For thousands of years, various Indigenous peoples inhabited the region that is now Canada, developing complex societies, cultures, and traditions. The Vikings, led by Leif Erikson, are believed to have established a settlement in present-day Canada around 1000 CE, predating Christopher Columbus's famous voyage. In the early 16th century, European explorers, including Jacques Cartier and Samuel de Champlain, began to map and settle the eastern coast of North America.