The fourth point of Diamond’s framework is friendly neighbors. As previously discussed, in Diamond’s view the Norse Greenlanders did not have a very good relationship with their neighbors the Inuits, which decreased trade between them. Also, as the weather became colder, and the icebergs increased, it was more difficult to take trade ships in and out of Greenland, causing loss of support from their trade partners in Scandinavia. The Greenlanders also had missed their opportunity to trade with people from North America. Since Scandinavia was the only “home” trade partner, the loss of trade from here had a very large impact on the Viking people. The necessities that they needed, such as timber and iron (which was helpful in maintaining/creating their cultural identity) was lost with the trade. Also, the Black Death that had struck Norway in the mid-14th century (as trading came from Norway, Scandinavia, to Iceland, then to Greenland), created an economic and political instability as it had killed half the population in Norway. This caused Norway difficulty in sending out trade ships. Also, Greenland’s primary export (walrus tusks) became less valuable to outside countries as sources of ivory started coming out of Africa. As the trade, and the Greenlanders “friendly neighbors” dwindled, was part of the “ultimate factors behind the Greenland colony’s demise” (Diamond, p. 267). McAnany and Yoffee believe that Diamond’s view is one of the two differing views on why Greenland’s trade connection had deteriorated. Another view that is seen with more relation to resilience thinking is that, instead of their trade stopping as their neighbors found trade elsewhere it was caused as a lack of interest in trade. As it was believed that “although...
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...ncy in the roles of the people, the tendency to collapse and fail increase when the circumstances the people are in suddenly change. If the land that the Norse had within their own society overlapped, and maybe even overlapped with the Inuit, the Greenlanders would have had a better chance at a resilient survival. The last point of resilience would be ecosystem services, where the Norse Greenlanders would try to help their environment and become more aware of their surroundings. When they appreciate the trees that gave them their resources, and try to help in return by planting more trees, they would be more resilient in their society. There are many ways in which the Norse Greenland would need to reorganize and become more resilient, however the Norse lived for as long as they could under the circumstances they found and put themselves in before leaving Greenland.
This discovery was made by the Scandinavian explorer Hans Egede, 300 years ago when he went out in search of the lost Greenland colonies. Although Hans was unsuccessful at finding the lost colonies he did find the local Inuit. He recorded in his ship’s log his interaction with them. The ship’s log tells many oral stories from the Inuit people claiming that their Thule ancestors fought the Norse Vikings for their iron and ultimately killed them off. Hans Egede ship’s log also confirms that the Thule were great survivors and warriors, whilst being directly related to the modern day Inuit. Niobe Thompson concludes that the Thule odyssey ended in Greenland right when the Inuit odyssey began. Even though the Thule journey ended their traditions and ways of survival are still used in Inuit communities
They landed in Virginia unaware of the treacherous winter that was nearing. They found out very quickly that the heavenly narrative was quite the opposite. Staying alive was hard for many, especially when the first winter came. A staggering amount of people died the first winter even with the helping hand of the Native Americans. Edward portrayed the relationship between the two groups as peaceful as the Native Americans took the settlers under their wing. He noted that “The old planters (as they thought now come to reape the benefit of their long travels) placed with wonderful content upon their private dividends, and the planting of particular Hundreds and Colonies pursed with a hopeful alacrity, all our projects…in a faire way, and their familiarity with the natives, seeming to open a faire gate for their conversation to Christianitie.” This demonstrates that there was no tension between the settlers and Native Americans. The hospitality shows courteous relationship they shared with one another. Gary Nash shares the same stance of a peaceful friendship when he wrote about trade, stating that “Only a friendly Indian could be a trading Indian. If trade was key to overseas development, then English promoters logically suggested that the Indian might be receptive and generous- a person who could be wooed and won to the advantages of trade.” In other words, there was conflict with one another due
When the Vikings landed they were not friendly. The Vikings killed 10 Indians while they were sleeping (Weiner 4). That did not bold well with the Indians that upset them immensely. The Vikings did not like that they were outnumbered by the Indians (Weiner 4). The Indians did not like the Vikings at all. The Vikings tried to make peace with the Native Americans, but the Native Americans did not accept it. The Indians wanted the Vikings gone. Norse colony tried to establish itself in Newfoundland according to the sages (Clarke 177). Thorwald died trying to make the same trip his brother Leif had done to get to Vinland and an arrow belonging to the Native Americans killed him. (Clarke 177). Thorwald had made a home and settled before he died. Even after his death his family had stayed for a short time. Then it had gotten too dangerous for the Vikings so they had to leave. Hostility from Native Americans made their period there short lived (Clarke 178). The Indians had driven the Vikings out of North America. The Vikings left and only came
Many people think that Christopher Columbus was the first European to set foot in America, but this conventional belief is wrong; Leif Erikson, a Norse explorer set foot in Newfoundland almost 500 years before Columbus was even born. This paper will cover everything about Leif Erikson’s life including his grandfather’s banishment from Norway, and Leif’s father’s exile from Iceland. Leif Erikson’s early life, his family, and his visit to Norway to serve under the king. The first recorded European to see North America, Bjarni Herjólfsson, and Leif Erikson’s voyage to America. This paper is also going to talk about Leif Erikson’s brother, Thorvald Erikson’s voyage to Vinland because his tale is interesting. Near the end of this research paper, it will have a paragraph on Leif Erikson’s later life. Finally at the end of this paper it is going to talk about the unknown reason why no other Europeans sailed to Vinland, and Leif’s impact on modern day North America.
Brown, DeNeen L. "Culture Corrosion in Canada's North; Forced Into the Modern World, Indigenous Inuit Struggle to Cope." The Washington Post 16 July 2001, page A01.
Reasons attributing to the Viking’s success included their inability to be stopped by Western Europe and the fear that was installed into the residents of Western Europe. The viciousness of the attacks is clearly described in the Three Sources on the Ravages of the Northmen in Frankland, c. 843 – 912. The collection of these three texts describe various Viking attacks throughout Frankland, giving the reader a clear idea of the horror that the people of Frankland endured when attempting to resist the
There are quite a few sagas that reveal the true historical society of Iceland. "Egil's Saga records how, on arrival, the settler Skallagrim and his companions 'went out fishing and seal-hunting, and collecting the eggs of wild foul, for there was plenty of everything" (Gary Martin, pg.1). In Iceland, the immigrants held to the farming traditions that they had in Norway, so not much changed in the transition. One histo...
Martha of the North (2009) provides an example. The Inuit’s language and culture were affected by the deprivation of education as well as the need to survive, putting a disadvantage at their culture advancing because they were too busy trying to stay alive. People were hurt physically. As the documentary describes, the High Arctic is completely dark for a duration of three months in the winter, making it difficult for the Inuit to differentiate between salt water and fresh water ice bergs. They would often times break their tools and hurt themselves. Their psychology health was affected by the depressing state they lived in, to the point that many were dying due to the harsh conditions and committing suicide. Martha of the North (2009) also describes how social relations are interfered with, when Martha and her best friend were unable to be together when the lake melted in the summer. The Inuit’s daily actions were all affected by the interrelation of the environment they were in, the condition that their bodies were in, as well as the well-being of their mind. These are connected to one another, as one factor would influence the
A large portion of the Inuit culture was developed based upon the need to survive. Migratory societies such as the Inuit were driven by the need for food to feed its members, by the availability of trade to secure resources not normally available ...
Analyzing the Norse Collapse from Diamond’s view, the first factor that he examines is the environmental damage aspect. He states that “The Greenland Norse damaged their environment in at least three ways: by destroying the natural vegetation, by causing soil erosion, and by cutting turf” (Diamond, p.248). Diamond believes that when the Vikings arrived, they began burning woodlands to clear areas for their livestock, and cut many trees down for shelter and firewood. When the Greenlanders began raising animals such as cows, sheep and goats, the amount of fodder for the animals increased, which in turn increased the amount of farming they had to do to maint...
The Norse religion is the religion of the Norse people prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia. It may seem as though the religion’s influence has died out, but it still affects our culture today. The general mythology is well known, but the details, such as how the lore was passed down from generation to generation, is obscure.
To many outsiders the Arctic is pictured as a deserted, blank piece of land with no life. Little did they know that the Arctic Region is actually inhabited by many native Alaskan groups, and that still to this day continue practicing their subsistence lifestyle. Native Alaskan groups such as the Gwich'in Indians, Inupiat Eskimos, Yup'ik and Aleut still depend on the geographic features of the Arctic. For not only their subsistence lifestyle, but also the preservation of their culture.
The Viking community was a diverse group of people, from Kings, Jarls, and great warriors to poets and scholars. Extended famili...
Trading was a critical part to the culture life of a Viking. This task brought in many important goods that the Vikings needed to live an ordinary life. The Vikings were the international tradesmen of their time. In Constantinople (Istanbul) they traded silk and spices for slaves that they had brought from Russia. They Amber they found in the Baltic area and they brought furs, skins, and walrus tusk ivory to the trading towns in Western Europe from the northern parts of the world such as Greenland. The Vikings founded trading cities in Scandinavia such as Birka, Ribe, Hedeby and Skiringsal. In Ireland they founded terrific trade in Dublin and, in England, they made the city of York flourish to become the most important trading town outside of London (La Fay 149-150). At a time when old trade routes between east and west thro...
Vikings were a Norse-speaking, seafaring people who lived from the 8th to 11th centuries, mainly in Scandinavia. They were expert sailors who, starting in late 700s, looted and burned civilizations along rivers and coasts of Europe and Asia. They traded, sailed and explored across the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, opening trade routes that connected Europe to the Mediterranean lands. During this time, some of the population settled in the kingdoms that they were exploring; namely England, Ireland, northern France and Russia. One of the main influences that the surrounding cultures had on them was through religion. As the Vikings came in contact with Christianity through their raids, it began to form a unique fusion of Christian influence, while still holding on to many aspects of their pagan lifestyle. Not many primary sources remain from pre-Christian Viking society as much of their culture was destroyed during the Christianization process. The extremely strong oral tradition and the artifacts that remain are what the knowledge of the culture is based on. The pagan culture interests me, as I can still examine influences of it on my Scandinavian family today.