The Impact of Viking Contact on Western Europe
explanatory Essay
402 words
The blood-thirsty Vikings had such a strong influence and impact on Western Europe that their impact of Viking contact spread throughout the world and lives on today. Three significant ways they affected the world was by the Vikings amazing technology skills of ship building and navigation as well as their polytheism religion.
The Vikings in their time were the best shipbuilders and sailors in the world. Their ships were very strong as they were made out of a very long-lasting type of wood, which was oak wood. They thought of many creative ways to make their ships more durable, such as dipping sheep?s wool in tar and then filling in the ships gaps to make it waterproof. The Vikings had long voyages, passing many parts of Europe and simultaneously speeding at least glimpses of their amazing technology skills to the people who saw there ships. For example many people from Ireland and Brittan must have seen their ships as they travelled from their homeland Scandinavia to France in the year 798. But their amazing technology skills would have not been spread throughout the world with out the help of navigation.
To navigate during the night and day they looked out for well-known landmarks such as mountains. They could also follow the sun and stars or watch out for birds that were found at different times and places of the year. Navigators were needed in the time of Vikings as they were the key to successful voyages. Without them Vikings would have never been able to sail across Western Europe and leave an impact that would actually make way into our history. Therefore their would of not been any impact to live on today. One example was when the Viking found their way into the Mediterranean Sea and raided the coasts of Spain but of course with the help of navigation. In addition to navigation, religion also did impact.
The Vikings believed in their own religion which included many gods.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the blood-thirsty vikings had such a strong influence and impact on western europe that their impact of viking contact spread throughout the world.
- Explains that the vikings were the best shipbuilders and sailors in the world. they had long voyages, passing many parts of europe and simultaneously speeding at least glimpses of their amazing technology skills to the people who saw their ships.
- Explains that navigators were needed in the time of vikings as they were the key to successful voyages. without them, they would have never been able to sail across western europe and leave an impact.
- Explains that the vikings believed in their own religion, which included many gods. they worshiped, prayed, and respected them as they believed they could control the weather.
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- Explains that scandinavia and europe shared a relationship in which each region exerted cultural, religious, and political pressures on the other. the indo-european demographical and cultural origins of scandinavia, the region’s ever-increasing christianization brought it into the european cultural continuum.
- Explains that the origin of a population is essential to an understanding of the people. in the case of early scandinavia, one must look at waves of immigration from the continent.
- Explains that the viking age was marked by a steady conversion from paganism to christianity in scandinavia.
- Analyzes how european rulers provided catalysts and continued impetus for this drastic change in religion. charlemagne demonstrated a missionary impulse toward the north.
- Explains that denmark's viking king harald bluetooth developed a great tolerance for christianity after contact with the missionary archbishop poppo who ‘proved’ the dominance of the christian god.
- Explains that the gradual christianization of the nordic lands was followed by a general politicization that brought the ruling structures in the region to parallel those throughout europe.
- Analyzes how the christianization of scandinavia led to the region becoming more involved in the religious-political conflicts embroiling the continent.
- Opines that the contributions of the norse culture and the vikings on europe should not be ignored. scandinavian explorers and merchants established trade routes from the middle east to as far away as greenland.
- Opines that the contributions of the pre-modern scandinavians to europe, and the world as a whole, cannot be ignored.
- Cites nordstrom, scandinavia since 1500, university of minnesota press, minneapolis, 2000, and ferguson, the vikings: a history, penguin, london, 2009.
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- Opines that the vikings were bloodthirsty barbarians that history has so often portrayed them as. the attacks throughout europe were brutal, but they were also extremely well planned and organised.
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- Explains that the vikings wanted free access to the fertile land and wealth of europe, which did not exist in the peninsulas of scandinavia.
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- Analyzes how the viking's attack captures the incredible.
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- Opines that the vikings were merely another invading force, though their mobility and indiscrimination about whom they slaughtered did set them apart from other violent forces.
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- Explains that over-populated cities raided other people for food, land, jewelry, and treasure, so they could sell and/or trade it for other resources.
- Explains that erik thorvaldson, born in norway, founded the first norse settlement in greenland around the years 982-986.
- Opines that they didn't wear the horned helmets because if they did, that would have been pretty cool.
- Explains that vikings were very good at navigating because they had good knowledge of the coasts of europe. they also planned their attacks very well.
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In this essay, the author
- Explains that european exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries was motivated by god (spreading christianity), gold (wealth), and glory
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- Explains that europeans were motivated by god, which is people trying to spread christianity throughout the world, not just in europe.
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- Describes their impression of the norse from charlemagne's "disorder and destruction: the annals of xanten".
- Explains that the vikings were a ruthless people. they were fearsome and feared the norse, who wrought havoc in christendom.
- Explains that not all vikings were pagan or christians, but as time went on, the vikings accepted paganism and christianity as acceptable religions.
- Explains how examining burial sites helps historians study the vikings. the pagans buried their dead with grave gods, while the christians did not.
- Explains that ragnarok was the final battle between the gods and the giants. the viking heroes believe that killing and fighting with other people is part of life.
- Explains that primsigning was an agreement between the norse and the christians, which allowed them to trade with each other.
- Explains that olaf haraldssonn was one of the forces that pushed conversion to christianity on the vikings in norway.
- Opines that the vikings were a savage people who raided and plundered all over europe, but they were not barbarians. they converted to christianity, traded with europeans, and eventually made peace.
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In this essay, the author
- Explains that vikings were venturesome seafarers who were constantly exploring and looking for new areas of land. they were also experts in nautical technology, crafts, trading, warfare and many other skills.
- Explains that the vikings were the international tradesmen of their time. they founded trading cities in scandinavia, ireland, and england and kept the trade route between byzantium and the west open.
- Explains that york was one of the biggest trading areas for the vikings. it was discovered during their raids against england.
- Explains that the vikings religion centered on pagan rituals which center around three main gods, odin, thor, and frey.
- Explains that it was part of odin's religion to perform a human sacrifice at three different points during the year, including yuletide, christmas, and summer. religious ceremonies were traditionally held outside in the open air.
- Explains that christianity was also used among the vikings in their later to middle years of existence, probably beginning before 995 a.d.
- Explains that vikings' main concerns were on food, clothing, and housing. the family lived in large groups, with an extended family.
- Explains that the vikings ate porridge, meat and fish, and shortbread. the main meat in the diet came from domesticated animals.
- Explains that vikings' clothing was made from wool and the sheep were vital to their lives. the women used dyes from minerals and vegetables, giving them yet another job in the house.
- Explains that vikings lived in a longhouse, where the walls were made of wood, and the roof was covered with turf.
- Compares the american culture with the vikings' basic needs of everyday life, religion, and exchange of goods.
2042 wordsRead More