Final answer:
Leif Erikson established a settlement called Vinland, which represents the first European contact with North America.
Step-by-step explanation:
Leif Erikson, a Viking explorer, established a settlement in a land he called Vinland. The settlement was located to the west of Greenland, a few hundred miles away. It is important because it represents the first European contact with North America, predating Christopher Columbus' arrival by nearly 500 years.