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America 250: Viking Beliefs and Their Comparison to the Declaration of Independence (Adults)

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From longships to liberty—discover how an unexpected medieval culture relates to ideas behind a revolutionary nation.

No—neither Leif Erikson nor Erik the Red were present in Philadelphia in 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was signed. After all, their era was nearly 800 years earlier! Surprisingly, however, many of the core values of Viking society are etched in America’s founding document. Vikings believed—much like Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin—in personal freedom of belief and action, the pursuit of one’s own destiny, representative self‑government, respect for earned status and property rights, and the rule of law applied for the benefit of the entire community. They also rejected the idea of absolute monarchy.

This presentation explores these fascinating similarities and examines the Viking roots of the enduring ideas that modern Americans continue to hold dear. This program will be presented by David Nordin, Vice President and Chair of Museum Affairs for Friends of the Viking Ship, NFP. Mr. Nordin is a retired attorney and holds a BA in European History and a JD, both from the University of Illinois at Champaign‑Urbana.

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