The document provides an overview of Vikings for a school assignment. It discusses that Vikings originated from Scandinavia and were seafarers from 800-1050 AD who spread throughout Europe. It describes their jobs as farmers, fishers, and hunters and the reasons for their raids including lack of resources. It details the earliest raids in 793 AD in England and France and that they came from Sweden, Denmark and Norway. The document also discusses Viking society being divided into slaves, freemen and nobles and their systems of law and governance through local Things.

1. Medieval history research assignment:
Vikings
Presented by Elijah Crowe
Year 8 S&E class 4 2013

2. contents
• 1.
Introduction
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Political (ruling/power/authority e.g. govt
Social – relations, status, classes
Economic –needs, wants( earn a living)
Change and continuity
Conclusion
References
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

3. Introduction
• Who are the Vikings?
• What jobs did they do?
• What are the reasons for the Viking raids?
• When did they first start raiding ?
• Where did they come from ?
• At what time of year did the Vikings go on these raids?
• society?
• Viking laws?

4. Who are the Vikings?
• The Vikings were seafarers from the part of Europe known as
Scandinavia, which today includes Denmark, Norway, and
Sweden. During the Viking Ages, from about 800 to 1050, they
spread through Europe and the North Atlantic and conquered
or colonized many territories. Although they are primarily
thought of as warriors or raiders, the Vikings were also
traders, explorers, and settlers. In much of northern Europe
they left behind an influence on family names, place
names, language, customs, folk tales, and oral traditions.

5. What jobs did they do?
• Hunters, fishers and farmers.
• Everyone had jobs, such as collecting wood for the
fire, weaving cloths and baking bread.
• Viking women had to sew all the family cloths. Vikings had to
farm to make cheese and milk.
• Farmers used iron tools, such as sickles and hoes.
• They grew oats, barley and wheat and ground the grain to
make flour, porridge and ale. Vikings grew vegetables such as
onion, beans and cabbages.

6. What are the reasons for the Viking raids?
• Historians still argue today about what motivated the Vikings
to change from honest traders to violent raiders. A range of
reasons are offered. One of the most basic is that they were
only doing what they had to do to survive in a harsh land with
an unforgiving climate.

7. When did they first start raiding ?
• The earliest documented raids by the Vikings began in 793 at
Lindisfarne, England. Historians distinguish three phases to
the raids. The first phase of attacks was from 790-840. The
Vikings used shallow draught long ships which were ideally
suited for surprise raids on coastal locations that struck terror
into their victims. The fleets were small, making a "hit-andrun" tactic of the attacks that could enable the raiders to row
away as swiftly as they had come. The attacks were usually
seasonal and isolated in small bands. These attacks began
along the coastal cities in England and France and continued
down along the river communities.

8. Where did they come from?
• The Vikings came from Scandinavia from the countries known
as Sweden, Denmark and Norway. They lived along the rivers
that went into the seas and on the coastlines of the regions.
They then left their countries and went to invade, settle and
explore other countries in the world.

9. At what time of year did the Vikings go on
these raids?
• The attacks were usually seasonal and isolated in small bands. These
attacks began along the coastal cities in England and France and continued
down along the river communities.
• These attacks were often a cause of not enough food, water and timber to
build houses and boats, these things were needed for travel and living in
comfort for the whole family.

10. Society
• Viking society had three classes- slaves, freemen and nobles. Most of the
hard labor was done by the slaves or “thralls”. Many were foreigners
captured in war. Wealthy people sometimes had their slaves killed and
buried with them. Slaves could be freed. Freemen included
farmers, traders, craft men, warriors and big landowners.
• At the beginning of the Viking Age, there were many local chieftains
(nobles) who ruled over small areas. They were subject to the rule of the
“Thing”, the local assembly, were all freemen could voice their opinions
and complain about others. The Thing was held once or twice a year.
• But chieftains and kings gradually increases their wealth and power by
raiding and conquering foreign lands. By the end of the Viking Age, around
AD 1050, Norway, Denmark and Sweden were each ruled by a
single, powerful King and the role of the Thing declined.

11. Viking laws
• Viking society had three classes- slaves, freemen and nobles. Most of the
hard labour was done by the slaves or “thralls”. Many were foreigners
captured in war. Wealthy people sometimes had their slaves killed and
buried with them. Slaves could be freed. Freemen included
farmers, traders, craft men, warriors and big landowners.
• At the beginning of the Viking Age, there were many local chieftains
(nobles) who ruled over small areas. They were subject to the rule of the
“Thing”, the local assembly, were all freemen could voice their opinions
and complain about others. The Thing was held once or twice a year.
• But chieftains and kings gradually increases their wealth and power by
raiding and conquering foreign lands. By the end of the Viking Age, around
AD 1050, Norway, Denmark and Sweden were each ruled by a
single, powerful King and the role of the Thing declined.

12. References
• http://class2blog.wordpress.com/2011/10/21
/what-hobs-did-vikings-have-by-spencerlouie-rosa-george-and-mia/
• http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/socstud/f
oundation_gr8/blms/8-4-2f.pdf
• http://image.slidesharecdn.com/thevikings110929111522-phpapp02/95/slide-13728.jpg?1317313057