12.4 Flashcards
What is a thing in the context of Viking society?
A gathering or assembly that determined laws
Things acted like a parliament and court, where laws were made, changed, and judged.
How often were things held in Viking communities?
Once a year
Who could attend and speak at a Viking thing?
Only landowners
What role did the law speaker have in Viking society?
To remember and recite all laws during the thing
True or False: Viking laws were written down until the twelfth century.
False
List two activities conducted at Viking things.
- Existing laws were recited
- New laws were made or changed
What was the Althing?
The first parliament in the world, located in Iceland
When did the Althing first meet?
In 930 CE
What is the significance of the Lögberg at the Althing?
It is where the law speaker proclaimed the laws
What harsh punishment could be given for breaking a law in Viking society?
Death or being made a full outlaw
Fill in the blank: The Viking economy was initially based on _______.
[farming]
What geographic challenges did Vikings face for farming?
- Mountainous landscapes
- Thick forests
- Harsh winters
What was a major means of trade that connected the Vikings to eastern traders?
The Silk Road
Name three goods that Viking traders exported.
- Timber
- Leather shoes
- Fur
Name three goods that Viking traders imported.
- Wheat
- Iron
- Silks
What type of trading method did Vikings initially use?
Bartering
True or False: Viking trade was only conducted through bartering.
False
List three towns that became busy centers of trade due to Viking colonization.
- York (England)
- Kiev (Ukraine)
- Dublin (Ireland)
What evidence suggests that Vikings traded with Russia?
Stashes of foreign coins found in Sweden and Viking tools found at trading sites in Russia
What does the term bartering refer to?
The exchanging of goods or services between people
Discuss the significance of the Althing in the context of continuity and change in Iceland.
The Althing reflects both the historical governance structure and the evolution into modern parliamentary democracy
It was abandoned for a time but later became the name of Iceland’s parliament.
