Timeline of Norse colonization of the Americas facts for kids
The Americas are huge continents with a very long and interesting history. People have lived here for thousands of years, and many different groups have explored and settled these lands over time.
First People in the Americas
Many experts believe that the very first people to arrive in the Americas came from Asia. They crossed a land bridge called Beringia. This bridge connected what is now Russia and Alaska. It appeared during the Ice Age when sea levels were much lower.
Scientists think these early explorers might have crossed Beringia as far back as 33,000 years ago. They were following animals like mammoths and bison, which they hunted for food. These brave groups slowly spread out across North and South America over thousands of years.
Vikings Explore North America
Long after the first people arrived, another group of explorers came from Europe. These were the Norse people, often called Vikings, from places like Norway and Iceland. They were skilled sailors and adventurers.
- Around 1000 AD: A famous Viking named Erik the Red and his son, Leif Erikson, led expeditions across the Atlantic Ocean. They discovered and settled in Greenland. Leif Erikson then explored even further west.
- He found lands they called Helluland (which might be Baffin Island today) and Markland (which is probably Labrador).
- They also found a place they named Vinland (now known as Newfoundland). The Vikings tried to set up a settlement in Vinland, but it did not last very long.
- The Norse colony in Greenland, however, lasted for a much longer time. People lived there for hundreds of years.
- Around 1350: The Norse people living in the Western Settlement of Greenland left their homes. No one is completely sure why they left.
- 1354: King Magnus of Sweden and Norway planned an expedition to Greenland. He wanted to check on the Norse settlements there, but it's not clear if this trip ever happened.
- Around 1450–1480s: The last Norse settlement in Greenland, the Eastern Settlement, was also abandoned. This happened during a period known as the Little Ice Age, when the weather became much colder.
