Who were the Vikings? They were fierce warriors and cruel raiders who conquered many places. They were great poets and storytellers. The Vikings were also brave explorers, good sailors, and skilled shipbuilders.
The Vikings’ home was in northern Europe. They lived in the countries we now know as Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. They were most active from the late 8th century CE to the late 11th century CE. Vikings went all over the world. They were looking for land, gold, silver, and people to enslave. They discovered Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands. They were probably the first Europeans to go to North America. But they left a trail of terror behind them.
Other names for the Vikings were Northmen and Norsemen. Some think of them as barbarians (crude people). Others think they were smart and took advantage of any situation. People say the Vikings did a lot for civilization. Come travel with these famous, and dangerous, sailors of the past and decide for yourself what they were like.
