Vikings Reached America 500 Years Before Columbus

Archaeological evidence at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, Canada, proves that Vikings established a settlement in North America around 1000 AD. Led by Leif Erikson, son of Erik the Red, the Norse explorers called this land 'Vinland' due to the wild grapes they found. They built houses, a smithy, and workshops, but the settlement lasted only a few years due to conflicts with indigenous peoples. This discovery earned UNESCO World Heritage status in 1978, making it the first confirmed European presence in the Americas, predating Columbus's 1492 voyage by nearly five centuries.