Famous Explorers: Christopher Columbus and Leif Eriksson

By Tania Dooley

     Before the colonization of this nation, a topic on which we have embarked (the thirteen English colonies), there was the Age of Exploration.  The Age of Exploration was a time in history when European explorers set out to sea for all kinds of reasons.  Some to find faster trade routes for the growing spice trade industry, some to find and inhabit new lands, some to find gold, silver, and other jewels, and yet others to find all of these things put together, along with the resulting popularity and fame.  

Spice trade was a lucrative
business during the Age of Exploration.
Image credit: Laura Cortesi via Unsplash

     It is a man named Christopher Columbus who is widely credited with discovering America during one such voyage, but there is another man who landed on this continent before him, his name is Leif Eriksson.  Even though both Columbus and Eriksson ought to maintain their well-deserved fame as skilled and expert explorers, let us acknowledge that there were people, cultures, and advanced civilizations that already existed in America, which begs the question, "How can a land be 'discovered' when there were already people there"? I believe that perhaps what people now mean by "discovering" is that they uncovered their existence to the European people and countries who had been vaguely aware or completely unaware before.

     According to History.com, it was about five hundred years before Columbus arrived that a crew of Viking sailors first touched American soil in what is now Canada.  That expedition was led by Leif Eriksson, born in Iceland and raised in Greenland, was the son of Erik the Red who coincidentally is credited with settling Greenland (biography.com).  Icelandic legends known as sagas, claim two different accounts of how Leif landed on this continent.  One claims it was by accident, another claims he knew quite well where he was going based on tales of another Norseman who had settled the area a decade before.  There are times when legends and facts collide, especially when historians must rely on oral history which can change over time as opposed to events that were recorded down on paper.  

Viking ships were made narrow to
easily navigate through rivers and oceans.
Image credit: Steinar Engeland via Unsplash

Nevertheless, when Leif and his crew arrived in North America they spent an entire winter there and then returned to Greenland where Leif would tell his tales of his travels, and would eventually settle, concentrating his life on converting people to Christianity rather than continuing his voyages.

     Moving ahead in time, it was between the years 1000 to 1650 that a series of events in Europe caused an increasing interest in voyages, particularly to find new trade routes.  Additionally, as Europe grew into a bustling center of commerce, it also became overcrowded.  This and other reasons, legitimate and mythical such as attempting to prove the earth was round or flat, pushed European explorers to seek benefactors for voyages abroad since they required large sums of money.  Columbus, a mapmaker by trade, made his case to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, and after several attempts were finally convinced and agreed to fund it.  Columbus's agenda was to find a quicker trade route to China by way of India, and set out with three ships, the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria.  When he finally landed, it was on the island of the Bahamas, but convinced he had reached India, he called the dark-skinned natives he encountered, Indians. 

Traditional ships during the Age of Exploration.
Image Credit: Mathew Z via Pixabay

     Columbus would return to Spain taking evidence of his travels to exotic lands: parrots, balls of cotton, potatoes.  So impressed were the King and Queen that they funded more voyages and on each trip Columbus brought European items to the native lands, and vice versa brought back native items to his country. This would be famously known as the Columbian Exchange.  

A statue of Christopher Columbus.
Image Credit: AndPon via Pixabay

In Spain he was hailed as a hero, as he was too in the Americas.  The United States now celebrates both of these famous explorers who discovered, or uncovered the mysteries of the Americas.  Columbus Day is now celebrated on October 12, and Leif Eriksson Day is commemorated on October 9.  


References

History.com (2020). The Viking explorer who beat Columbus to America. Retrieved September 1, 2020 from https://www.history.com/news/the-viking-explorer-who-beat-columbus-to-america

History.com (2020). Exploration of North America. Retrieved September 1, 2020 from https://www.history.com/topics/exploration/exploration-of-north-america

Biography.com (2020). Leif Eriksson. Retrieved September 1, 2020 from https://www.biography.com/explorer/leif-eriksson