In an alternate history, the original European explorers of North America, the Scandinavians, began extensively colonizing it shortly upon its discovery in the 11th century. Vast numbers of immigrants, primarily from Norway, Sweden, and Iceland, dispersed along the eastern seaboard of "North Vinland". The Scandinavian colonists, which waged war with the natives, gradually took their land, pushing further, and further onshore. Native resistance, though, resulted in the forming of native nations across the land. Relatively free of major wars with competitive nations, the Scandinavian colonies flourished and became captivating to more Europeans. By the late 1400's, western European immigrants began flooding North Vinland, altering mainstream culture in the numerous regions. By the mid 1500's, several revolutions left the land divided into over twenty nations, which descended into countless wars over land, wealth, and power. Throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, nationalism became the primary catalyst for war amongst the nations. By the early 1800s, many of the smaller nations had fused with or been annexed by the larger ones. In the recent years, the continent has remained relatively peaceful, yet nationalism is once again on the rise. It is now 1853 and North Vinland lies on the edge of war.
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