Who was the first European explorer to reach North America?

The Vikings explored the northeast coast of what is now Canada and established a colony near the modern community of Lanse Aux Meadows, Newfoundland in 1001. This is the earliest known incidence of Europeans in North America.

Europeans are not believed to have returned to North America until John Cabot's discovery of the continent in 1497 (landing in Newfoundland and spotting the mainland of what is now Canada).

Christopher Columbus discovered the Caribbean islands in 1492 but did not discovery the American continent. He returned to discover the South American continent on his third voyage in 1498 - the year after Cabot's discovery of the North American continent.