WorksheetsY7 T3 History Homework 2 - Trade
Total questions: 2
Worksheet time: 10mins
The Importance of Viking Trade
Trade was a vital part of Viking society, helping them thrive in a challenging environment. The Vikings lived in regions where farming alone could not provide all the resources they needed. Through trade, they obtained goods like silver, spices, and textiles, which were not available in their homeland. This exchange of goods allowed the Vikings to improve their quality of life and strengthen their economy.
Trading towns like Birka and Hedeby played a central role in Viking trade. Birka, located in modern-day Sweden, was one of the earliest and most important trading hubs. Merchants from across Europe and beyond came to Birka to exchange goods. Hedeby, situated in present-day Denmark, was another key trading town, connecting the Vikings to the rest of Europe. These towns were bustling centers of commerce, where goods, ideas, and cultures were shared.
Trade was not just about acquiring goods; it also had a significant impact on Viking society. It helped the Vikings build relationships with other cultures and expand their influence. By trading, they gained access to new technologies and knowledge, which improved their ships and tools. Trade also allowed the Vikings to spread their own culture, including their art and craftsmanship, to distant lands.
In conclusion, trade was essential for the Vikings, enabling them to survive and prosper. Towns like Birka and Hedeby were crucial in connecting the Vikings to the wider world. Through trade, they acquired resources, built alliances, and shared their culture. The importance of trade in Viking society cannot be overstated, as it shaped their way of life and left a lasting legacy in history.
What was a vital part of Viking society that helped them thrive in a challenging environment?
Farming
Trade
Hunting
Fishing
Which trading town was located in modern-day Sweden and was one of the earliest and most important trading hubs?
Hedeby
Birka
Roskilde
Jelling
What goods did the Vikings obtain through trade that were not available in their homeland?
Silver, spices, and textiles
Gold, spices, and pottery
Iron, spices, and wood
Copper, spices, and glass
How did trade impact Viking society beyond acquiring goods?
It helped them build relationships with other cultures and expand their influence.
It allowed them to conquer new territories.
It made them self-sufficient in farming.
It led to the decline of their economy.
What was one of the ways trade helped the Vikings improve their ships and tools?
By gaining access to new technologies and knowledge.
By using local resources.
By relying solely on their craftsmanship.
By avoiding contact with other cultures.
Better shops and increasing trade in the eighth and ninth centuries led to the setting up of the first trading towns in Scandinavia. The trading towns were established in places that were easy to reach by sea and land. They contained a safe harbour, a market place, workshops and houses. Often they were under the protection of a king or powerful jarl. In the eighth century an important trading town was Birka.
Birka is on an island in Lake Maleren, part of a string of lakes that lead eastwards to the Baltic sea and westwards further into Sweden and there was a market in the centre of the town. There was a small fort, with houses and workshops leading down to the lake. In the ninth century the population of Birka was about 700. The importance of shipping to the growth of town is shown by images of ships being printed on coins made in Birka.
Archaeological finds give clues as to what businesses were carried out. Jewellery seems to have been important, with moulds for casting lead jewellery, pieces of amber and nearly a thousand glass beads. Archaeologists have also found slag and cinders from iron-working and loom weights from weavers.
What led to the establishment of the first trading towns in Scandinavia during the eighth and ninth centuries?
Better shops and increasing trade
The protection of kings and jarls
The presence of safe harbours
The growth of population
Where was the important trading town of Birka located?
On an island in Lake Maleren
On the Baltic Sea coast
In the center of Sweden
Near the North Sea
What feature in Birka demonstrated the importance of shipping to the town's growth?
Images of ships on coins
A large shipyard
A fleet of trading ships
A maritime museum
What was the approximate population of Birka in the ninth century?
700
500
1000
1200
What type of archaeological finds indicate that jewellery was an important business in Birka?
Moulds for casting lead jewellery and glass beads
Gold coins and silver ornaments
Amber statues and iron tools
Loom weights and pottery
What other industries were present in Birka according to archaeological evidence?
Iron-working and weaving
Fishing and farming
Shipbuilding and pottery
Amber carving and glass making
What was a common feature of the trading towns established in Scandinavia?
Safe harbours and marketplaces
Large fortresses and palaces
Extensive road networks
Universities and libraries
