The Vikings and Erik the Red WORLD HISTORY READERS Level 2-⑩ The Vikings and Erik the Red

Explorers and Settlers What is a Viking? Some of the greatest explorers were the Vikings. They lived in Northern Europe more than a thousand years ago. The word Viking means “pirate.” That is because the Vikings sailed across the sea looking for places to attack. They sailed from their homes and settled across Europe and all the way to North America! The Vikings attacked and killed people with sharp axes and knives.

What was life like for a Viking? How fast were their ships? The Life of a Viking Food The Vikings ate two meals a day. They ate mostly fish, meat, and bread. They ate with knives and spoons. What was life like for a Viking? Personal Hygiene The Vikings were also very clean. They took baths about once a week, more than most people at that time. The Vikings built beautiful sailing ships that were very fast. These ships allowed the Vikings to travel quickly across the sea. The Vikings buried their dead heroes in their boats. They often set these on fire. How fast were their ships? They could travel up to two hundred kilometers a day!

The Most Famous Viking of All Who was a famous Viking? One famous Viking explorer and adventurer was called Erik the Red. He was named after his red hair. Erik the Red was born in Norway but moved to Iceland when he was about 10 years old. What was he like? A pretty town in Iceland today As an adult, he had a bad temper. And he was kicked out of Iceland for murder. He was forced to leave in about the year 982.

Where did Erik the Red go? A Route to Greenland Where did Erik the Red go? He sailed to Greenland. What did he do there? For a few years, Erik explored Greenland and settled there. He chose a nice sounding name for this new land, so people would want to go there. This worked. Eriksfjord in Greenland, where Erik the Red settled In 985, Erik convinced more than 400 people from Iceland to move to Greenland. They sailed to Greenland on 25 ships.

A Difficult Environment Was Greenland a nice place to live? No, it wasn’t. Greenland was actually an extremely difficult environment for Erik and his settlers. To begin with, there is a lot of snow and ice, so it is not in fact very green! The summer season is short, and it is dark for much of the year. How did the settlers live? They were mostly farmers. They lived inside their homes with their animals during the winter.

Were there any other famous Vikings? Why is Leif Eriksson famous? Like Father, Like Son Were there any other famous Vikings? Leif Eriksson was another famous Viking. He was Erik the Red’s son. Why is Leif Eriksson famous? In about 1000 AD, Leif found a place that he called Vinland. Vinland was in North America, but the exact location is not known today. Many people think that it was in Newfoundland, Canada. Leif was the first person to sail to America from Europe. It was a distance of nearly 3,000 kilometers!

The Inuit No, most Greenlanders are descended from the Inuit. A village in Greenland today Are most people in Greenland today descended from Vikings? No, most Greenlanders are descended from the Inuit. Where did the Inuit come from? How did the Inuit survive? The Inuit came from North America. They knew how to live and survive in very cold places. They were whale and seal hunters. And they wore warm clothes made from fur. The Inuit arrived in Greenland after all of the Vikings were gone.

What happened to the Vikings? What About the Vikings? What happened to the Vikings? The Vikings lived in Greenland for about 500 years after Erik the Red. Then they suddenly disappeared. Greenland became much colder during this time. There was a small ice age. The Vikings probably returned to Iceland to escape the cold weather. They left behind only ruins.

Vocabulary comb n. a small, flat tool with a line of long teeth used to tidy your hair dye v. to change the color of something

Vocabulary helmet n. ice age n. a hard hat that protects the head a time when the earth’s surface is covered with ice

Vocabulary lnuit n. ruins n. native peoples of the Arctic region the broken parts that are left from an old building or town

Vocabulary warrior n. wolf n. a courageous or skilled fighter in a battle or war wolf n. a wild animal like a large dog