Viking Ships
Everyday Life
Social Structure
Law and Government
Viking Beliefs
100

What type of ship did Vikings use for long-distance travel and raids?

Longships.

100

What type of homes did most Vikings live in?

Longhouses.

100

Who was at the top of Viking society?

The King or Chieftain (Jarl).

100

What was the Viking legal assembly (or meeting) called?

The Thing. 

100

Who was the king of the Viking gods?

Odin

200

What building technique did Vikings use to make their ships lighter and faster for ocean travel?

Clinker method of overlapping planks of wood. 

200

What activity did Viking women often engage in to make clothes for their families?

Weaving and spinning wool. 

200

What was the name for Viking slaves?

Thralls. 

200

How were legal disputes typically resolved in Viking society?

Through the Thing, where leaders and community members would gather to discuss and resolve issues.

200

Which Viking god was known as the god of thunder?

Thor

300

What is the name of the Viking ship discovered in Roskilde, Denmark, in 1962?

The Skuldelev ships. 

300

How were stories passed down in society?

Word of mouth.

300

What was the term for a free Viking farmer?

Karl.

300

Name TWO types of punishment. 

  • Feuds: If a man was killed, his family sought revenge, often leading to ongoing cycles of violence for many years.

  • Duels: Disputes were sometimes settled by duels. The first to bleed lost, as it was believed the gods favoured the winner.

  • Fines: Some quarrels ended with the guilty party paying a fine (wergild) in public. The value of stolen items had to be repaid.

  • Outlaw: For serious crimes, someone could be declared an outlaw, forced to live in the wild. Killing an outlaw had no legal consequences.

300

Where did Viking warriors hope to go after death if they died in battle?

Valhalla
400

What was the main purpose of Knorr ships?

Transport goods between countries. 

400

Name TWO practical skills children were taught. 

How to light a fire, ride a horse, use a weapon, row a boat, household skills (cooking, making cloth). 

400

What social class did the Viking warriors belong to?

Karls or Jarls (depending on their wealth and status).

400

Who was responsible for deciding on a sentence?

The victim's family. 

400

What type of trees were used for the wooden planks on Viking longships?

Oak 

500

What is another name for the Viking longship?

Drakkar. 

500

Name the artefact discovered by archaeologists that showed Vikings cared about their appearance?

The comb. 

500

What was the role of Viking women in society regarding property and divorce?

Viking women could own property and request a divorce.

500

What were the leaders or judges at the Thing called? Hint: they had to remember and recite the law.

Lawspeakers. 

500

What is the name of the front of a Viking ship?

Prow