Did Columbus actually discover the Americas?

As a student, we have all been taught that the man who discovered the Americas or the New World is Christopher Colombus. He was an Italian explorer who sailed across the Atlantic in his three ships: The Niña, Pinta and Santa Maria. But what if we told you he wasn’t the first one to set foot in America? Myth busted! So, then who did discovered America? Let’s navigate through the murky waters of history!  

Meet Leif Eriksson, the Viking explorer 
Historical accounts and archaeological evidences unearthed in the 1960s have led many scholars to believe that Viking (Norse) explorer Leif Eriksson reached North America in 1000 A.D, some 500 years before Columbus. This makes him the first European to ever step into the New World. In fact, much evidence suggests that when Columbus reached America in 1492, there were already many people living there. But who was Leif Eriksson? And how did he become a voyager? If you are curious like we are, continue reading! 

The Tale of Leif Eriksson 
Leif Eriksson is thought to be born around 970 - 980 A.D in Iceland to Viking parents Erik Thorvaldsson and Thjodhild. He was nicknamed Leif the Lucky by his father, Erik Thorvaldsson, also known as Erik the Red, a famous explorer himself. Leif’s paternal grandfather, Thorvald Asvaldsson, was exiled from his home for killing a man. Because of this, he fled to Iceland. During their time in Iceland, even Leif’s father got in trouble for murder. Leif was only 12 years old when this happened. Upon hearing some rumours about land sightings up west, Leif’s father decided to hit the seas and sail to the distant west. During this journey, he made landfall on a shore. He named this place Greenland to entice farmers and settlers to relocate to that place and established the first Viking colony here in 985 A.D. This is how Greenland became the home of Leif Eriksson. In his twenties, Leif Eriksson became a companion of Olaf Tryggvason, the king of Norway. He decided to join Olaf Tryggvason as his advisor, embarking on journeys to fulfill Olaf’s tasks.  

The Vinland Sagas 
Curious about how Leif Eriksson discovered North America? The only real accounts of Leif Eriksson and his journeys can be found in The Vinland Sagas, a collection of tales written in two parts – namely The Saga of Erik the Red followed by The Saga of Greenlanders! Written between 1220 and 1280 A.D, the Sagas are the only real source material surrounding the discovery of North America by Leif Eriksson. As per this saga, when Leif Eriksson was travelling from Norway to Greenland, his ship was blown off in a storm. As a result, he ended up near a strange land where he discovered wild grapes in abundance. Because of this, he decided to name this land Vinland. Vinland was nothing but the shore of North America filled with wild grapes! 

United States celebrates Leif Eriksson Day  
After his death, between 1019 to 1025 BC, people realised the contributions made by Leif Eriksson. Even today, you can find his statues in Iceland, Greenland and certain places in North America to celebrate the brave voyager. People in the United States celebrate October 9th as Leif Erikson Day. So next time you spot his statue, you know why it's out there, and how this brave man found the America that you know of today.