Leif Erikson is the first person to ever set foot on North American soil. We do not know the exact time of his birth and all of his travels, but it is known that his travels are true. He found Vinland, a place that we now know as North America.
Leif Erikson was the second of three sons to Erik the Red, the first person to discover and establish a colony in Greenland (Staff, 2010). Most historians believe he was born around 960 A.D., although his true birth date is unknown. Despite being most likely born in Norway, he was raised in Greenland, after his father was exiled from Norway for three years.
A few years before 1000 A.D., Leif Erikson sailed from Greenland to Norway (Staff, 2010). Here, he was converted to Christianity by King Olaf I Tryggvason. During this trip, he had a son named Thorgils with a local chief’s daughter, Thorgunna. After about a year in Norway, King Olaf sent Leif back to Greenway, to convert its people to Christianity. …show more content…
One of these explanations is that while sailing back to Greenland from Norway, his ship was blown off course. (Staff, 2010) The other is that a trader, Bjarni Herjulfsson, became lost on one of his trips over a decade ago. While trying to locate where they were, they saw an unknown land from their ship. Although it was very beautiful there, they did not land, and continued to sail (Editors T. V., 2004). Curious Leif then bought the very ship Herjulfsson had sailed past the land in, and took off after the land. Either way, Leif and his crew landed in North America around 1000 A.D (Staff, 2010). Even though it was around winter time, the land was found frost-free, with an abundance of life. The land was named Vinland, believed to be named after all the grape vines and the fertile soil he and his crew came across. They stayed in Vinland for the winter, and once spring came, they left for Greenland (Editors B. ). Leif would never return to
Leif Erikson was the second of three sons to Erik the Red, the first person to discover and establish a colony in Greenland (Staff, 2010). Most historians believe he was born around 960 A.D., although his true birth date is unknown. Despite being most likely born in Norway, he was raised in Greenland, after his father was exiled from Norway for three years.
A few years before 1000 A.D., Leif Erikson sailed from Greenland to Norway (Staff, 2010). Here, he was converted to Christianity by King Olaf I Tryggvason. During this trip, he had a son named Thorgils with a local chief’s daughter, Thorgunna. After about a year in Norway, King Olaf sent Leif back to Greenway, to convert its people to Christianity. …show more content…
One of these explanations is that while sailing back to Greenland from Norway, his ship was blown off course. (Staff, 2010) The other is that a trader, Bjarni Herjulfsson, became lost on one of his trips over a decade ago. While trying to locate where they were, they saw an unknown land from their ship. Although it was very beautiful there, they did not land, and continued to sail (Editors T. V., 2004). Curious Leif then bought the very ship Herjulfsson had sailed past the land in, and took off after the land. Either way, Leif and his crew landed in North America around 1000 A.D (Staff, 2010). Even though it was around winter time, the land was found frost-free, with an abundance of life. The land was named Vinland, believed to be named after all the grape vines and the fertile soil he and his crew came across. They stayed in Vinland for the winter, and once spring came, they left for Greenland (Editors B. ). Leif would never return to