there was limited contact between north american peoples and the outside world before 1492. several theoretical contacts have been proposed, but the earliest physical evidence comes to us from the norse or vikings. norse captain leif erikson is believed to have reached the island of newfoundland circa 1000 ad. they named their new discovery vinland. the only norse site yet discovered in north america is at l'anse aux meadows, newfoundland and labrador. the norse colonies were later abandoned.