stone                Debate:  Were the Vikings the Scourge of Europe?



  

Proposition: The Viking raids harmed England more than they helped it


Remember:  you will be called upon to answer at least one of the questions as part of the debate; you may (should) also take part in other parts if you have things to say that differ from what your teammates have said.

 

Debate:

 

Team 1:  argue for the Proposition

 

Team 2:  argue against the Proposition

 

 

Assigned questions - Team 1:

1.  Background -  Describe the peoples of Scandinavia before 787, including their contacts with places outside Scandinavia.

2.  Background -  How did a Viking raid work?

3.  Background -  Describe Scandianvian trading and settlement throughout the Atlantic and Europe from 787-1000 (Prof. Deliyannis will bring in maps)

4.  Presentation of the proposition:  what is the topic?  what is the basis of your argument?

5.  Arguments - select one significant sentence from the primary sources that that favors your side, and explain what it means

6.  Arguments - select one significant sentence from the primary sources that that favors your side, and explain what it means

7.  Arguments - select one significant sentence from the primary sources that that favors your side, and explain what it means

8.  Do the summary, summarizing your team's arguments and state why they are preferable (you can't do this ahead of time).

 

Assigned questions - Team 2:

 

1.  Background -  Give two or three theories about why the Scandinavians began taking part in Viking raids. 

2.  Background -  Describe the Viking raids in Anglo-Saxon England, 787-870 (Prof. Deliyannis will bring in maps).

3.  Background -  Describe the reign and achievements of King Alfred of England.

4.  Presentation of the proposition:  what is the topic?  what is the basis of your argument?

5.  Arguments - select one significant sentence from the primary sources that that favors your side, and explain what it means

6.  Arguments - select one significant sentence from the primary sources that that favors your side, and explain what it means

7.  Arguments - select one significant sentence from the primary sources that that favors your side, and explain what it means

8.  Do the summary, summarizing your team's arguments and state why they are preferable (you can't do this ahead of time).

 

 

Sources and further information

 

I have put an article by Simon Keynes, "The Vikings in England" (in The Oxford Illustrated History of the Vikings, ed. Peter H. Sawyer [Oxford, 1997], pp. 48-82) on Oncourse in the Resources folder, as KeynesVikings1997.pdf. 


There is information about the Vikings all over the internet.  The Wikipedia articles on Vikings (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikings) and the Viking Age (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking_Age) are not bad. 

The primary source for Alfred is his biography by Asser, which I have scanned as a PDF file and placed on Oncourse in the Resources folder as asser.pdf.

 

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a history of England that was commissioned by King Alfred; read the entries for the late eighth and ninth centuries at:

    http://avalon.law.yale.edu/subject_menus/angsax.asp