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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Bjarni do when he hears Herjolf has moved to Greenland?

2. Why do the men wish to stop at this land?

3. What does Eirik lend to Thorgest?

4. What were the characteristics of the first land that Leif and his crew land on?

5. What arrangement does Karlsefni make with Leif regarding the houses in Vinland?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where do Karlsefni and Gudrid travel? What becomes of them?

2. What does the prophecy told to Gudrid tell her about her future?

3. What do we know about the emigration from Iceland to Greenland?

4. Describe the land that Thorvald and his men reported seeing all up and down the coast.

5. Describe the descendants of Karlsefni and Gudrid.

6. How did Eirik know to look for Greenland? What did he do when he found it?

7. Explain what happened to Aud's husband and son.

8. What response does Bjarni receive when he shares his sighting of the new land?

9. How does Leif become aware of Freydis' behavior on Vinland and what does he do about it?

10. Describe the events surrounding Thorstein's death.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Newfoundland is quite possibly the site of the Viking Vinland. Write an essay about Newfoundland.

Part 1. Where is Newfoundland? What are the land and geography like?

Part 2. Who lived in Newfoundland during the time of the Vikings? What were they like?

Part 3. How does the information about Newfoundland mesh with the accounts from the Vinland sagas? Give examples to support your statement.

Essay Topic 2

Gudrid's father, Thorbjorn Vifilsson, is the son of a slave and is a respected well admired man, but is offended with another son of a slave proposes marriage to his daughter. Research and write an essay about the practice of slavery in Viking culture.

Part 1. How was the concept of slavery for the Vikings fundamentally different than the concept for slavery was for the United States? Which other cultures shared this practice?

Part 2. Where did the Vikings get their slaves?

Part 3. What were the likely and possible futures for a slave once taken by the Vikings?

Part 4. What were the social stigmas attached to slavery or having previously been a slave?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay about Erik the Red.

Part 1. Who was Erik the Red? When and where did he live and die?

Part 2. How do we know about Erick the Red? What sources do we have regarding him?

Part 3. Write a brief biography about Erik the Red. Include what he did throughout his life and his reasons for doing those things. Who were his children?

(see the answer keys)

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