What Was the Viking's Homeland Like?
The Vikings homeland has a positive impact on their growth to success. Originating from Scandinavia, the three countries Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, the Vikings set off in search of better farmland than their countries had to offer. Norway along with parts of Sweden were very mountainous, with many forests which supplied plenty wood, though in this area fertile soil was scarce. The winters were long, especially to the north and east. Most lived in mild, fertile Denmark, rather than rugged Norway, although Norway was eight times larger than Denmark. Here people traveled by foot, horseback, or wagon, though much prefered to travel by sea when they could because it was faster and safer. Modern roads did not exist but instead there were unsurfaced tracks that allowed transportation. Also, in marshy area there would be thick branches put into place and on important roads there were both wooden tracks and pavement for carts. According to Neil Grant, author of “Everyday Life of the Vikings”, “... Scandinavia covers nearly 309,000 square miles. The land and climate of this huge region vary greatly”.
The Vikings settled mostly in northern Scotland and eastern England where farming and animals became an important part of their lives. The Vikings studied the wild animals around them and from there learned the best ways to trap them for food and their fur, their new lands were home to species of animals such as the reindeer, lynx, wolverines, lemmings, elk, red deer, bears, and seals. They also their domestic animals, cattle, goats, pigs, sheep, and hens, using their skins, wool, and leather for clothing. Most Vikings were farmers who spent much time tending to their land. Onions and cabbages were grown by the house, and apples were uncovered so it is assumed that they had apple orchards near. Farther out where the fields were, oats, rye, wheat, barley were grown. Their fields were surrounded by stone walls to keep domestic and wild animals away. Each of the Vikings farms were fairly similar to each other, each having the fields and a longhouse, also known as the main building. This is where the farmer's family and animals lived. The Vikings used anything they could find in their land to build these buildings, many of these farms had trees so the houses were often composed of wood. Some were built of stone. The roof was woven of straw or reeds. At the gable of the building there were carved wooden boards known as vergeboards, in order to stop the wind from tearing of the roof. The main room in the house was called a fire hall, or skali in the evenings.The skali was still the most important room in the house, where the meals would be eaten and the guest would be entertained. There were long benches on the walls of the fire hall for chairs in the day and beds in the night. There would be a hole in the roof for the smoke to get out, not all smoke always got out, however, so the houses could be quite smoky and smelly at times. The earliest longhouses had one room only where everyone ate and slept. Later on longhouses had more rooms, this included a bedroom for the farmer and his wife, a room for the women to do their weaving, occasionally there was a kitchen and a dairy where food would be stored. Early on the longhouse was the only building then later on they built more buildings around the longhouse. These new buildings included the barn, otherwise known as a brye, to shelter animals, and the smithy where all the smelting was done to make tools and mend them. The Vikings geography allowed them to produce food and hunt in order to survive and reach the amount of success that they did.
The Vikings settled mostly in northern Scotland and eastern England where farming and animals became an important part of their lives. The Vikings studied the wild animals around them and from there learned the best ways to trap them for food and their fur, their new lands were home to species of animals such as the reindeer, lynx, wolverines, lemmings, elk, red deer, bears, and seals. They also their domestic animals, cattle, goats, pigs, sheep, and hens, using their skins, wool, and leather for clothing. Most Vikings were farmers who spent much time tending to their land. Onions and cabbages were grown by the house, and apples were uncovered so it is assumed that they had apple orchards near. Farther out where the fields were, oats, rye, wheat, barley were grown. Their fields were surrounded by stone walls to keep domestic and wild animals away. Each of the Vikings farms were fairly similar to each other, each having the fields and a longhouse, also known as the main building. This is where the farmer's family and animals lived. The Vikings used anything they could find in their land to build these buildings, many of these farms had trees so the houses were often composed of wood. Some were built of stone. The roof was woven of straw or reeds. At the gable of the building there were carved wooden boards known as vergeboards, in order to stop the wind from tearing of the roof. The main room in the house was called a fire hall, or skali in the evenings.The skali was still the most important room in the house, where the meals would be eaten and the guest would be entertained. There were long benches on the walls of the fire hall for chairs in the day and beds in the night. There would be a hole in the roof for the smoke to get out, not all smoke always got out, however, so the houses could be quite smoky and smelly at times. The earliest longhouses had one room only where everyone ate and slept. Later on longhouses had more rooms, this included a bedroom for the farmer and his wife, a room for the women to do their weaving, occasionally there was a kitchen and a dairy where food would be stored. Early on the longhouse was the only building then later on they built more buildings around the longhouse. These new buildings included the barn, otherwise known as a brye, to shelter animals, and the smithy where all the smelting was done to make tools and mend them. The Vikings geography allowed them to produce food and hunt in order to survive and reach the amount of success that they did.
The Vikings originated from the countries of Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. They left Scandanavia for better geographic location and more fertile land. They then settled, mostly, in Eastern England and Northern Scotland.
The Vikings and the Mesopotamians are similar and different in their geography.
The Vikings and the Mesopotamians, both, had very fertile land. The Mesopotamians had natural rivers and gulfs around them that supplied fresh water, resulting in their producible land. The Mesopotamians leading crop was barley and wheat, the Vikings also grew barley and wheat, among many other things, though mostly grain. The Mesopotamians land was fertilized by mostly the Persian Gulf and the gulf branched off into the twin rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers. These rivers surrounded the Mesopotamian area giving them fresh water and well flooded land. Where the Vikings settled, mostly northern Scotland and eastern England, was fertile as well, being they were surrounded by water and not as rocky as the Vikings origin land. In the book Human Heritage: A World History by Glenco it is stated that, "The chief crop of the Sumerians was barely. The Sumerians also grew wheat, sesame, flax, fruit trees, date palms, and many different kinds of vegetables".
The Vikings homeland was rocky and infertile. This area included the countries of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It was often cold with long winters and there was many trees and forests. Once the Vikings migrated to find better land for farming they settled in what is now Scotland and England. Their land was more fertile and they could grow many more crops, though there were still cold seasons. Though there was better soil, the terrain was still rocky and mountainous. However, Mesopotamia was geographically different, depending on the part the empire you were in. The area that is now modern Iraq is made up of different regions, each having it's own geography. Each region's terrain and natural resources affected the way people lived. Northern Mesopotamia consisted of hills and plains, with land that was reasonably fertile due to the seasonal rain and flooding. Southern Mesopotamia was mostly marsh and flat, barren plains. Cities were located and developed along the Tigris and Euphrates. This area of Mesopotamia did not contain much natural resources so contact with other areas was very important.
The Mesopotamians and Viking’s geography was similar and different in many ways.
The Vikings and the Mesopotamians, both, had very fertile land. The Mesopotamians had natural rivers and gulfs around them that supplied fresh water, resulting in their producible land. The Mesopotamians leading crop was barley and wheat, the Vikings also grew barley and wheat, among many other things, though mostly grain. The Mesopotamians land was fertilized by mostly the Persian Gulf and the gulf branched off into the twin rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers. These rivers surrounded the Mesopotamian area giving them fresh water and well flooded land. Where the Vikings settled, mostly northern Scotland and eastern England, was fertile as well, being they were surrounded by water and not as rocky as the Vikings origin land. In the book Human Heritage: A World History by Glenco it is stated that, "The chief crop of the Sumerians was barely. The Sumerians also grew wheat, sesame, flax, fruit trees, date palms, and many different kinds of vegetables".
The Vikings homeland was rocky and infertile. This area included the countries of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It was often cold with long winters and there was many trees and forests. Once the Vikings migrated to find better land for farming they settled in what is now Scotland and England. Their land was more fertile and they could grow many more crops, though there were still cold seasons. Though there was better soil, the terrain was still rocky and mountainous. However, Mesopotamia was geographically different, depending on the part the empire you were in. The area that is now modern Iraq is made up of different regions, each having it's own geography. Each region's terrain and natural resources affected the way people lived. Northern Mesopotamia consisted of hills and plains, with land that was reasonably fertile due to the seasonal rain and flooding. Southern Mesopotamia was mostly marsh and flat, barren plains. Cities were located and developed along the Tigris and Euphrates. This area of Mesopotamia did not contain much natural resources so contact with other areas was very important.
The Mesopotamians and Viking’s geography was similar and different in many ways.
The Vikings were experts at sea, as that was their main transportation. The Vikings traveled by water as much as they could, due to the fact that it was faster and safer.