Exploring the World

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Exploring the World

• The Vikings

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Picture This

• Fast forward to the year 990 A.D.
• Native American societies are continuing to
  spring up throughout North America waves of
  migrants are crossing the Bering Strait to settle
  in the Americas (both North South) to make a
  life for themselves.

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Picture This

• And yet, the natives were not alone

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• No! Not Columbus

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• Led by Leif Eriksson, the Vikings would be the
  first Europeans to inhabit North America

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Food for Thought

• Who were the Vikings and where in Europe did they
  live?
• Why did they pillage, raid and steal from
  neighboring villages?
• Why were the Vikings in pursuit of land?
• What was their lifestyle like in Europe, Iceland
  Greenland?

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Vikings Notes

• Who were the Vikings and where in Europe did they
  live?
• Why did they pillage, raid and steal from
  neighboring villages?
• Why were the Vikings in pursuit of land?
• What was their lifestyle like in Europe, Iceland
  Greenland?

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Exploring the World Video Clip

• Beginning 204 400 1133

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Who were the Vikings and where in Europe did they
live?

• Vikings sailed the seas in small open ships and
  were famous for their skills as warriors and
  traders.
• Originally came from Scandinavia includes
  countries of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
• Since Scandinavia was in the Northern part of
  Europe Vikings called Norsemen People from
  the North.

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Why did they pillage, raid and steal from
neighboring villages?

• Scandinavia very cold much of the year, and
  because it is so mountainous not enough
  farmland.
• By late 700 A.D. Scandinavia had such a large
  population that there wasnt enough farmland to
  support everyone living there.
• Many as a result, were barely able to live.

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Why did they pillage, raid and steal from
neighboring villages?

• These conditions mentioned previously made some
  Vikings fierce warriors.
• They used their fine ships to raid and pillage
  communities that lay along the coast.

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Why were the Vikings in pursuit of land?

• The Vikings realized that they would have to give
  up their warrior ways because their people
  wouldnt be fed just by stealing alone.
• They needed good land where they could settle and
  farm.

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Lifestyle in Eastern England

• Built mirror image villages of those in
  Scandinavia.
• Lived in tents while houses were being built
  while men were building, the women cooked.
• Most Vikings farmed for a living close
  proximity to farmland where crops were grown.
• Specialization not all Vikings were farmers
  created other items for trade.

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Lifestyle in the North Atlantic

• While some settled in England other Vikings were
  busy building ships for exploration.
• Without any navigational instruments Vikings were
  able to find land (raven).
• 870 A.D Vikings reached Iceland

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Lifestyle in the North Atlantic

• Even though Iceland part of the Arctic Circle,
  ocean currents keep it warmer in the winter
  more so than Scandinavia.
• Plenty of grass for grazing animals and in
  certain spots farming is possible.
• Water sources allow for fishing which brought
  many Vikings from Norway and England.
• No trees built houses out of sod.
• By 960, Iceland became so populated that those
  who came after would not have access to good
  farmland.

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Lifestyle in Greenland

• Erik the Red
• Largest island in the world.
• No trees almost completely covered by glaciers.
• Farming possible in western part of Greenland.
• Many Vikings would follow Erik to Greenland
  regardless of the farming conditions because of
  the seal population.

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Extra, Extra! Read All About It!

• Why was Leif Eriksson in pursuit of new land?
  Where did he get the lofty idea that there was
  land southwest of Greenland?
• Where in North America did Leif settle?
• How did the land in the New World compare to that
  of Greenland?

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Extra, Extra! Read All About It!

• Greenland was a land without trees. Leif was in
  pursuit of lumber to build the Viking ships.
• Leif got wind of a juicy rumor Bjami Herjulfson
  who had made a mistake while sailing to
  Greenland, passed it, but found another country
  with beautiful and heavy forests (North America).
  He never pulled ashore.
• This intrigued Leif.

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Extra, Extra! Read All About It!
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Extra, Extra! Read All About It!

• Leif first settled in Helluland, then Markland
  and finally Vinland which not only had thick
  forests, but it also had an abundance of grapes,
  salmon and fertile grazing ground.
• It is believed that Leif landed in Newfoundland
  which is now the easternmost province of Canada.
• Later, he would travel southward to Nova Scotia
  (Maine Viking coin found there)

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Extra, Extra! Read All About It!
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The Viking Secret

• Since the people of Iceland and Greenland had
  little to do with those who lived in Southern
  Europe the discovery of the new land remained a
  secret from the rest of the world.
• Today, much of the Norsemen culture is unknown
  because the Vikings never recorded their
  discoveries.
• Instead the Vikings relied on an oral tradition
  or sagas - stories passed down by word of mouth
  to future generations.

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Viking Trading Routes
It is believed that Viking goods made in North
America actually reached Europe long before
Columbus sailed to the New World
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Extra, Extra! Read All About It!
Why was Leif Eriksson in pursuit of new land?
Where did he get the lofty idea that there was
land southwest of Greenland? Where in North
America did Leif settle? How did the land in
the New World compare to that of Greenland?