Leif Erikson was a Norse explorer from Iceland who is believed to have been the first European to reach North America, around the year 1000 AD. He was the son of Erik the Red, who founded the first Norse settlement in Greenland. Leif's journey took him to a land he called Vinland, which is thought to be located in present-day Newfoundland, Canada. Leif's voyages are significant in history as they demonstrate the early exploration of the Americas by Europeans long before Christopher Columbus. His adventures are celebrated in Norse sagas, which are historical tales that recount the exploits of Viking explorers and settlers.