Category: History > Vikings
While often credited with being the first Europeans to reach North America, the Vikings have a fascinating yet lesser-known legacy tied to their explorations. Around the year 1000 AD, Norse explorer Leif Erikson is believed to have landed in what is now Newfoundland, Canada, at a site known as L'Anse aux Meadows. This settlement was part of a larger route that the Vikings established, extending their reach across the Atlantic. The site contains remnants of Norse structures and artifacts, providing evidence of their presence in North America nearly 500 years before Columbus's famous voyage in 1492. The Viking explorations challenge the long-held belief that European contact with the Americas began with Columbus, showcasing the complex history of transoceanic exploration and the interactions between different cultures long before the Age of Discovery.