The Victorious Vikings and The Hanseatic League

Who were they? The Vikings were Scandinavian seafarers that would invade villages to obtain treasure, as well as steal wives and children The Vikings are often judged by that single decision, but they were not only raiders, but also traders The Hanseatic League was the result of German and Scandinavian merchants banding together to protect trade among each other and throughout the Atlantic ocean Both the Hanseatic League and the Vikings were related, not just because they were both Scandinavian, but also because the pillaging ways of the Vikings also caused the League to protect trade

Means of Transportation The Vikings traveled by sea. They sailed in boats that were carved in the shapes of sea serpents. These represented strength at sea The People that traded within the Hanseatic League were seafarers

What was happening at the time? The time of the Vikings was from the late 8th century to the early 11th century. The Hanseatic League lasted from the mid-12th century to the mid-13th century At the time, which was known as the Middle Ages, Western Europe was experiencing economic problems. The Catholic church struggled for power against the Frankish Empire, which later became the Carolingian Empire, then the Holy Roman Empire.

Significant People Leif Ericson, the leader of the Vikings, has been widely regarded as the first person to have reached North America. He reached shore around 500 years before Christopher Columbus

Spread of Products and Ideas The Vikings traded honey, tin, wheat, wool, wood, iron, fur, leather, fish and walrus ivory. Animal remains, such as the walrus ivory (tusks) and fur pelts, were used for a variety of things, mainly for tools and clothing, as well as food. These items were also traded by merchants that were part of the Hanseatic League.

Historical Significance The Vikings were significant in that they were able to form settlements in north America long before Christopher Columbus did. However, the settlement was in Greenland, not the U.S. The Hanseatic league would be known today as a union of workers. They demonstrated how competition can lead to the downfall of the greatest organizations

Quiz Time! Where were the Vikings located? Who created the Hanseatic League? What was its purpose? What were the Viking ships shaped like? What did they represent? What did the Vikings trade? What did the Hanseatic League trade over its networks? What was similar between the two?