2. Vikings Who Were They? –Lived in small settlements along the coast of Scandinavia –Livelihood from the sea –Developed navigational aids –Sailed along coast of Europe, Mediterranean and Russia

4. Why Explore? Population boom led to food and land shortage Looking for a warmer climate Conflict Didn’t agree with paying taxes

7. Navigation Used a sunstone - a rock with magnetic properties as a type of compass. Used shadows on the ship - could hold course on a single latitude but this is only good during the day Used polar star at night Sailed towards the setting sun - rises in east sets in west

8. History Settled in Iceland by 870 In 985, 25 ships and Eric the Red set sail for Greenland (fertile at the time) Eleven ships were lost Colony last for 500 years Barjorni loses his way and ends up on Baffin Island (helluland)

9. More ships set out to explore lands to the west 1000 CE Leif Eriksson (son on Eric the Red) makes his way down the coast of Labrador (Markland) and establishes a settlement at L’anse Aux Meadows, Newfoundland (Vinland) Left after three years