The Viking InvadersThe Middle Ages

Lesson 11-2

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Horrible Histories – Vicious Vikings 25m

• TN SPI– 6.5.7 Recognize the world’s major historical time

periods (Middle Ages)– 6.6.1 Recognize examples of groups impacting

world history. (Vikings)– 6.1.5 Identify differences between various

cultural groups.– 6.5.5 Identify major technological advances.

(advances in weaponry)

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Charlemagne – Fields of May

• Charlemagne valued learning and knowledge. Each spring during the Fields of May, he invited scholars to teach his nobles about law and other subjects.

• He set up schools to promote learning and culture.• He spread the Christian religion, issued money, and

improved the economy.• After his death, his kingdom was divided among his

three sons. The kingdom was weakened because of fighting between the brothers.

• This opened the way for fierce attacks from a northern people called the Vikings.

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The Vikings

• Charlemagne’s kingdom faced many invaders. Among the worst, was a group from Scandinavia called the Vikings or Norsemen.

• Scandinavia – the present day countries of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

• Because the population of their homeland was growing rapidly, many Vikings left on longships to search for food and steal it if necessary.

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Viking Longships

• The Vikings were skillful shipbuilders.• Their fast-moving longships were powered by

large square sails and many strong rowers who served as fighters as well.

• Longships allowed the Vikings to reach many coastal areas of northwestern Europe and to sail inland along rivers.

• They traded animal skins, fish, iron, and timber for slaves, spices, and sugar.

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A Viking Long Ship

• Viking long ships could travel rough, open seas. A long ship could be as long as 75 feet and could carry up to 35 people.

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Fierce Warriors

• Unlike other warriors of the Middle Ages, the Vikings attacked at night or early in the morning in order to take people by surprise.

• Upon attack, these fierce fighters would often kill everyone they found and destroy what they did not take.

• The Vikings began to settle the lands they attacked taking control of England and France.

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Daily Life

• While most people think of the Vikings as seagoing warriors, most actually lived on farms or in villages.

• They built one-story homes of wood or stone.• Farmers grew oats, barley, and rye.• Some Vikings were fishermen, metal workers,

and wood carvers.

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Viking Social Classes

• There were three social classes in Viking society:– Nobles – a ruling king or chief– Working class – farmers and artisans– Slaves - captured in battle or raids

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Stories of an Unknown Land

• For a very long time, people had told stories about an unknown land between Europe and Asia.

• No one knew for sure if stories of a New World could be true.

• These stories began a new era called the Age of Exploration.

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Leif Eriksson – 975-1020

• Leif Eriksson was the son of Eric the Red, who started the first European settlement of Greenland in 985.

• He was born in Iceland around 975.• Leif was a leader of Viking expeditions and

may have been the first European to reach North America.

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Landing in North America

• In the year 1000, Leif sailed to Norway, which is where his family had originally come from.

• While he was there, he became a Christian and planned to return to Greenland to teach the Vikings about Christianity.

• As Leif sailed back to Greenland, he was blown off course and ended up in North America instead of Greenland.

• He landed in a place he called Vinland. This was probably part of Canada now called Newfoundland.

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