Vikings

What can we learn about Vikings? From each of these passages? Tri-fold a piece of paper.

In this year, terrible portents appeared over Northumbria, and miserably frightened the inhabitants: these were exceptional flashes of lightning, and fiery dragons were seen flying in the air. A great famine soon followed these signs, and a little after that in the same year on June 8 the harrying of the heathen miserably destroyed God's church in Lindisfarne. Lo, it is nearly 350 years that we and our fathers have inhabited this most lovely land, and never before has such terror appeared in it as we have now suffered from a pagan race. Behold the church spattered with the blood of priests, despoiled of all its ornaments, and given as a prey to pagan peoples....What should be expected for other places, when the divine judgment has not spared this holy place?

The dead chieftain was put in a temporary grave which was covered for ten days until they had sewn new clothes for him. One of his thrall women volunteered to join him in the afterlife and she was guarded day and night, being given a great amount of intoxicating drinks while she sang happily. When the time had arrived for cremation, they pulled his longship ashore and put it on a platform of wood, and they made a bed for the dead chieftain on the ship. Thereafter, an old woman referred to as the “Angel of Death” put cushions on the bed. She was responsible for the ritual. Then they disinterred the chieftain and gave him new clothes. In his grave, he received intoxicating drinks, fruits and a stringed instrument. The chieftain was put into his bed with all his weapons and grave offerings around him. Then they had two horses run themselves sweaty, cut them to pieces, and threw the meat into the ship. Finally, they sacrificed a hen and a rooster… Thereafter, the thrall girl was taken away to the ship… Two men grabbed her hands and two men her wrists. The angel of death put a rope around her neck and while two men pulled the rope, the old woman stabbed the girl between her ribs with a knife. Thereafter, the relatives of the dead chieftain arrived with a burning torch and set the ship aflame. It is said that the fire facilitates the voyage to the realm of the dead... Afterwards, a round barrow was built over the ashes and in the center of the mound they erected a staff of birch wood, where they carved the names of the dead chieftain and his king. Then they departed in their ships.

Simulation – The Thing

Choose a Viking name for your family Boys - __________son Girls - __________sdatter Possibilities: ◦Sven ◦Hans ◦Ander ◦Nels ◦Olaf ◦Christen ◦Jens ◦Steven ◦Thom ◦Jeppa

You have lived long, but you don’t have enough food for everyone in your village. Try to migrate Go i-Viking Try to wait it out

In Iceland -Erik the Red, your leader, killed the wrong guy Migrate go i-Viking Try and wait it out

In Greenland – you once again find that you cannot feed the population migrate go i-Viking Try and wait it out

Vinland (Newfoundland) Congratulations: You are the first Europeans to set foot in the New World! You get nothing - except now you are a historical footnote 1. 1 You Continue

Your entire village is slaughtered. You’re all dead. Try again? Continue

Lindisfarne -You raid the monastery and get a lot of silver!

Invasion by Harold Fairhair -He sends a message – he wants you to fight with him Surrender and join his army Fight him Flee to England

Welcome to Iceland! You stay here, in the land of fire and ice, forever knowing that your descendants’ blood will flow red like a true Viking! Continue

Invasion of your new English homeland -by William the Conqueror Surrender Fight Flee

Welcome to Normandy! After successfully conquering a great many areas, Harold sends you to settle in northern France. This region is called Normandy because of you, the Northmen.

Invasion of England -William the Conqueror Go with him Stay and refuse to fight with him

And in England… You’ve helped settle a new home. Your descendants will sit in AP World History class, little knowing that, beneath their nice, English name, their blood flows red like the true Vikings they are! No wonder they always want to raid the kitchen…. You have won!

The End

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