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Maine's Painful History: Through the Pines Darkly

Painful Maine History pages




EARLY INHABITANTS

As early as 7000 years ago, maine was populated by a people known as the "Maritime Archaic", or "Red Paint", people. The latter term is a reference to the red ochre with which these people buried their dead.

This culture appears to have disappeared several thousand years ago. Subsequent native inhabitants do not appear to be related to the maritime Archaic people.

NORSE VISITS

There are legends of visits to the area of Maine by Scandanavian explorers prior to the Columbian voyage to North America. Of particular note are reports of Viking exploration Southwest of Greenland in 1000 A.D.. Lief the Lucky recounts finding a land where grapes grew in abundance. Consequently, this land was called "Vinland". There is no evidence to support these legends, however. Nor, if true, is it possible to determine whether it was Maine where this journey led.

THE BEGINNING OF WESTERN EXPLOITATION

The news of Columbus' voyage to North America triggered a rush of excitment on the part of the various powers in Europe. This new source of plunder provoked great avaricious interest. The full extent of the treasure to be extracted remained to be determined. That duty fell to the agents of the European powers, the "Early Explorers".

THE EARLY EXPLORERS

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