The Impacts of the Vikings Seen Today
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Campus where you would like to present
Ellensburg
Event Website
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source
Start Date
16-5-2021
End Date
22-5-2021
Keywords
Vikings, Influence, Medieval
Abstract
The general perception of the Viking Age is of an era filled with extreme violence. Men and women from northern Europe did raid and pillage many other European kingdoms throughout this time period, but they also traded, explored, and participated in the spread of ideas and culture. While there is no doubt that the Viking Age was filled with bloodshed there has been an overemphasis on the violence of this era. This false perception of the Viking Age arises from the lack of historical accounts written by the Vikings. The Vikings rarely wrote anything down; instead, they told stories orally. Many written accounts of their history came from members of Christian Europe, mainly churchmen, which resulted in the over exaggeration of the violence done by the Viking within these accounts. Unfortunately, this common narrative of the Viking Age overlooks their broader contributions to modern civilizations. When in truth, it is because of the Vikings’ impact on everyday things, exploration, trade, and the formation of countries, that our world looks like it does today.
Recommended Citation
McCutcheon, Jasper, "The Impacts of the Vikings Seen Today" (2021). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 11.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2021/CAH/11
Department/Program
English
Additional Mentoring Department
https://cwu.studentopportunitycenter.com/the-impacts-of-the-vikings-seen-today/
The Impacts of the Vikings Seen Today
Ellensburg
The general perception of the Viking Age is of an era filled with extreme violence. Men and women from northern Europe did raid and pillage many other European kingdoms throughout this time period, but they also traded, explored, and participated in the spread of ideas and culture. While there is no doubt that the Viking Age was filled with bloodshed there has been an overemphasis on the violence of this era. This false perception of the Viking Age arises from the lack of historical accounts written by the Vikings. The Vikings rarely wrote anything down; instead, they told stories orally. Many written accounts of their history came from members of Christian Europe, mainly churchmen, which resulted in the over exaggeration of the violence done by the Viking within these accounts. Unfortunately, this common narrative of the Viking Age overlooks their broader contributions to modern civilizations. When in truth, it is because of the Vikings’ impact on everyday things, exploration, trade, and the formation of countries, that our world looks like it does today.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2021/CAH/11
Faculty Mentor(s)
Paula Collucci