No&mdash\;neither Leif Erikson nor Erik th e Red were present in Philadelphia in 1776 when the Declaration of Indepen dence was signed. After all\, their era was nearly 800 years earlier! Surp risingly\, however\, many of the core values of Viking society are etched in America&rsquo\;s founding document. Vikings believed&mdash\;much like W ashington\, Jefferson\, and Franklin&mdash\;in personal freedom of belief and action\, the pursuit of one&rsquo\;s own destiny\, representative self ‑government\, respect for earned status and property rights\, and t he rule of law applied for the benefit of the entire community. They also rejected the idea of absolute monarchy.
\nThis presentation explores these fascinating similarities and examines the Viking roots of the endur ing ideas that modern Americans continue to hold dear. This program will b e presented by David Nordin\, Vice President and Chair of Museum Affairs f or 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 Illi nois at Champaign‑Urbana.
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