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History: Middle School: Grades 6, 7 and 8 Quiz - Viking Explorers (Questions)

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The Vikings had explored more of the world than anyone else of their era. Viking explorers were Norse warriors, traders and pirates who raided, explored, traded and settled in wide areas of Europe including Great Britain and Ireland. The Vikings came from Norway, Sweden and Denmark and were great sailors. Unlike most people of the time they were able to navigate by the stars and so cross great oceans. They traveled as far as North America, Africa and the Near East, and colonized Iceland and Greenland. All Vikings were required to own weapons as well as permitted to carry them all the time.

1. Why did the Vikings roam?
[ ] To trade with other countries
[ ] To find new land to settle
[ ] To raid and steal gold and silver
[ ] All of these
2. When did the Vikings settle in Iceland?
[ ] In the late 400s
[ ] In the late 600s
[ ] In the late 800s
[ ] In the late 1000s
3. Who found Greenland?
[ ] Eric the Red
[ ] Leif Ericsson
[ ] Fred the Blue
[ ] Thorfinn Karlsefni
4. Who first landed in North America?
[ ] Eric the Red
[ ] Leif Ericsson
[ ] Fred the Blue
[ ] Thorfinn Karlsefni
5. Why did the Vikings leave their North American settlement?
[ ] It was too cold
[ ] There was no farming land
[ ] Fights with Indians
[ ] They were homesick
6. How far East did the Vikings travel?
[ ] Japan
[ ] Austria
[ ] Turkey
[ ] China
7. How did Vikings navigate?
[ ] With a compass
[ ] They used the sun and stars
[ ] With a sundial
[ ] They used sonar
8. What was the name of the Viking ships?
[ ] Longships
[ ] Shortships
[ ] Wideships
[ ] Narrowships
9. How many men could a Viking ship hold?
[ ] 20-40
[ ] 40-60
[ ] 60-80
[ ] 80-100
10. How were Viking ships powered?
[ ] Sails only
[ ] Oars only
[ ] Engine
[ ] Sails and oars
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History: Middle School: Grades 6, 7 and 8 Quiz - Viking Explorers (Answers)
1. Why did the Vikings roam?
[ ] To trade with other countries
[ ] To find new land to settle
[ ] To raid and steal gold and silver
[x] All of these
The land in Scandinavia - where Vikings came from - was difficult to farm so they looked for other ways to survive
2. When did the Vikings settle in Iceland?
[ ] In the late 400s
[ ] In the late 600s
[x] In the late 800s
[ ] In the late 1000s
Before the Vikings arrived nobody lived in Iceland
3. Who found Greenland?
[x] Eric the Red
[ ] Leif Ericsson
[ ] Fred the Blue
[ ] Thorfinn Karlsefni
Eric got his nickname from the color of his hair and beard
4. Who first landed in North America?
[ ] Eric the Red
[x] Leif Ericsson
[ ] Fred the Blue
[ ] Thorfinn Karlsefni
Leif was the son of Eric the Red. He discovered America 500 years before Christopher Columbus
5. Why did the Vikings leave their North American settlement?
[ ] It was too cold
[ ] There was no farming land
[x] Fights with Indians
[ ] They were homesick
The Vikings returned to North America to trade and to gather timber but they stopped living there
6. How far East did the Vikings travel?
[ ] Japan
[ ] Austria
[x] Turkey
[ ] China
The Vikings traveled all over Europe, and into Asia. They bought things like silk, spices and wine, and sold honey, wool, fur, and walrus ivory
7. How did Vikings navigate?
[ ] With a compass
[x] They used the sun and stars
[ ] With a sundial
[ ] They used sonar
As well as using the sun and stars, Vikings found their way by following the coasts or looking for landmarks like islands or mountains
8. What was the name of the Viking ships?
[x] Longships
[ ] Shortships
[ ] Wideships
[ ] Narrowships
Longships were the best ships in the world at the time. They were used by the Vikings for troop transports rather than for fighting
9. How many men could a Viking ship hold?
[ ] 20-40
[ ] 40-60
[x] 60-80
[ ] 80-100
There were different sized longships but the biggest could carry around 80 men
10. How were Viking ships powered?
[ ] Sails only
[ ] Oars only
[ ] Engine
[x] Sails and oars
When the wind dropped the men would row the ship