Rights and Freedoms
In the Viking homelands, society was governed by local assemblies called things. They discussed important political matters, made laws and decided punishments for law- breaking. Every Viking freeman was allowed to attend and speak at these gatherings, which usually took once a year.
As they settled in new places around the world, the Vikings often set up things there too. In fact, these assemblies remained important for longer in some settlements than in Scandinavia, where kings gradually took away much of their power.
Vikings lived and belonged in small groups or in big groups each clan or group had their own land and lived in a particular town. At each town they held assembly's or meetings to discuss a wide range of things such as law, religion and politics.
Vikings did not tolerate violence and their legal system stated that any death or murder committed on a guilty act, would lead to trails that could lead to execution to the offender.
Women did not have the same but, lower equal rights, then men things, which they could only own their land, ships and lead trading expeditions. Most wives had to guard and maintain the farm if they owned one if the husband were away. They were permitted to carry out business transactions on the permission behalf of their husband. The expectations and responsibility of a viking woman was simple and it was to cook, clean, wash, spinning, making clothes,bringing up the children and to educate them.
As they settled in new places around the world, the Vikings often set up things there too. In fact, these assemblies remained important for longer in some settlements than in Scandinavia, where kings gradually took away much of their power.
Vikings lived and belonged in small groups or in big groups each clan or group had their own land and lived in a particular town. At each town they held assembly's or meetings to discuss a wide range of things such as law, religion and politics.
Vikings did not tolerate violence and their legal system stated that any death or murder committed on a guilty act, would lead to trails that could lead to execution to the offender.
Women did not have the same but, lower equal rights, then men things, which they could only own their land, ships and lead trading expeditions. Most wives had to guard and maintain the farm if they owned one if the husband were away. They were permitted to carry out business transactions on the permission behalf of their husband. The expectations and responsibility of a viking woman was simple and it was to cook, clean, wash, spinning, making clothes,bringing up the children and to educate them.