For many years Christopher Columbus was credited as the first European to discover America. Recent evidence points to another European discovering America, the viking Leif Erikson. Leif lived from about 980 AD to 1020 AD. Leif was the son of Erik the Red who would eventually discover Greenland after Leif was born. Leif's father was not the only explorer in the family, his grand father had discovered Iceland.
Exploring was in Leif's genes so at one point in his life he became one of the first known people to sail from Greenland all the way to Norway. Once he arrived King Olaf converted Leif to Christianity and sent him out into the world to become a missionary.
Due to constant shortages of timber in Greenland, inhabitants were constantly looking for more of this natural resource. Leif heard of two other mens' travels on which they had spotted land with plenty of timber. Neither of the men set foot on the newly discovered land so when Leif Erickson made the trip himself he was the first European to discover and set foot in America.
I credit Leif Ericson as the real discoverer of America. He discovered Newfoundland in Canada on the North American continent while the genocidal murderer Christopher Columbus only reached a few tiny islands in the Caribbean. Leif came for adventure, Columbus came for money. Leif never demanded huge rewards from his monarch like Columbus did !. Leif Ericson is the best !. Christopher Columbus sucks !.
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