Who discovered America
By RonanDoran
@RonanDoran (201)
Ireland
October 2, 2010 11:13am CST
Why am I asking this, it was Columbus right? Or was it.
I'm watching a t.v. program right now that has found a five thousand year old stone ship anchor just off the coast of the states. It was dated back to just before Columbus's time.
Also, earlier in the program they were discussing a site called the American Stonehenge. Which some believe was created by Celts way before Columbus's time. Although others probably rightly believe it was created by native Americans.
Having said all of this I remember when I was in school at the age of about fifteen there was a tiny paragraph in my History book stating that somebody by the name of Americo Saspuci, (last name is probably spelled wrong) and the book clearly said that he discovered Ameica. Which would sort of make sense due to his name being Americo but I've never heard him mentioned since.
Can anybody add anything of interest to this?
3 people like this
6 responses
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
2 Oct 10
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/revolutionary-war/explorers/americus-vespucius.htm
This will take you to information on Americus Vespicius aka Amerigo Vespucci. I don't know that we will ever know who got here first. My question has always been...If Columbus discovered America why was it named after another explorer??? AND how did the Native American Indian greet him on his arrival??? Maybe Columbus just fought harder to find an unknown country than did any other explorer!!!
http://www.mce.k12tn.net/explorers/did_columbus_really_discover_ame.htm
This site goes into more detail on how America was discovered. I hope you find your answer in one of these sites as I don't think ANYONE knows!!! 
@RonanDoran (201)
• Ireland
2 Oct 10
Cheers Lady, I'm going to go take a look at that site now and thanks for the correct spelling of Americus names.
As the guy above said though Columbus didn't fight hard to find an unknown Country, he was basically looking for the back door to India, which he thought he found in America.
@goldeneagle (6745)
• United States
2 Oct 10
I have never understood how Columbus was credited with "discovering" America when there were already people living here, not to mention that the fool was lost when he got here. He thought he was in India for God's sake, thus why the Native Americans were referred to as INDIANS
@RonanDoran (201)
• Ireland
2 Oct 10
Hahaha very good point man, never understood that one myself. However, if we are to believe the current theory that man evolved in Africa then some race of people must of ventured to America long before Columbus in order for the Native Americans to establish themselves there, so I wonder who it was and if in fact they got there by boat or land bridge maybe.
@goldeneagle (6745)
• United States
2 Oct 10
I guess how we got to where we are is important to some people, however, I really don't care. For me, surviving from day-to-day takes all the energy I can find in myself, so I don't really have time to focus any energy on things like this...
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
3 Oct 10
I don't think we can do anything about who discovered America. Christopher Columbus is the man we honor with this discovery. He will always get the credit.@RonanDoran (201)
• Ireland
3 Oct 10
Isn't really right though if it wasn't him at all. I doubt the native Americans honor him.
@pogi253 (1586)
• Philippines
3 Oct 10
In 1947, the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci discovered a new country, and it was named America by the map maker, Martin Waldseemuller. However, it was later realized that Amerigos friend, the spanish explorer, Christopher Columbus had been there a few years earlier in 1492. But it was too late to rename the country Columbia. More recently evidence has appeared showing that in fact it was the chinese Admiral Cheng Ho who discovered America in 1421.
@RonanDoran (201)
• Ireland
3 Oct 10
I'm pretty sure you didn't mean 19477 as if America was only founded then who was hitler fighting in ww2? Just joking I get what you mean and that is why I started the topic alright to see if anyone knew about the Chinese role in it all.
Thank you
@jamed28 (1903)
• Philippines
3 Oct 10
If you are talking about the discovery of America, then it is definitely Christopher Columbus. But if your are talking about the foreign people who are not native of the America, who first set foot on this land, well there are many, like the Vikings and maybe some Asian races who cross the ice bridge that exist during the Ice Age.
Columbus was named the discovered of America since at the time Columbus set foot on this land, the modern civilization exist on Columbus land. Just like here in the Philippines. Philippines was discovered by Ferdinand Magellan, but the Chinese and the Malays where already here. But since during that time, Spain had a well civilization so it was declared that Magellan discovered the Philippines and not the Chinese.
@RonanDoran (201)
• Ireland
3 Oct 10
That seems to be what most people are saying to me alright. Having said that the program I watched that started this discussion had found a stone ships anchor off the coast of America which they traced back to the Chinese and did in fact date before Columbus. They also were interviewing a Chinese professor that collected these anchors and he said that its clearly documented that the Chinese did sail to America around 1446 but for some reason Spain managed to claim it as you said because they had a civilization, odd, as I'm sure the Chinese did also.
