Who Were The Vikings?

Directions: Watch the video and answer the following questions. Be sure to pay close attention
and anticipate information that you will be learning based upon the questions given.
We will go over the answers as a class. Here is the video link if you would like to
access the clip at home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAF8Ai7WUss

1. What does the term ‘Vik’ mean?

2. When did the Vikings first make their appearance?

3. What original three countries made up the Vikings’ homeland?

4. There were 2 main factors that contributed to motivating the Vikings to expand their
territory. Explain how they influenced the Vikings:
a. Weather –

b. Ship Building –

5. Why would the Vikings attack monasteries?

6. How long did the Vikings assault the western world?

7. What was the Vikings’ biggest asset?

8. On Easter Sunday, what did the king offer the Vikings in order to stop their attack?

9. What does ‘Danegeld’ mean?

10. What was the negative side effect of giving the Vikings Danegeld?

11. What happened to the Vikings that settled in Normandy?

12. The ‘Blood Eagle’ is a form of what?

13. Besides raiding, how did the Vikings make a living?

14. What do we know about the health of the Vikings?

15. How did the Vikings influence our jury system?

16. Name 2 words that the English adopted from the Vikings:

17. By the end of which century did the vast majority of Vikings convert to Christianity?

18. Stories that are preserved and passed down from the Vikings themselves are called what?

19. How did Iceland get its name?

20. What land did the Vikings accidentally discover?

21. Why did Erik name the land Greenland?

22. What continent did Leif Erikson discover?

23. What does Thursday stand for?

24. What enemies did the Vikings encounter in North America?

25. Why is Iceland important to Viking history?

 Who Were The Vikings?
ANSWER KEY

Directions: Watch the video and answer the following questions. Be sure to pay close attention
and anticipate information that you will be learning based upon the questions given.
We will go over the answers as a class. Here is the video link if you would like to
access the clip at home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAF8Ai7WUss

26. What does the term ‘Vik’ mean? Bay

27. When did the Vikings first make their appearance? 7th Century AD

28. What original three countries made up the Vikings’ homeland? Norway, Denmark, Sweden

29. There were 2 main factors that contributed to motivating the Vikings to expand their
territory. Explain how they influenced the Vikings:
c. Weather – Earth becomes warmer, the population increases and people need more
space.
d. Ship Building – Improvements in boats allowed Vikings to travel over vast distances at
greater speeds. They could travel through oceans and shallow and narrow streams.

30. Why would the Vikings attack monasteries? They were filled with silver and gold relics.

31. How long did the Vikings assault the western world? 200 years

32. What was the Vikings’ biggest asset? Surprise raids

33. On Easter Sunday, what did the king offer the Vikings in order to stop their attack? Money
34. What does ‘Danegeld’ mean? Danish money

35. What was the negative side effect of giving the Vikings Danegeld? It encouraged the
Vikings to come back for more money.

36. What happened to the Vikings that settled in Normandy? They assimilated and started their
own lives. They no longer raided, started families and became European.

37. The ‘Blood Eagle’ is a form of what? Execution

38. Besides raiding, how did the Vikings make a living? Tradesman, Black Smiths, Shoe
Makers, Weavers.

39. What do we know about the health of the Vikings? They suffered from tummy bugs.

40. How did the Vikings influence our jury system? They created 12 men juries.

41. Name 2 words that the English adopted from the Vikings: Thing, Birth, Happy.

42. By the end of which century did the vast majority of Vikings convert to Christianity? 10th
Century

43. Stories that are preserved and passed down from the Vikings themselves are called what?
The Icelandic Sagas.

44. How did Iceland get its name? The land was expected to be warm and friendly, not covered
in ice.

45. What land did the Vikings accidentally discover? Greenland

46. Why did Erik name the land Greenland? To encourage people to relocate to this new land.

47. What continent did Leif Erikson discover? North America

48. What does Thursday stand for? Thor, god of thunder.

49. What enemies did the Vikings encounter in North America? Eskimos and Native Americans.

50. Why is Iceland important to Viking history? It serves as the last preserved outpost of their
lifestyle.