Leif Erikson (c. 970–1020) – Norse (Scandinavia)

Leif Erikson was a Norse explorer from Iceland, widely regarded as the first European to set foot in North America around the year 1000, nearly five centuries before Columbus. He established a settlement he called Vinland, believed to be in modern-day Newfoundland, Canada. His voyages, detailed in the Icelandic Sagas, mark a significant chapter in the Age of Exploration, proving the Norse capability for transoceanic travel and pre-dating other European contact with the Americas.