Vikings Practice Questions and Answers with complete
solution
When was the Viking period
790 - 1066 (battle of hasting) AD
Where were they from
People from Scandinavia (Sweden, Denmark and Norway)
Who were they mainly
Most;y farmers, explorers, warriors, traders and pirates
What language did they speak
spoke 'old Norse'
What sound was derived from old norse
'sk' sound are derived from old norse
Where would they usually travel
mountains, forest, fjords (sea inlets between steep cliffs, large expanses of coastline
Why did the Vikings go by sea
Because the mountains and forest were largely uninhabitable, vikings took to the sea
and traded/raided with neighbouring countries
Why did 790 mark the beginning
790 marked the beginning of their most famous raiding period
What was the famous raiding
The destruction of the abbey of Lindisfrane (england in 793) marked the beginning of
this era
What happened at the end of this period
Towards the end of this period, vikings were christianised
What was the original religion
Original religion - pagan
What does 1066 mark
1066 marks the defeat of Herold Hardrada (Norwegian/king of vikings) - this is the
date historians generally use to mark the end as more viking settlements became
christian - raids start to stop gradually
What where the Vikings
Vikings were the Norse people - the people from the north. Their language was Old
Norse and the modern Norwegian, Swedish and Danish languages all derived from it
What were the main groups of the Vikings
There were main groups in Viking society:
1. the nobility (boendr) - from whom most chiefs and kings were elected
2. freemen (karls) - farmers, trade and craftspeople, warriors (and families)
3. slaves (thralls) people who had been abducted in raids or bought in other
countries
What was the 'thing'
The 'thing' was a local assembly of free men which was called the 'thing', met each
autumn and spring to make key decisions that the chiefs had to follow in the local
province or kingdom. They dispute over property, crime and family honour. All free
men were allowed to vote.
How did the Vikings show that they were a man
, A viking showed himself to be a man of honour by following an honour code:
- supporting ones friends
- being loyal and supportive to a group to which they might belong and its leader (a
ship's crew and captain)
- taking action against ones enemies
- not bringing disgrace on ones community
Name the parts in each century
- Eighth century: sweden, skane, norway, denmark
-ninth: parts of Irelland, the rest of sweden, a part of Ireland, bits of Rus' States,
sicily, greenland parts, a part of england
- eleventh: volga bulgars, permia, finns, frisia, francia, al-andalus, coast of the
mediterranean sea, ireland, wales
- denote areas: africa,abbasid caliphate, byzantine empire, greenland, etc.
How does the timeline support Vikings as raiders
The timeline of the vikings supports them as raiders as it points out where they
would attack, settle and raid. E.g. in 900 the vikings raided the Mediterranean
coastline
How does the it show Vikings at a different angle
It also shows a different side of the vikings as it shows vikings as tactical and
survival experts as they are shown as not only raiders but a civilisation that knew to
stay to coastline as a easy way to travel and survive.
What does polytheistic mean
Polytheistic means believes in many gods
What generally longhouses
Longhouses were what vikings lived in which was made from timbre
What was a droff
Dro(accent)ff was a title given to someone who is an honourable and affective leader
Who was generally odin
Odin was the main god in asgard who lived in Valhalla, he gave his eye for
knowledge and was called the 'all father as well as the king of the vikings
What was a vikings landscape
Vikings landscape was:
- near water - fjords
- mountains
- forests
What were the important types work
The types of work that were important in the viking community were work in farming,
woodwork, metalwork and boat building
What was the benefits of family
The benefits were that the family's all worked together to help the household. It was
a fair and just system that allowed everyones rights - boys learned their father trade,
girls weaved - valued as well
What were houses generally made from
Straws for roof
timbre
turf used for walls
fire place
fur walls
barn area
chest to store special possessions
solution
When was the Viking period
790 - 1066 (battle of hasting) AD
Where were they from
People from Scandinavia (Sweden, Denmark and Norway)
Who were they mainly
Most;y farmers, explorers, warriors, traders and pirates
What language did they speak
spoke 'old Norse'
What sound was derived from old norse
'sk' sound are derived from old norse
Where would they usually travel
mountains, forest, fjords (sea inlets between steep cliffs, large expanses of coastline
Why did the Vikings go by sea
Because the mountains and forest were largely uninhabitable, vikings took to the sea
and traded/raided with neighbouring countries
Why did 790 mark the beginning
790 marked the beginning of their most famous raiding period
What was the famous raiding
The destruction of the abbey of Lindisfrane (england in 793) marked the beginning of
this era
What happened at the end of this period
Towards the end of this period, vikings were christianised
What was the original religion
Original religion - pagan
What does 1066 mark
1066 marks the defeat of Herold Hardrada (Norwegian/king of vikings) - this is the
date historians generally use to mark the end as more viking settlements became
christian - raids start to stop gradually
What where the Vikings
Vikings were the Norse people - the people from the north. Their language was Old
Norse and the modern Norwegian, Swedish and Danish languages all derived from it
What were the main groups of the Vikings
There were main groups in Viking society:
1. the nobility (boendr) - from whom most chiefs and kings were elected
2. freemen (karls) - farmers, trade and craftspeople, warriors (and families)
3. slaves (thralls) people who had been abducted in raids or bought in other
countries
What was the 'thing'
The 'thing' was a local assembly of free men which was called the 'thing', met each
autumn and spring to make key decisions that the chiefs had to follow in the local
province or kingdom. They dispute over property, crime and family honour. All free
men were allowed to vote.
How did the Vikings show that they were a man
, A viking showed himself to be a man of honour by following an honour code:
- supporting ones friends
- being loyal and supportive to a group to which they might belong and its leader (a
ship's crew and captain)
- taking action against ones enemies
- not bringing disgrace on ones community
Name the parts in each century
- Eighth century: sweden, skane, norway, denmark
-ninth: parts of Irelland, the rest of sweden, a part of Ireland, bits of Rus' States,
sicily, greenland parts, a part of england
- eleventh: volga bulgars, permia, finns, frisia, francia, al-andalus, coast of the
mediterranean sea, ireland, wales
- denote areas: africa,abbasid caliphate, byzantine empire, greenland, etc.
How does the timeline support Vikings as raiders
The timeline of the vikings supports them as raiders as it points out where they
would attack, settle and raid. E.g. in 900 the vikings raided the Mediterranean
coastline
How does the it show Vikings at a different angle
It also shows a different side of the vikings as it shows vikings as tactical and
survival experts as they are shown as not only raiders but a civilisation that knew to
stay to coastline as a easy way to travel and survive.
What does polytheistic mean
Polytheistic means believes in many gods
What generally longhouses
Longhouses were what vikings lived in which was made from timbre
What was a droff
Dro(accent)ff was a title given to someone who is an honourable and affective leader
Who was generally odin
Odin was the main god in asgard who lived in Valhalla, he gave his eye for
knowledge and was called the 'all father as well as the king of the vikings
What was a vikings landscape
Vikings landscape was:
- near water - fjords
- mountains
- forests
What were the important types work
The types of work that were important in the viking community were work in farming,
woodwork, metalwork and boat building
What was the benefits of family
The benefits were that the family's all worked together to help the household. It was
a fair and just system that allowed everyones rights - boys learned their father trade,
girls weaved - valued as well
What were houses generally made from
Straws for roof
timbre
turf used for walls
fire place
fur walls
barn area
chest to store special possessions
