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Historians’ writings about the Vikings presence in North America: As researched by Kyle Ward in History In The Making. (Years only)

By Jorge Escobar MSU
  • Period: to

    Published dates

  • Samuel G. Goodrich, Lights and Shadows of American History (Boston: Bradbury, Soden and Co., 1844), 34-38.

    Samuel G. Goodrich, Lights and Shadows of American History (Boston: Bradbury, Soden and Co., 1844), 34-38.

    • According to Icelandic history, the Vikings had visited America in the 10th century and had founded a settlement in New England (Eastern Massachusetts or Rhode Island) which they called Vineland.
    • The first European to discover America was Biarne.
  • Mary Elise Thalheimer, The Eclectic History of the United States (New York: Van Antwerp, Bragg and Co., 1881), 10-12.

    Mary Elise Thalheimer, The Eclectic History of the United States (New York: Van Antwerp, Bragg and Co., 1881), 10-12.

    • “Parties of Icelanders are supposed to have visited the shores of what is now North Carolina and Georgia”. Native American called the area White man’s land.
    • In the Northern Viking settlements (Vineland) a Northman (Viking) was born in America, his name was Snorri.
  • Lawton B. Evans, The Essential Facts of American History (Chicago: Benj. H. Sandborn and Co., 1914), 4-6.

    Lawton B. Evans, The Essential Facts of American History (Chicago: Benj. H. Sandborn and Co., 1914), 4-6.

    • The Northmen/Norsmen founded a colony in south-west Greenland.
    • Soon after the colony was founded leaf Ericson sailed west with one ship and thirty-five men. He went ‘to a land which he called Vineland because of the wild grapes.
    • “We do not know where this land was but we suppose it was Labrador (Canada)”
    • "We know very little of what the Norsemen did or what they saw in America. They may have come as far south as Rhode Island or Connecticut, but they left no houses or monumets.."
  • Everett Augspurger and Robert A. McLemore, Our Nation’s Story (Chicago: Laidlaw Brothers, 1954), 60-61.

    Everett Augspurger and Robert A. McLemore, Our Nation’s Story (Chicago: Laidlaw Brothers, 1954), 60-61.

    • About the year 1000 an expedition under the leadership of Leif Ericson sailed westward and stumbled upon the continent of North America.
    • The heroic sagas of the Vikings describe a settlement called Vineland, which may have been in New England.
  • James West Davidson and Michael B. Stoff, The American Nation (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1995), 54.

    James West Davidson and Michael B. Stoff, The American Nation (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1995), 54.

    • "Archaeologists believe that the Viking settlement was located in present day Newfoundland, in Canada". The area is known as L’anse aux Meadows. (picture)
    • "The Vikings did not stay in Vinland for long. No one is sure why they left."
    • Viking stories (Sagas) describe fierce battles with Skraelings, the Viking name for the Inuits.