Editing Vinland:Main Page (section)

==Government==
All the major Norse colonies pattern their government after the Iceland model, with modifications for changed conditions. Each colony has it's own Thing . All freemen may speak and vote. There is little in the way of bureacracy, jails, police, etc. Tolerance on matters of faith is the norm in most settlements, a marked contrast to the Old World. The right and duty of carrying arms is nearly universal, with only thralls being excepted from this. Even women have to be ready to defend if hostile Skraelings or outlaws attack a settlement. The Christian clergy are literate and play some role in aiding the administration of public and private affairs, but lack the power they hold in Europe. 
Saxon and Irish colonies tend to be less tolerant of religious differences . Saxon colonies are typically ruled by thanes or earls in exile, and are more centralized than Norse settlements. Irish communities are typically monastic in nature, with converted Skraelings living around them as farmers and workers.