who was leif erikson

Leif Erikson, also known as Leif the Lucky, was a Norse explorer born around the 970s, likely in Iceland. He is widely considered to be the first European to set foot on continental America, approximately 500 years before Christopher Columbus. According to Icelandic sagas, he established a Norse settlement called Vinland, believed to be located on the coast of North America, with archaeological evidence pointing to a site in Newfoundland, Canada, known as L'Anse aux Meadows. Leif was the son of Erik the Red, the founder of the first Norse settlement in Greenland, where Leif grew up and later became chief after his father's death. He also played a role in spreading Christianity in Greenland and had two known sons, Thorgils and Thorkell. His life and voyages are recorded in multiple Norse sagas, blending historical fact with legend. Leif Erikson died around 1020 to 1025.