The Vikings were the first Europeans to land in North America; in the 10th century, they formed settlements in what is presently Greenland and Newfoundland. ... In the 15th century, Europe sought to expand trade routes to find new sources of wealth and bring Christianity to the East and any newly found lands.
The Mercator projection is a cylindrical map projection. It shows the correct shape and direction, but does not show the correct sizes. The size is distorted by a lot north or south of the Equator.
