26 great facts about leif erikson

Famous people , History and facts. Hans Dahl , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. He left Greenland on an exploration journey and had a reputation as a skilled explorer and navigator. Leif was the first European to land in North America. As a pioneer of transatlantic travel, Leik set foot on North American soil around years before Christopher Columbus , and his discovery paved the way for future exploration and colonization.

Leif left Greenland for Norway using maps that other explorers had drawn while exploring. During this journey, his vessel drifted and landed in what he named Vinland. The exact location of this Vinland is still a matter of debate among historians, but there is strong evidence that Vinland was what is now Newfoundland or Nova Scotia. His discovery of Vinland brought new possibilities for Norse exploration including the exchange of goods, cultures, and ideas between Europe and the Americas, plus colonization in North America.

Here are 20 little-known facts about Leif Erikson. The history and origin of the Norsemen are deeply intertwined with the Viking Age, which spanned roughly from the late 8th century to the early 11th century. The Norse was a community that believed in Odin and Thor as their gods.

When was leif erikson born

The Norse people were adventurous and had seafaring spirits during the Viking Age. Their lifestyle was mostly about raiding and venturing into unknown lands. Born in the s, Leif was the son of Erik the Red and his wife Thjodhild. He was born and raised in Iceland where his parents met but the family would later move to Greenland.

His son Erik would later be banished from Iceland, and so he traveled further west, settling in an area he named Greenland.