I am taking a college course over pre-industrial America. It is early in the semester so we are covering pre-Columbus America right now. There is much more to the essay than what I ask in the title, but this in particular I am having the most trouble with.
I can find plenty of Information on how Eric The Red settled in Greenland and Iceland, then later his Son with Vinland (Newfoundland). But with all that happened during the transition between "low"-Middle Ages and "High"-Middle Ages, I can't seem to find in my research a distinct series of events that led to Eric and his Sons voyages into the new worlds.
hi! Hopefully one of the Norse or Medieval experts will help out, but meanwhile, to get you started....
When you say you have plenty on how, does that include the Norse sagas, specifically the Saga of Erik the Red, and the Greenlanders' Saga? Just wondering since they lay out the events, however briefly. In any case, I took a quick spin for previous comments on Erik and Leif; you may find some useful info/sources here:
Were naval explorers (Polynesians, Vikings, Spanish) concerned that they would sail forever without hitting land or did they plan to turn back after a certain amount of time? Did they re-supply while sailing (fishing, collecting rain water)? - Greenland and Vinland (and Iceland ftm) were discovered by sailors who had been blown off course
What accounts for the "spirit of exploration" that led the Vikings to discover Iceland, Greenland, and eventually North America? - Erik the Red was outlawed in Norway, so emigrated to Iceland. He was subsequently outlawed in Iceland, so established a colony in Greenland.
I am a fugitive who has, in your era of expertise, killed a man with witnesses seeing the event, but have successfully fled to a city 100 miles away. Am I captured? - more on outlawry re Erik
What stopped the viking colonization of america? - non-saga sources
The Norse sagas recount early settlers' (limited) interaction with North American natives. Do any sources or stories that recount this interaction from the native perspective exist? - links to the sagas
Or, if you're looking for cultural influences: