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Norms and ethics of viking
Viking history essay question
Viking history essay question
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The Vikings were very big, and muscular men. The Vikings were mostly known for their perfect hygiene. The Vikings were also famous for sailing huge distance. They were also experts at sailing, and building ships. They Vikings would usually sail for fun, and trade a lot. when a Viking had a death on the boat they would burry there men inside of the boat (Jennie Cohen). The Vikings were also unique to many people especially in our day in age. A cool fact that Vikings did was “Use urin to start fires”. Most people knew how the Vikings were blond. The reason the Vikings was blonde is because they used a special type of soap to dye there hair blonde. Male Vikings preferred blonde hair. The Vikings didn't like brown hair, and I'm nit really for …show more content…
sure why they didn't. Most people would believe a fairy tale saying that Vikings wore horned helmets, but that was not the case there was nothing proven that Vikings wore helmets.
The Vikings precious weapon was there sword. The Vikings would like to raid other people also. Most of the Vikings spent time warring and hunting for food. The Vikings got there name because they would raid people. The word “Vikings” means pirate raid. Most people would say that the Vikings were very horrible people, but in reality they wasn't that bad. The Vikings were just like any other culture. They were trying to make a living, and keep there self alive. people said the Vikings were dirty people. I think the Vikings weren't that dirty, because if they were dirty there ship would be horrible looking, and they would all die from disease. If they were also dirty they wouldn't have any room to move around on there ship either. Vikings would trade a lot. I have a feelings that's one of the things they did for fun. They. I kings would also wrestle for fun, and when they were wrestling it would've made them stronger, and better at fighting. They would also skid for fun. I think they skied for fun so they would be better on their feet. I got my sources from “National geographic”, “History channel”, “History on the net”, “Live science”, and “www.get the specialist.
Com” I think the Vikings were very generous people. Inside I feel like they cared what they did like killings innocent people I feel they hated doing that, but I know they didn't feel bad killing enimies or anything. I personally think that Vikings were a very interesting people. I think people should also study more about them also and figure more stuff about them. They were active in slave trade many Vikings also got rich off of human trafficking they would capture and enslave women and young men the people they capture were sold in a giant slave markets across Europe and the Middle East. Viking women enjoyed some basic rights Viking girls got married as young as 12 years old. They Had to maintain there household as there husband sailed off.
When he arrived at the Danish land, Beowulf was a man seeking adventure and glory. Beowulf was famous among his people, the Geats, for his bravery. Beowulf fought in many battles and as a result showed his great character to others.
Upon first encountering one another, the vikings and the natives of Scotland often experienced violent confrontation. However, through the passage of time they contributed in shaping each other in equal and sometimes opposite measure. There are several hypotheses that describe the details of the first viking-indigenous interactions.1 Out of the many propositions, two theories appear most often. The first asserts that the vikings set up an earldom and thenceforth ruled over the native Scottish population. Sometimes this earldom is portrayed as peaceful, at other times more violent. The second proposition asserts that a genocide took place in which the vikings eliminated and replaced the native people.2 The evidence for either model is contradictory and variably justifiable. The best explanation therefore is a syntheses of both hypotheses. Namely, that both earldom and genocide took place in different circumstances. Bands of viking ships were often federations, and as such individual rulers within the federation must have had some measure of latitude. In some areas viking captains completely exterminated the indigenous people they found. In other instances, the leaders simply subjugated the people they encountered. In areas where the local population were left alive they influenced the Scandinavian settlers in terms of religion and material culture to different degrees. Conversely, the viking presence in Scotland forced the native inhabitants to become more militant and politically united.3 Furthermore, the natives eventually adopted parts of Scandinavian language, material culture, and custom as well.
Vikings’ settling down in Iceland and Greenland were important reflection of Viking expansion and they caused Viking civilization to extend on these two islands. Vikings were people from Scandinavia. For many reasons, such as the authoritarian policies of Harald Fairhair (Paine, 2013), the geographical features that lacking of lands for agriculture but having abundant trees for shipbuilding, Vikings were forced to expand into the sea. The two locations’ providing Vikings with lands undoubtedly provided them more chances for surviving.
The Vikings are famous for their violent ways when they pillaged and plundered villages of Northern Europe. Their dramatic exploits commenced during 800 – 1050 A.D, The first being the raid on Lindisfarne Monastery in 793, followed by a chain of attacks all over the coast of northern Europe during the next 200 years. As the years went on the frequency of Viking attacks increased as they became bolder. They were opportunists, raiding when the villages were off–guard or weak and trading when they were powerful. The speed and tactical advantage of the Viking longships allowed them to slip quietly ashore, pillage the village and make a fast getaway via water before the village can summon an army. By this time some Viking plunderers would stay over winter in a village. Soon their raiding camps became settlements and Viking control over Europe began to grow, it was not long before Vikings overran most of England.
Inside these tribes was the great tale of the warrior Beowulf. Beowulf was considered to be the greatest warrior from that century. In "Beowulf", they say that "he had the strength of 30 men in each hand". These stories were made up by the Vikings as almost a tale to tell near a camp fire after a great raid or pillage. When the warriors would come back from battle they needed some type of entertainment to keep them at bay with their senses.
In his translation of The Saga of the Volsungs: the Norse Epic of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer, Jesse L. Byock compiles many versions of this famous Norse epic and creates a very important scholarly work. Of special importance is the introduction, which provides a central working background to base readings upon. There are several themes echoed throughout the translation that reflect accurately on this portion of history. Byock does a superb job of illustrating these important aspects in his work. While the tale Byock tells is a fairy-tale handed down by generations of families, within the reader can find tell-tale signs of important aspects of Norse culture. For instance, important aspects of family life and the role of men and women surface. Likewise, the importance of wealth and material possessions on the power and prestige of a king is also evident.
The Vikings were known for their ruthlessness and fighting skills that made them so fearless.
The Viking era existed from 800 AD to 1200 AD and during 1000 AD Christianity began to have major influence in the Viking culture (Roesdahl 27). A major religion that shaped the Viking culture is Nordic Paganism (Williams). According to Stephen Henkin who wrote an article called the Viking Fury, the Vikings admired and tried to live up to the character traits they saw their gods portraying(Henkin ). Stephen Henkin suggested that character traits the Vikings saw in the Nordic gods are virile qualities: brutality, anger, lust, and humor (Henkin). The Vikings attempted to try to shape their character from the character traits they saw their gods portraying believing that they should try to acquire these characteristics to make their gods happy. Nordic Paganism was polytheistic with the main gods being Odin, Thor and Frey (“The Pagan Library”).
The statement “The Vikings are deserving of their bad reputation” is a deeply inaccurate statement. The bad reputation of being primitive, lawless, bloodthirsty pirates of the dark ages can be challenged by a consideration of the perspectives and motivations of written records such as the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, as well as archaeological evidence that reveal the Vikings as a technologically developed people whose advanced longboats were used to surpass geographical disadvantage to trade their intricate cultural productions. Furthermore, Viking contributions to British law and linguistics is further evidence that the “heathen Northmen” were multifaceted
This book is a very important primary source for historians because it contains the only primary source concerning the Vikings before they converted to Islam, and many other accounts of important information including Viking raids. The book shows how the Eastern Vikings lived and how the Muslim world interacted with them. It also gives insight into the state of Islam in the tenth through twelfth century. Almost all of the information is this book is relevant to historians and the eye witness accounts are very useful concerning the people and places in this time period.
The story of Beowulf has captivated many centuries because of Beowulf’s heroic qualities. Beowulf was the epic hero reflecting the values and heroic ideals of the Anglo-Saxon society. He not only attained unbelievable strength, but also was honorable throughout Herot. He portrayed what an Anglo-Saxon leader should be: loyal, brave, and generous.
...ed to survive. Without this people couldn’t live and then either died or became villagers in Normandy or other countries. So yes, there was a reason behind their way of living. But it was a reason that most people now a days would understand. Everybody wants to live and care for their families. At the time, becoming a Viking was the only choice. Also, most parts of Scandinavia were bad for growing crops so they needed to steal it from other countries and villages. Vikings had a good, legitimate reason for stealing and the way they are for the most part. Perhaps there could have been a better way of finding food and caring for their families; but medieval times were violent and it may have seemed as a good way to do it. But was it really? No one really knows what could have been done instead and if it was really necessary to do. At the time it seemed to be correct.
Typically, the image of a Viking is a barbaric, bearded man plundering and destroying a neighboring village. This is actually the stereotypical viewpoint. In actuality, Vikings, have a very different image. For example, Vikings did not wear furry boots or furry armor, they did not have horned helmets, they invaded Britain, and they also were the first to discover America! They were also experts in nautical technology, crafts, trading, warfare and many other skills (Jonsson 1). With all of these traits, the Vikings seem like an unstoppable force in the European continent. But, who were the Vikings? The Vikings were actually venturesome seafarers. This means that they were travelers who were constantly exploring and looking for new areas of land. There roots can be traced all the way back to 6000 B.C. were nomadic men traveled in primitive crafts up the Denmark coast. Fast forward two millennia and these nomadic people have established permanent homes, but still using the boat for food and travel. As stated before, they were not just raiders, although they did do this frequently, but they were actually expert traders, trading all around the world. It wasn’t until around 793 A.D. that a Viking explosion took place in northern Europe (Jonsson 2). Raids began to take place on neighboring villages and their places of worship. To some this is the only type of knowledge they have about Vikings. However, their culture was something to be admired. Trading, religion, and everyday life are all important parts of a Viking culture.
The Inuit hunted and fished whale, seal, and walrus by way of a kayak or by waiting patiently near holes in the ice. They made great use of animal skins for warm and beautiful clothing as one may observe on display in the Polar World exhibit at the museum. They primarily made a living by hunting, trapping, and buying and selling handicrafts. They also traded whale blubber which was used for fuel. They traded the blubber with missionaries, whalers, and other foreigners.
The armor that the Vikings wore depended strongly on what they could provide for themselves as protection. Social status was a major factor in the quality of a warrior’s armor. One of the most important pieces of armor the Vikings used was their shield. The most common type of shield used in Viking warfare was a round shield. There were other shields during this time, but the circular shield made it extremely easy for the Vikings to move around. A...