Vikings is the modern term for seafaring people from Scandinavia who were traveling and trading from the late 8th to the early 11th centuries. Their journeys took them across the Atlantic Ocean, Europe, and the Mediterranean. 

In this multi-week course, we will be looking at different aspects of the Viking world. The class lectures will feature a slideshow presentation. There will also be discussion posts, quizzes, discussion posts, and a final project. Students will be given several options for a final project during the first week of class. Options can include, using different art styles to construct their own Viking ship or settlement, designing their own historical clothing, or making a Viking meal at home.

Week 1: An Introduction to the Viking Age: We will be covering the topics of who they were and what they did. I will be highlighting events and people of note. Additionally, we will look how Viking settlements would have looked and some of the archaeological finds that have come from known sites.

Week 2: The Journeys of the Vikings: Here we look at their ships, both their construction and usage; and map the lands that they traveled. 

Week 3. Women in the Viking Era – this section is all about Viking women. What they did, how they lived, what they wore, and what they cooked.

Week 4. Literature and Mythology – this will be an introduction to Viking mythology and literature. Among the topics covered will be the Icelandic Sagas.

Week 5. End of the Viking Age, the Icelandic Plague, and Modern Portrayals and Misconceptions – in this section, we will look at the year and events of 1066 and how this brought about an end to the Viking Age. Along with how some of their settlements persisted throughout the later portion of the Middle Age. Finally, we will discuss modern portrayals and how accurate they are compared with what has been learned in the class.