Student Article

Leif Erikson was a brave Viking explorer from Greenland who sailed into history around the year 1000. He is believed to be the first known European to reach North America, long before Christopher Columbus. Leif was the son of Erik the Red, a well-known Norseman who created a settlement in Greenland.

A journey of adventure and discovery

Leif had heard stories from a sailor named Bjarni Herjólfsson, who had spotted land west of Greenland but hadn’t explored it. Curious and adventurous, Leif gathered 35 men and set sail in a sturdy Viking ship across the Atlantic Ocean. Along the journey, they came across new lands. The first was rocky and barren, so they named it Helluland, or “Land of Flat Stones.” The next was filled with forests, which they called Markland, or “Land of Forests.”

Finding Vinland, the land of wild grapes

Eventually, the group landed in a place with a mild climate, grassy fields, and wild grapes. They named it Vinland, which means “Land of Wine.” The Vikings built small homes and stayed there through the winter. Most experts today believe Vinland was near modern-day Newfoundland, Canada.

Leif’s forgotten journey honored today

Leif’s journey was almost forgotten for many years. But today we honor his accomplishment each October 9 on Leif Erikson Day. His voyage helped show that exploration of the world was happening long before Columbus’s time.

© Pat Kinsella / www.historyextra.com