Notes p. 304-307The Vikings: Raiders and Adventurers

Raiders and Adventurers

Villages became overcrowded & not enough food

http://www.clker.com/cliparts/0/4/3/4/12198090302006169125female%20silhouette.svg.med.png

Population kept increasing

http://images.paraorkut.com/img/pics/images/s/sad_face-13549.png

No central govt, so Viking kings fought each other

Many decided to explore new places for food & riches

http://www.hr.utah.edu/news/hrconn/lib/spring09/explore.jpg

Viking ships could sail in both deep water and shallow rivers.

http://i.livescience.com/images/070302_viking_ship_02.jpg

From East Europe to North AmericaEstablished a trade (water) route from the

Baltic Sea to the city of Byzantium (Constantinople), known as the ‘Varangian Route’.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/Varangian_routes.png

Rurik, a Viking chief, founded a settlement in the Ukraine and Russia in 862.

In 986, Erik the Red founded a colony in Greenland.

http://www.aerenlund.dk/helte/images/eric_the_red.jpg

http://www.palacenet.net/home/tgswatek/Viking%20Settlement.jpg

Leif Eriksson (Erik’s son) founded North America.Called it “Vinland” b/c of all the wild grapesToday it is known as NewfoundlandDid not make a settlement b/c:

-Too far from home -Frequent attacks by Native Americans

Statue of Leif

Eriksson in Iceland.

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/schools/primaryhistory/images/vikings/trade_and_exploration/vk_statue_of_leif_eriksson.jpg

http://www.lost-civilizations.net/images/vikings/vikingmap.gif

Most Vikings went to western and southern Europe, looking for food and valuables

Disguised their ships by covering them w/tree branches.

Made surprise attacks on towns: stole goods, burned churches and homes, and killed or enslaved people.

http://www.mcleanscotland.co.uk/viking_warriors.jpg