Medieval Scandinavian law

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/medieval-scandinavian-law

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the legal tradition?North Germanic law, a subset of Germanic law
2. What is the primary jurisdictional units?Initially minor 'lögsögur' (law-speaking districts), later expanding to kingdoms
3. What was a "thing" in Viking times?A thing was a big gathering where free men met to make laws, choose leaders, and solve arguments. The lawspeaker guided them and everyone could speak.
4. How did Vikings pay for breaking the law?They usually paid a fine called a mulct. The amount depended on how important the person who was hurt was, so bigger fines were for higher‑rank people.

Lawspeaker (logmaðr): An official responsible for memorizing, reciting, and interpreting the law at public assemblies.
Thing (þing): A fundamental institution of Germanic and Scandinavian societies, serving as a public assembly for legal, political, and social governance.
Mulct: A monetary or material penalty imposed for a legal offense, with value often determined by the social standing of the parties involved.
Outlawry: A severe legal sanction involving banishment and forfeiture of rights, rendering the individual outside the protection of the law.