The Leading Facts. 1. The Northmen, bold sailors, settled Iceland and Greenland. 2. Leif Ericson reached the shores of North America and called the country Vinland. 3. The Northmen continued to visit the new land, but finally ceased to come on account of the Indians.
Study Questions. 1. In what new countries did the Northmen settle? 2. Tell the story of Leif Ericson's voyage. 3. What did he call the new land, and why?
Suggested Readings. The Northmen: Glascock, Stories of Columbia, 7-9; Higginson, American Explorers, 3-15; Old South Leaflets, No. 31.
EARLY EXPLORERS IN AMERICA
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, THE FIRST GREAT MAN IN AMERICAN HISTORY
Boyhood of Columbus
2. Old Trade Routes to Asia. More than four hundred fifty years ago Christopher Columbus spent his boyhood in the queer old Italian town of Genoa on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Even in that far-away time the Mediterranean was dotted with the white sails of ships busy in carrying the richest trade in the world. But no merchants were richer or had bolder sailors than those of Columbus' own town.
Genoa had her own trading routes to India, China, and Japan. Her vessels sailed eastward and crossed the Black Sea to the very shores of Asia. There they found stores of rich shawls and silks and of costly spices and jewels, which had already come on the backs of horses and camels from the Far East. As fast as winds and oars could carry them, these merchant ships hastened back to Genoa, where other ships and sailors were waiting to carry their goods to all parts of Europe.