I was born in California and am now in my 70's. When I was a girl one of my teachers told our class about Leif Erickson being the first person to explore and discover North America. I believe it was at the same time we were learning about Christopher Columbus and the European exlorers and California history. I've always had a fascination about the Vikings and their culture. Love your stories. Thank you.

As a Newfoundlander, I am positive Leif Erikson was the first European in North America. The remnants of a Viking village were found at L'anse aux Meadows on the northern tip of my province. I was taught it in school in the 1970's and I chuckled when I learned John Cabot "discovered" Newfoundland in 1497. Sorry, Mate, Leif the Lucky beat you to it 500 years before!

Because the Indians had run-ins with the Vikings long before they had run-ins with the Spanish

As a Canadian, I'm positive that Leif Erikson was here well before Columbus. It's taught in school here. Thanks, Oli. The Crime Reel sends his regards. Stay safe out there.

A bloodline of explorers, simply amazing.

When I was younger (in the 1980's), I remember him being mentioned and credited with discovering North America but then he seemed to disappear from the history books as I got older. It caused huge amounts of confusion on my part. Great video!!

It has been a Liljequist family tradition that Leif Erickson was an ancestor of ours, and had indeed discovered Vinland some 500 years before Columbus, I first heard this as a toddler in the late'50s, and saw the map for the first time in the '60s.

I totally believe Vikings got to North America centuries before Columbus! I was delighted to learn about the Vikings. I really don't understand why i didn't learn this until i was in my 60s!

Its truly a serene feeling, being able to sit on the shores at L'anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, knowing that Leif himself once stood and surveyed the same land and bay. And to walk in the old village, in their steps, very cool.

I'm in Iceland and have just seen his statue, amazing video

Duluth Minnesota left me in total awe. Like going back in time. And seeing it all unfold for yourself. Kids jumping into a stream pouring out 30 or 40 miles an hour. Just go see it for yourself next spring. I'm a believer

We know beyond any doubt the Viking were here LONG before Columbus, we have the archeological site of L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland that was a Viking settlement a thousands years ago, there are other sites but that is the main known one.

I've heard that there were another man just before Leif Eriksson, who managed to set foot on 'America'. That's why Leif knew that it would be more land after Island.

As a young man I started commercial fishing off the coast of Washington. That experience led me to come to know many Norwegian families in the Ballard suburb of Seattle. Leif Erickson myths were everywhere, and in Ballard everyone knew Columbus was about 500 years late!

What such an amazing life Leaf had. En excellent video with great beautiful images . Thanks for the upload.

Just finished vikings valhalla on Netflix glad i found your video 🔥 🔥 🔥

Yes finally Ollie again and awesome narration and extremely interesting content keep up the great work:)

Superb narration on this great history! Music, images all so wonderful! Thank you Mr History Profiles(Ollie) I loved it!

Another great video as always Ollie

Another excellent History Profile!!! 👏

Hello Ollie, I think you have done a magnificent narration on this wonderful piece of history. I do believe that Leif was the first to discover the America's. Just imagine the beautiful lush vegetation he saw; he was truly blessed. I do enjoy your viking research and the way you insert such interesting pictures. You are the best Ollie... thank you. 👌👏🍀🌻🍎💃

This is a great channel, about to rinse you content! Keep up the great work.

The Solutrean's were on the Delmarva Peninsula approximately 24,000 years ago.

There are paintings in a cave in South of Thailand depicting Vikings. With rune writing as well. The history books missed that one as well.

He regretted it in later life and changed. He was like a new man. You might say he turned over a new Leif. I'll see myself out.

Another Viking warrior thanks dear Ollie🤗😁👋❤🖤‼

You should have included L’Anse aux Meadows(Newfoundland) in your story. The viking settlement is dated to around 1000 AD. So it's kinda proved it was Europeans in America before Columbus. Also it's about skrællings(native Americans) in the sagas.

Regardless of if it was Leif, Viking ruins have been found in North America so it’s not a myth that they were there before Columbus

History shows that Columbus never set foot in the US. He landed in the Bahamas and even briefly traveled south to what is South America. That said, Leif and company were first to arrive in North America.

Thank you so much, you helped me with my history lesson.

I’m literally doing a live wax museum presentation on Leif and had a writing project on him

Wow just wow.this is the so interesting. History is so fascinating

Yes, I have a book affirming the existence of a Viking community in Canada, and the wanderings of one of these warriors, seeking furs. He was captured by the Crow, but became their friend and preacher, learning their language, and then spreading news of the mighty God to other tribes. They called Him the Great Mystery and Great Spirit!

Great stuff

Love this content

According to one of the translators who worked the l'Ainse-aux-Medows Viking site in Newfoundland no Viking ever went anywhere that they didn't send Irish slaves as a vanguard to scout scope and set up camp.

In the stories I heard Lief met Thorgunna in Vinland and had gotten her pregnant but left her there and she eventually sent their son to Lief in Greenland but Lief also had another son with another woman which took over Greenland when he passed. I also read about this in a couple different articles when I did some research on Lief when I heard Vikings Valhalla was going to come out.

Thank you . Very interesting.

I love how the TV show and historical correct the show is

Only makes me excited of more to come in Vikings Valhalla

New vid, awesome!

Yes I was taught about Leif Erikson in school, in Canada in the late 50's or early 60's

Hi, i am 13 yrs old and i am from the czech republic. We have just been learning about this man in school. When i asked my dad who they were learning about as the firs discoverer of america, he told me it was eric the red. (remember, he was lerning that when communism was in our country) I myself believe that it was leiff but nobody knows perfectly.

I think he didn't get the credit because no one actually wrote it down. There were the sagas, but they came two centuries later. I would imagine when the English and French showed up they may have run into a native or two well over six foot. Perhaps that settlement was killed/died off or were assimilated. If they had taken more people back there would have been plenty of people there 500 years before Columbus.

It's proven by substantial archeological remains in NE Canada. No longer open to question, however, how far south they ventured is, and they were not the first humans there by even a close call. With sustained supply they could have taken small portions, but like the Lost Colony, were doomed as early invaders.

Leif Eirikson made his settlement on the northern tip of the province of Newfoundland, Canada . The ruins of the settlement are there .

In school (History Class mid 60's) I recall a teacher who told us about Leif Erickson. I also recall that there was a settlement mentioned. There was mention of the first child born to Northmen in North America, a daughter named "Snorri". I read this is a book but it is so many years I forget the title. I believe this to be true, however I also Believe that Brendan the Navigator an Irish Monk may have visited North America as well. My DNA says Irish with some traces of Danish & German

I loved learning more about Leif Erikson! I think the producers do an amazing job with the shows. They do well enough to entertain and provide some history. Does anyone know of any resources of any written Sagas of figures like Ivar?

I learned about Leif Erickson in school in the 1960s, but only briefly, as the focus was on Columbus.

I remember learning somewhere in the 1980s that Lief found America because he was exiled. They gave him a small boat, and told him to never come back.

Yes! Thank you!

Erik the Red, Leif Erikson's father was from Norway, but later became banished from Norway and Iceland due to several murders. King Olav/Olaf, is in Scandinavia known as ''Olav the Holy'' or ''Saint Olav'', he is the patron saint in Norway and the Faroe Islands. There are many stories about how he went about ''christianizing'' Norway with an iron fist. One of the stories tells about how he came into possession of his legendary longship ''Ormen Lange'' (The long serpent/dragon), when Olav sailed to the north of Norway in the Hålogaland area (in Norway's Nordland county) he was met with resistance from a local chieftain in an area known as Saltstraumen. This chieftain was named Raud den rame (Raud in rami). Saltstraumen today is a huge tourist attraction in Norway, because it's the worlds largest and strongest whirlpool tidal current, and the story tells about this, however at the time it was believed that Raud den rame was not only a powerful Viking chieftain, but also a sorcerer, and that the strong currents was his work of magic to repel invaders. Olav/Olaf the Holy eventually got on shore and restrained Raud den rame and gave him a choice; become a christian, or die. Raud who was a die hard pagan refused to become a christian, so Olav had him killed by forcing a hot piece of metal down his throat. And after that, Olav took Raud's longship, Ormen Lange, which Olav himself claimed was the finest longship he had ever seen. Or something along those lines does the story go.

I remember learning in the 70s in school like 3rd grade the Amerigo Vespuchi an Italian explorers and the was the one who discovered America and that's why it's called America. But as I got older and I told people they say they never heard any story like that or that guy and my friend used to argue eith me that it was Columbus

There is much proof that Erikson made it to the Amercas long before Columbus.

Leif did in fact find the new world before Columbus, but did not spread the word of it like Columbus. The colonies in Vinland were abandoned and lost to history.

Thank you for telling us the story of Leif Erickson. We do not have this history in South Africa but from your story and the comments I believe it was Leif first before Columbus

Yes, the Viking did arrive 400+ tes before. L'Anse aux Meadows in North-Eastern Newfoundland (Terre Neuve un French). I was There early 1980 the year it became part if the Unesco world héritage site. Merci for tour vidéo🙋🏻

*Question for @HistoryProfiles:* I really like your channel. What software and image resources do you use to create your videos? I ask because I don’t have a KZfaq channel but I have a small blog and I would like to make my images look like yours. I use Canva but I’m looking to upgrade. From one creator to another, thanks! 😊🙌

In elementary & middle school I was taught as a boy that Leif Erikson was the first European to discover America and not Christopher Columbus. We were taught Vineland was the first European settlement in America by Vikings. We were also taught about Eric the Red. There are historical artifacts that prove this to be true.

Extraordinary

Good video

I’m a product of Catholic school education (grammar school and high school), I was taught about Leif E because of his Christianity. Also Christopher Columbus. We weren’t taught who was exactly first. Just about their travels and spreading the faith. My youngest who is 9 just came home with school work about Leif, Columbus, Ponce De Leon, and a few others. He also goes to Catholic school. I’m glad it’s still in the curriculum.

Now I understand the origin of Ericsson brand.

Yes I do believe Leif was the first to discover America. I've heard stories about this before.

I learned alot about vikings in school in Iceland Leifur Eiríksson var Icelandic, his dad (Eiríkur Rauði) was from Norway and his wife Leifur Eríkssons mom Þjóðhildur was Icelandic. And Yes Leifur Eiríksson was first viking in Amerika and he came to America before Columbus.

Leif Eriksson hasn't ever been forgotten. We honor him in North America, we have a huge statute of him in Seattle at the Shilshole Marina, and we're well aware that Columbus did NOT discover America.

Good show but you forgot the "Hop" settlement. The furthest south that he went. Which was probably Connecticut or New York. I kinda think Gungywamp CT is Hop since a X and P is said to be carved on a rock there.

Lol! I give credit to Leif being one of the first to visit these lands…but not it’s discovery…he was one of the first to meet the Micmac people and probably a few Mohawk and Iroquois…but we as natives were here already and didn’t just “show up” and “discover” a land already full of different people..with different customs and languages

Believable!

A Viking settlement was found, dating from 1000 years ago, in Newfoundland, Canada, so yeah, there's no debate the Vikings reached North America before other Europeans.

Great video. Columbus established townships and they lasted. Being of Norse background - Leif discovered America!

Poor Lief. An unsung explorers

The people who discovered North America were the ancestors of the Indigenous people who lived there long before Christopher Columbus or Lief Erikson. But as far as the first European, definitely Leif Erikson was first.

Although already inhabited by many great nations of indigenous peoples, I wholeheartedly believe that Leif was the first European to visit the America’s. History provides many strong indicators of this fact.

Columbus never set foot on North American soil. His discovery was in what we know as the Bahamas. Leif on the other hand, landed somewhere just north of the state of Maine.

Leif Erickson used to taught in Elementary School, typically starting around 5Th Grade/Grade 5.

The evidence that has been found here on the island where I live called Newfoundland which some believed is to be Vinland as there has been a confirmed Viking settlement uncovered in an area called Lanse-Aux-Meadows as well as possibly a second discovery further south on the west coast but the second has not been confirmed to be one as yet. Lanse-Aux-Meadows is classed as a National Historic Site.

Hiya Oli, thank you so much for this, i'm a writer or trying to be and my first novel is about a female berserker based on an old story told to me by a teacher in high school that she herd on her student teaching trip to Norway and northern Scandinavian countries. Sif or her oldest known saga in the old language is so much more than the stories you can find now...My point is I would love you to be the voice that folks hear telling my story. Well dreams can come true right? Just ask Leif... Great work thank you keep them coming!!!

There where probably many before him that sailed to America. Leif must have learned of the area from those who had been there earlier and told stories of their adventures on their arrival back. Even at the time the settlers where arriving in Iceland, they talked about the land in the West where they had sailed and found better living conditions than was to be found in Iceland.

I AM convinced that the mérit of discovering América was of Leif Eriksson

Yes, Leif discovered America as evidence of Vikings has been found there, I also read that the Vikings got as far as Russia

Icelanders have learned this in schools since a long time ago I learned this story when I was 8 years old Hello from Iceland 🇮🇸 We knew but nobody cared

I utterly agree with you Ollie Lief not Columbus found America cool vid really enjoyed it

Okay, does anybody read/understand Latin and medieval cartography? The 'map' repeatedly displayed on-screen provides more 'clues' than an episode of 'Murder She Wrote' with fictional 'Jessica Fletcher as the sleuth. Look at the names of features in that map - 'Desiderate Insula'; 'Magnae Insulae Beati Brandani'; 'Branziliae Dictae' etc. Sixth Century Irish Monk, Saint Brendan, recorded his epic journey of discovery in a leather boat, accompanied by twelve 'apostles', where he 'island hopped' northwards from Ireland and Scotland, then westwards past what later 'Vikings' in his wake would settle and name as 'Iceland', 'Greenland' and 'Vinland'. However, even in the 6th century, Brendan was only following a more ancient, pre-Christian 'Voyage of Bran', that recorded a most wonderful 'Heavenly Paradise' land to the west. English Historian and Adventurer Tim Severin, faithfully reconstructed the leather boat of Brendan and with a small group of fellow-adventurers completed the journey, arriving in the USA to coincide with the Bicentenary Celebrations in July 1996. Tim Severin recorded his adventure in a book and documentary 'The Brendan Voyage'. It seems the 'Vikings' didn't just plunder Irish Monastic Settlements for loot and slaves, they also 'stole' the knowledge of the 'New World' that Columbus claimed. But that's another story of how Columbus acquired his 'intelligence' of how to 'go west' across the Atlantic Ocean.

Thanks for the upload, I alway believe the vikings were the 1st.. To discover the west.. Listening from St Vincent and the Grenadines..

I love that name, Leaf

I think the Sagas are supported by the archeological evidence found in Canada.

Lol, I don't believe Columbus even knew where he was going🤣 He landed by pure accident.

L'Anse aux Meadows, living in eastern Canada I've known this since I was a kid in school

It's proven that it were indeed the vikings the first european men in America. Wheter it was Leif or not that is another question. But the importance of Christopher Columbus is enormous because it opened the doors to colonization and to the Americas we know today.

Ollie's is back😎👊

I remember about 60 years ago I heard that a man discovered the America's years before Columbus and I was confused as to why I was taught that Columbus did. Made no sense.

I believe, I can feel it in my bloodline! My Name is Lars Eriksen, true blood of the Eriksons. Hail Odin💪🏼 Skål👌🏼

I'm Danish, so of course I belive that the Vikings was there before Columbus. But that doesn't mean that there haven't been others comeing from Europe before the Vikings.

I definitely believe Columbus was one of the last to find America ✌️❤️

Happy Leif Erickson day! Hinga dinga dergen !

"Do you believe?" Well, yes. Because it's a fact and facts are not subject to "belief". The burden of evidence is on anyone that believes otherwise, not on anyone who currently has overwhelming evidence to support it being accepted as historically accurate.

wasn't there an Irish saint Brendan who was there first and also Irish monks in Iceland before the Vikings settled there too ?

Wow good

Eric the Reads father Thorvald was banished from Norway for manslaughter and was exiled from Norway. He went together with his child Leif to Iceland. Later Eric killed two Icelanders who had killed his slaves and Eric and Leif were then exiled from Iceland and moved to some islands just outside of Iceland. When Eric returned to Iceland to pick up some things he left at some guy, the guy would not give it to him and he killed the guy and some others. After that he was kicked out even from where he was now and Iceland for three years. Then he went to Greenland and was there for three years and sailed back to Iceland. After some time he gathered people who sailed on 25 ships to Greenland. Only 14 ships made it. Other Vikings later came to Greenland and it was believed there were a total of 5000 Vikings there. Many of them were killed in an epidemic, even Eric the Read.