“Scandinavia’s history has always been shaped by its geography and orientation to the sea.  The shortage of good farmland in Scandinavia on the whole, however, compelled the Vikings to journey outward. Thus, the sea became an omnipresent part of life. Not only did the barrenness of the soil make the sea an important source of food, but the region’s terrain made water the easier mode of travel for the thinly scattered populations of Scandinavia.”

Source: rigea.maps.arcgis.com

A student of mine produced this excellent Story Map after being inspired by the History Channel’s TV show, Vikings.  History is so often shaped by geographic factors and better understood with maps.     

 

Tags: mapping, historical, StoryMap,  ESRI, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Norway.