 Vikings Hop to North America Vikings sailed to the Arctic and settled in Iceland about 1,150 years ago, and in the process, discovered the key to the New World. Given the limited range of sailing vessels of the day, the island provided an essential "stepping-stone" between Europe and North America. In 986, the first boatloads of settlers left Iceland to colonize a new territory to the west that was explored several years earlier by a red-faced, red-bearded Viking known as Eric the Red. He gave the island the attractive name of Greenland to lure land-hungry people. The Vikings established colonies there - just a short hop from the North America continent. It wasn't long before others ventured still further west. Rumors of the ancient voyages were circulated around Europe 500 years later, and they probably encouraged Columbus to try a southern route. Without Iceland, who knows when the New World would have been discovered - for the second time?
Click pictures for more information and credits. Library: Arctic, Exploration, Explorers Links: Arctic, Archaeology Arctic Maps & Weather Reports |
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DICTIONARY: Just "double-click" any unlinked word on this page for the definition from Merriam-Webster's Student Electronic Dictionary at Word Central. |
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ARCTIC LIBRARY & GLOSSARY: Check this section for an index of the rest of the things you really need to know about the Arctic. |
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ARCTIC MAPS & WEATHER REPORTS: Maps of the Northwest Passage, explorers' routes, iceberg sources, Nunavut, the Arctic by treeline, temperature... |
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ARCTIC LINKS: Even more information! Links to sites related to the Arctic and "Iceberg: the Story of the Throps and the Squallhoots". |
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GUIDE TO ARCTIC SUNRISE & SUNSET: How much sunlight or darkness is there in the Arctic on each day of the year? |
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