c) Vikings

The first Europeans to establish a permanent settlement in North America were the Vikings. Around the year 1000 AD, led by Leif Erikson, they settled in what is now known as Newfoundland, Canada, at a site they called Vinland. This predates Christopher Columbus’ arrival by almost 500 years. The Viking settlement at L’Anse aux Meadows, discovered in the 1960s, is evidence of their presence in North America and represents a significant moment in the history of European exploration.