below

o Askold and Dir (legendary Varangian conquerors of Kiev)
o Björn Ironside (pillaged in Italy and son of Ragnar Lodbrok)
o Egill Skallagrímsson (popular Icelandic warrior and skald)
o Erik the Red (discoverer of Greenland)
o Gardar Svavarsson (discoverer of Iceland)
o Guthrum (colonised England)
o Harald Finehair (founder and first king of Norway; some dispute, whether he really
merits the label "Viking" at all)
o Harald Hardrada (king of Norway and member of the Varangian Guard)
o Ingvar the Far-Travelled (the leader of the last great Swedish Viking expedition,
which pillaged the shores of the Caspian Sea).
o Ivar the Boneless (disabled son of Ragnar Lodbrok who, despite having to be
carried on a shield, nevertheless conquered York)
o Ingólfur Arnarson (colonised Iceland)
o Leif Eriksson (discoverer of Vinland)
o Oleg of Kiev (conquered Kiev, founded Kievan Rus' and attacked Constantinople)
o Ragnar Lodbrok (captured Paris)
o Rollo of Normandy (founder of Normandy)
o Rurik (founder of the Rus' rule in Eastern Europe)
o Skagul Toste (the first Viking to exact the Danegeld)
o Styrbjörn Starke (conqueror of Jomsborg)
o Thorfinn Karlsefni (colonizer of Vinland)
 Lesson 16: The Danelaw
Learning Intention: To understand Viking conquests and relationships with
subject peoples

Success Criteria:
- I will be able to outline the changes in the way of life of the English
- I will be able to explain the development of the Danelaw and the
influence on the Vikings
- I will be able to use sources to explain the relationship between the
Vikings and the people whose lands they conquered

Read through and highlight the information below and then complete the

questions
TASK 31: Check Knowledge and Understanding
Answer the questions below
1. In your own words, explain what the Danelaw is.
2. Identify one advantage the Vikings had in their attempt to gain control of
the Anglo-Saxons’ land.
3. What was Alfred the Great able to achieve as a result of the Battle of
Ethadun in 878?
4. Who was Cnut and what did he achieve for the Vikings?
5. How did the Vikings come to lose their control of England?
6. Write an 8–10 line summary describing the Vikings’ involvement in
England.
7. Use SOURCE 1 to identify:
a) an Anglo-Saxon kingdom partly taken over by the Vikings
b) six cities north of London that the Danes controlled.
8. What evidence does SOURCE 2 provide of the relationship between the
Vikings and Anglo-Saxons?

TASK 32: Timeline

Create a timeline in the space below using the information from this lesson
(minimum of 8 dates and events)
 Lesson 17: The Norman Invasion
Learning Intention: To understand Viking conquests and relationships with
subject peoples

Success Criteria:
- I will be able to outline the events of 1066
- I will be able to explain the impact of the Norman Invasion on the
Vikings
- I will be able to use sources to explain the events of 1066

Read through and highlight the information below. Then, complete the
questions that follow

1066 was a dramatic year in English

history. Within 12 months, England
had three different kings, had
invasions from Norway and
Normandy and suffered two major
battles between leaders claiming
their rights to the English throne.

During the period 1067–1077, a

group of Saxon women embroidered
a pictorial representation of these
events on a piece of linen cloth
about 50 centimetres wide and 70
metres long. This important historical
source is called the Bayeux Tapestry
(see Source 2). Odo, Bishop of
Bayeux, half-brother of the victor,
commissioned the tapestry. It is now
on permanent exhibition at
the Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux in France.

In 1066, the Vikings, ruled by King Source 1: Locations on Norman

Harald Hardrada of Norway, and the conquests in England
Normans, ruled by William of
Normandy, who was of Viking descent, were the two most powerful groups in north-
western Europe. Both wanted to also rule England.

England was ruled by the Anglo-Saxon king, Edward the Confessor. He had seized the
throne in 1042
after the Vikings had ruled there for 26 years.

Within England, Harold Godwinson, a Saxon lord who already controlled a large area of
land in southern
England, wanted to extend his power and territory.

When Edward died in January 1066, Harold Godwinson, Harald Hardrada and William of
Normandy all
claimed the right to replace him as king. Edgar, the 14-year-old son of Edward’s
nephew, was another
contender.
Edgar was Edward’s closest living relative. The outcome was finally decided at a place
later named Battle, near Hastings in south-east England.

Source 2: Harold Godwinson swearing loyalty to William of Normandy and

promising to support William’s claim to the English throne.

TASK 33: Check Knowledge and Understanding

Complete the following questions below
1. Describe why 1066 was a dramatic year in English history.

2. What is the BAYEUX Tapestry? Who put this together?

3. Who ruled the Vikings in Norway and the Vikings in Normandy?

4. What did both kings want control over?

5. Name the Anglo-Saxon King that ruled over England.

6. Within England, who wanted to extend their power of land and territory?

7. Who died in January 1066?

8. What problem arises after this death and what is the outcome?

9. Look at Source 1. Write down the three battles that took place that year.

10. Look at Source 2. Using Source 2, describe the impression of Harold’s

character that source 1 presents. What evidence does it provide to
support this viewpoint?

TASK 34: WebQuest + Timeline

Click on the following link and list 10 major events that happened
throughout 1066. Include the dates.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/normans/key_events_01.shtml
Construct this on a timeline.

Lesson 18: Two Battles for the Throne

Read through the Battle of Stamford Bridge and Battle of Hastings and then
answer the questions

The Battle of Stamford

Bridge
King Harold II had to decide
whether to wait on the south
coast for the greater Norman
threat, or move north to deal
with Hardrada. He decided to
march north, gathering an army
as he went. The army of
7000 men marched
350 kilometres in four days.
Reaching York on
25 September, Harold found
that the Vikings had left the city
to rest in fields on either side of
a river at a place called
Stamford Bridge. Harold’s men attacked their surprised enemies and slaughtered
them. Although it had taken 300 ships to bring Hardrada’s invasion force to England,
only 24 were needed to carry the remaining Vikings home. Hardrada was not among
them.

Harold and his army celebrated a great victory. However, in the middle of their
celebrations news came that William had landed on the south coast on 28 September.
The Norman invasion had arrived, and Harold had not been there to meet it.

The Battle of Hastings

Harold began the journey south,
leaving behind soldiers who
were wounded or exhausted,
including some who had been
his best fighting men. He
scraped together another army
of about 7000 men. They stood
on the ridge of a hill near the
port of Hastings, blocking the
road to London. At 9 a.m., on
14 October 1066, the battle
started when William ordered
his archers to fire on the English line. The arrows did little damage because the Saxons
were protected by their wall of shields. William then sent his cavalry forward in a
series of charges, but they too were unsuccessful against the English. The battle
stretched into the afternoon. During its course, William had three horses killed under
him and at one point a rumour spread among the Norman soldiers that William had
been killed. To prevent his followers losing heart, William raised his helmet to show
them his face.

In a final push, William ordered his archers to fire their arrows into the sky so that they
would drop like an iron rain on to the English soldiers. At the same time, his foot-
soldiers and cavalry were sent forward. The Saxons’ shield wall broke and Harold’s
brothers Gyrth and Leofwine were killed, protecting their king. Then Harold himself
was killed. Some reports suggested he was hit in the eye by one of the falling arrows;
others suggested he was ridden down and killed by the thrust of a sword. The
Normans pursued the fleeing Saxons until darkness fell. William had won. The Battle of
Hastings was a turning point in English history. If Harold had held on and prevented
William from reaching London and other parts of the country, William’s campaign
might have been unsuccessful. But as it was, Norman lords replaced Anglo-Saxon lords
and became established as England’s ruling class.

TASK 35: Check Knowledge and Understanding

Answer the following questions below
1. What was King Harold II deciding to do?

2. How many men marched with King Harold II?

3. What did King Harold II find when him and his army reached York?

4. How many ships were required to force Hadrada’s invasion to England?

5. What happened on the 28th of September?

6. Which direction did Harold begin his journey?

7. What date did the Battle of Hastings occur?

8. Why did arrows do little damage?

9. DESCRIBE the final push by William in the Battle of Hastings.

10. What were the theories of how Harold died?

11. Who won the Battle of Hastings?

12. Why was the Battle of Hastings a turning point in English History?
 Lesson 19: Claims to the Throne
TASK 36: Persuasive Essay
With the death of Edward the Confessor in 1066, there was a major issue in
England: “Who would be the next king?” Your task is to read the profiles and
extra research below and write a persuasive essay on who has the right
claim to the throne.
 Lesson 20: The Legacy of the Vikings
Learning Intention: To explain the influence of the Vikings

Success Criteria:
- I will be able to write a PEEL paragraph to explain the influence of the
Vikings

After Harald Hardrada was killed at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, his defeated army
sailed away. For historians, this marks the end of the Viking Age, although Viking
attacks persisted into the 12th century. Although Vikings no longer spread terror from
the northern seas, their influence on European culture would continue in a variety of
ways.

Viking myths and legends

Many writers have been inspired by Norse mythology. They
include J. R. R. Tolkien, whose novel The Lord of the Rings
includes dwarves, elves, trolls, dragons and monsters, all of
which are found in Viking myths. Epic battles that take place in
Tolkien’s novel are similar to battles in Norse sagas. Even the
turf-covered homes of Tolkien’s Middle Earth are inspired by
the turf-insulated longhouses of Vikings.

Viking influences on the English language

Many words we use today are Norse in origin, such as anger ,
scream , egg and give . The names of the days of the week have their roots in Norse
and in Old English. For example, Thursday comes from ‘Thor’s day’ and Wednesday
from ‘Wodin’s day’. Place names in Normandy, Russia, Ireland and England can tell us
where Vikings settled. In areas of England once part of the Danelaw, many place
names end in -by or -thorpe , which are Old Norse words for ‘village’ or ‘farmstead’.
For example, Grimsby and Scunthorpe originally meant ‘Grim’s village’ and ‘Skuma’s
village (or farmstead)’. Other words that come from Old Norse are related to the law
and legal proceedings, such as the words law, by-law (local law) and hustings .

Viking artefacts and heritage sites

Archaeological sites of Viking settlements, found in Europe and North America, along
with artefacts such as metalwork, coins, jewellery and runestones, are also important
legacies of the Vikings. They provide evidence of Viking exploration – the Vikings were
the first settlers in Iceland and Greenland, for instance, and the first Europeans to
reach North America.

TASK 37: PEEL Paragraph

Using the information above and from today’s lesson, write TWO(2) PEEL
paragraphs that answers the following question – EXPLAIN how the Viking
legacy has influenced the modern world. In your response, refer to two areas
in which Vikings have left their mark.

Lesson 21: A Fun Way to End the Vikings

TASK 38: The Futhark
The Viking alphabet is called the futhark. The name ‘futhark’ was created by
combining the first six letters of this alphabet. Each letter represents a sound, but
each also has symbolic meaning. For example, the symbol for the letter ‘r’ also
meant ‘ride’, and the symbol for the letter ‘s’ also meant ‘sun’.

Write the following words using the Viking futhark. Simply replace each letter with the
corresponding futhark letter. If a letter is not in the futhark alphabet, just leave it out.

Your first name:

_________________________________________________________________________

Your last name:

_________________________________________________________________________

Your father’s name:

______________________________________________________________________
TASK 39: Viking Phone Codes
Write down the equivalent letters for the numbers on the lines below
TASK 40: Find-a-Word