Vinland Research Paper

When thinking about the abandonment of land, it is easy to assume that nature just was not on man’s side. It’s easy to blame the soil, the weather, and the wildlife. However, this was not the case when Leif Erikson came upon a land that was rich in resources. The waters were swimming with salmon, the weather was ideal (temperatures never dropped below freezing), the land would provide for their livestock throughout winter without need for fodder, and the land was carpeted with grapevines (which is why the land was dubbed Vinland). So why did Leif and his men decided to abandon Vinland? The answer to this question considers many factors, those factors include: conflict between colonists and natives, hardships hindering settlements, and distance from Greenland. …show more content…
Their assumptions proved to be wrong when Leif Erikson’s brother, Thorvald, voyaged to Vinland, accompanied by thirty men. After further exploring Vinland, Thorvald and his men were met by the natives. They killed the first eight natives they stumbled upon, but then looked further and saw settlements. They soon were outnumbered by natives. The natives end up killing Thorvald, so his men leave the land as soon as they can. Later, back in Greenland there are plans to go back to Vinland. They arrive in Vinland a third time, this time a man named Karlsefni and a crew of sixty men and five women. They settle, but soon notice the natives. They begin to trade with natives, but things go awry. The natives and Karlsefni engage in a battle and many natives are killed. After the battle, Karlsefni decides that he no longer wishes to be there. These encounters with natives are one of the main reasons the Norse decided to abandon Vinland. The natives had an advantage in numbers and knowledge the land. The Norse recognized their disadvantages and decided it was their best interest to abandon their