Vikings were the first Europeans to make settlements in North America. Yet, there are various stories about who were the first Europeans that settled first in North America.
EXPLANATION
Based on strong evidence, the first European to attain in North America was Norse. Norsemen (or Norse) are people who came from North Germany in the Early Middle Ages. They speak Old Norse and believe in Old Norse religion. The evidence shows that they traveled from Greenland to the west, where Erik The Red built a settlement in 985.
Erik has a son named Leif. In 1001, Leif was estimated to travel to the northeast coast (now Canada) and spend at least one winter there.
The Norse stories try to show that the Viking sailors went on an expedition from the Atlantic coast of North America to the Bahamas, but the stories have no concrete evidence. Luckily, in 1963 the ruins of Norse houses were found in L'Anse-aux-Meadows, northern Newfoundland. Thus at least the Norse stories will be supported by Vikings.
Britain also has a claim to the story of one of its sailors named John Cabot. According to them, a Venetian sailor named John Cabot landed in Newfoundland. It was five years after Christopher Columbus arrived in the Caribbean to explore a western route to Asia. The trip was ordered by the King of England.
Spain through Columbus also has a claim for its first exploration into the American continent, although some literature states that Columbus did not actually travel there. He is the financier of the expedition.
LEARN MORE
If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, we recommend you to also take a look at the following questions:
• Which statement best describes the Vikings?
brainly.com/question/1304271
KEYWORD: vikings, North America, expedition
Subject: History
Class: 10 - 12
Subchapter: Norse
