Who really discovered the new world? Christopher Columbus or Leif Ericson

Ericson

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by Dean Traylor

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Without a doubt, Leif Ericson was the first to discover America, almost 500 years before Christopher Columbus embarked on his maiden voyage. However, he wasn't the first to successfully exploit it. That distinction belongs to Christopher Columbus as well as the various explorers and conquistadors who followed suit.

Ericson was a Norse explorer and outlaw (Viking to be precise). He was born 970 A.D. in Iceland. Before he had set sail for what would later become Newfoundland, Canada, he helped to establish two colonies in inhospitable Greenland. Iceland and Greenland were a lot closer to North America than Spain was. This gave Ericson a shorter springboard. On top of that, he was an expert seafarer.

Evidence of his discovery had been skewed during the five centuries between his discovery and Columbus' voyage to the new world. During that time, Europe was in the midst of an intellectual and financial decline from its height in the Roman Empire era. The Middle Ages was a turbulent time. And, part of the responsibility for this fell upon the Vikings. Although numerous Viking clans were mostly farmers and merchants, they were also raiders that sacked and destroyed numerous settlements throughout Western Europe, Northern Africa and Russia. Their accomplishments world was easily overshadowed by their ruthlessness.

Also, much of the Vikings - if not all of Europe at the time - was mostly illiterate. Books were few and far between. The Guttenberg press had not been invented yet. Most of the Viking accounts of the new world were told through oral tradition - one person hears the tale, recites it to memories and retells it through ballads, epic poems or other forms of lyrical poetry. The sagas, "Saga of Olaf Tryggvason" in the "Flateyjarbok" and "Saga of Eric the Red" were two famous accounts of Leif's journey. Many historians feel the accounts in the latter saga are the most accurate.

Many speculated that Leif had discovered the area - he would eventually call Vinland - by accident. However, existing accounts describe Leif as being a very capable and shrewd leader who was known for his bravery. Also, other accounts indicate that Leif had planned this trip (A.D. 995-1000). Whether he had information regarding more land to the west of Greenland or he gambled that land was there is still something of a mystery.

What is known is that there is archeological evidence that Vikings were in Newfoundland. Viking artifacts and remains from a settlement on the Canadian coast have been dated back to the 11th century. The settlement had a short life. The distance of the settlement from the rest of the Viking world, strife in the Scandinavian homeland was occurring, reluctance of the settlers to coexist with Native Americans, and scarcity of supplies, may have led to its demise.

The Viking's presence in the New World was brief. It wasn't until Columbus' "discovery" led to more permanent settlements. Columbus had technology, the support of an aggressive king of Spain and the know-how (albeit brutal toward the Native Americans) to establish colonies for economic purposes.

Also, Columbus had some help to get to the new world. One of the biggest myths is that Columbus was trying to find a route to India. This may have been fabricated by Columbus. He was looking for someone to bankroll his journey. The story was fitting for it gave the impression that he was trying to find a trade route rather than a land mass that may or may not exist. Evidence of a mysterious land to the west was known in the Renaissance era. Maps made from Viking explorers were available in libraries. It is possible that Columbus knew what he was looking for when he sailed west.

Leif's accomplishments were impressive, considering the time and technology he had. He made it to a new world and opened a new world for the Vikings. However, the Vikings never prospered and returned to Greenland, Iceland and Scandinavia, never to return. The Viking's loss would eventually become Columbus and the Spanish's gain. While Leif's journey was the first, Columbus was the most enduring.

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