QUEBEC-RESEARCH-L ArchivesArchiver > QUEBEC-RESEARCH > 2004-05 > 1084565307
Subject: Excerpt Of History
Date: Fri, 14 May 2004 16:08:27 EDT
"Vikings or Norseman originated from what are now Norway, Sweden and Denmark.
The geographical location of these three Norse countries determined the route
their inhabitants took to raid, explore, and trade. The Norwegians traveled
to and raided south toward the isle of Scotland, then toward England, Ireland,
France, and even the innermost end of the Mediterranean. One route they had to
themselves was across the North Atlantic because the Norwegian coastline
afforded them easy access. The Swedes routes led them to the Baltic and south to
Russia along river ways. The Danes explored and raided west to England, south
to France, and locations beyond. Wherever Vikings went, they adopted the
language of the area. They eventually became French, Russian, Scottish, and Irish
themselves. They found, used, and traded, timber, weapons, jewels, pottery,
falcons, Arab furs, feathers, wheat, glass, spices, slaves, walrus ivory, soap
stone, tin. gold, sword blades, hides, cloth, honey, amber, wine, silk and fish."