8 



Chapter 



THE NEW WORLD IN THE NORTH 



X 



HERE is a chapter still missing in the school and general 

 history books. This is the chapter that deals fully and justly with the 

 great accomplishments of all the peoples of northern and western 

 Europe in discovering, colonizing and otherwise utilizing the seas 

 and lands of the northern part of the Atlantic including, in its proper 

 setting, the Norse discovery of the North American Continent. 



This is an accumulative story of early beginnings, of long develop- 

 ment, of ample sweep and perspective, full of heroic effort and great 

 accomplishment. It is difficult therefore to understand its long neg- 

 lect. Most of the elements of this story have been known for a long 

 while though the story continues to grow and factors have been 

 added in our time both by students abroad and by Stefansson and 

 others in this country. 



Please note that the statement in the above paragraph is that the 

 story of the northern sea routes to America is "neglected" not 

 "omitted." One cannot say that the story of Lief Eriksson and the 

 voyages to America are omitted. It is now customary to include or 

 refer to the Norse voyages to parts of the North American coast. 

 The neglect lies in giving the facts no background or development. 

 The treatment or attitude suggests that the historians have come to 

 accept somewhat reluctantly the facts that Lief's discovery of Amer- 

 ica and Karlsefni's attempted colonization are real. The suggestion 

 remains that though these early facts in American history are ac- 



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