Christopher Columbus, the discoverer of America? Options

[panaginip13]

Okay, so I searched for a topic on this, and couldn't find one so I decided to make one. If there is a topic on this, feel free to close this and smack me upside the head for my inability to find things.

Columbus is often known as the discoverer of America. He came across America during his exploration and shared his discovery with Europe. This caused more Europeans to explore and settle in America, helping make America what it is today. However, some do not think that Columbus discovered America because of the Vikings and Native Americans that were there before him and for many other reasons.

Should Columbus be the one credited for discovering America? If not, who should be?

[lolthissiteisfun...]

I don't think so. He might have "discovered it" for the Europeans, but the Native Americans had been there for centuries, and there is proof the Vikings found it first anyway, they just came a different way.

[sadolakced acid]

christopher columbus died without knowing he discovered a new continet.

he should not be credited.

[mizzkim]

i think he should be credited.. after all i wouldnt have to go to school on that one day lol

[*Solipsist*]

Yeah. Because we don't have a Lief Erikson day. And if he isn't credited, that means there will be school that one day..i dont know when it is.

- Solipsist

[Spirited Away]

I've written about this topic before:

"Though [he found his way] accidentally, he did forged a new pathway and inspired [further] exploration." Why not give him credit? If not for founding parts of the Americas, then for leading the way towards the finding.

[pandamonium]

well he didnt find this country he made it official he credited it and called it america. i think he should be credited. he just made it official.

[PinoyOtaku]

IMO I just remember him as the person that began/popularized the volleys of expeditions to America...

[iheartjohn]

He didn't actually discover America. It's a known fact that Chris Columbus never even set foot on America.

As far as I know, the Native Americans are the first people in North America. And as far as I know, they don't have a special holiday.

[sadolakced acid]

well he didnt find this country he made it official he credited it and called it america. i think he should be credited. he just made it official.

what the hell are you talking about?

he landed only in carribean islands, and never realized they we're off of the indian shore. he thought he found some islands in india.

[heyyfrankie]

obviously he didn't discover it because the native americans were already their. but i think that everyone will always credit him for it.

[DaTru KataLYST]

well he didnt find this country he made it official he credited it and called it america. i think he should be credited. he just made it official.

He never credited the continent. He didn't even know it was a new continent. All he did was cross the Atlantic, find the Caribbeans, travel back and tell everyone. To some credit, he was the one who promoted the exploration of America.

I know America is named after Amerigo Vespucci (sp) but I don't know if that means he made the continent official.

Is it for sure that the Vikings settled before Europe? There are village ruins dating before European arrival.

And there's even a growing speculation that Zheng He of the Chinese discovered America waay before the Europeans.

Of course, ultimate credit must go to the nomads who crossed the Bering Strait and settled in the Western Hemisphere. Technically, they were the one who discovered them. No?

[sadolakced acid]

amerigo vespucci was the 'first' to realize it was a new contient.

christopher columbus never realized that.

[Spirited Away]

However, he inspired further exploration of it for the civilized world, no?

Maybe we should first talk about who did discover America.

[to-devastate]

I'd give that guy atleast some credit. He did work his butt all the way to America to find it. But I think the Vikings and Native Americans discovered it. They should be credited too.

[sadolakced acid]

he is not credited with inspiring people to america. He is falsely credited with discovering america.

[Spirited Away]

I'd give that guy atleast some credit. He did work his butt all the way to America to find it. But I think the Vikings and Native Americans discovered it. They should be credited too.

I meant who discovered America for the civilized world. Who brought knowledge and attention of the Americas to those who would later make settlement?

he is not credited with inspiring people to america. He is falsely credited with discovering america.

Yes well, my first question was who should be credited for discovering America for the civilized world. Next, how did the person/group of people managed to come by discovering it? And how the knowledge of the Americas came to them.

By answering those, I will have a better understanding of why people say he is falsely accredited.

Before anyone says anything resembling "you're stupid, open up your history book" because I asked these basic questions, please don't. You'll be making an ass of yourself and I'll not pity you.

[tmauze]

I know he wasn't the FIRST one to discover it, and therefore shouldn't get full credit for doing so; however, his discovery and telling about the "New World" is what led to the civilization (sp?) outside of Native Americans that formed here - therefore, in a long stretch, yes, Columbus should be credited, at least majority, for discovering America because otherwise it probably would've been forgotten by all.

[sadolakced acid]

1. columbus was not the first european in the 'new world'
2. columbus never knew he found a 'new world'

i know who it was who first said "this is a new world!" to the europeans. He was Amerigo Vespucci.

i know the first european in the 'new world'. he was lief erikson.

so why should columbus be credited with discovering america, or inspiring others to america?

[pandamonium]

amerigo vespucci was the 'first' to realize it was a new contient. 

christopher columbus never realized that.

thats who i was thinking of. lol didnt america come from his name? amerigo yea it did .

[PinoyOtaku]

1.  columbus was not the first european in the 'new world'
2.  columbus never knew he found a 'new world'

i know who it was who first said "this is a new world!" to the europeans.  He was Amerigo Vespucci.

i know the first european in the 'new world'.  he was lief erikson.

so why should columbus be credited with discovering america, or inspiring others to america?

Ok lemme correct myself: he died with the thought that he thought he found another way to getting to East Asia. As you mentioned Americo Vespucci realized it and, thanks to German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller, Americo's first name was used for the identification of the continents we know today as North and South America. Forgive me for the errors of my last post and this one as well...due to the fact I'm depriving myself of sleep trying to correct myself..

[Spirited Away]

1.  columbus was not the first european in the 'new world'
2.  columbus never knew he found a 'new world'

This is a response I wrote in an earlier topic about hitler and columbus:

In history there was always someone who stumbled on an idea, and someone else who made the idea better and famous. For example, the evolution theory existed before Charles Darwin. Anaximander, Xenophanes, Aristotle and a few more people have made assumptions about evolution, wrote about it and studied what they can about it with what knowledge of science was available during their lifetime. However, what we learned generally learn in school is that Darwin is much credited with formalizing the actual theory.

Why then must Columbus be looked down on if he wasn't the first to reached America when Darwin wasn't the first to think of the evolutionary theory? Like Darwin, he was only testing out his theory. Though miscalculated, know that the people of that era does not have firm knowledge on geography. What else do you expect from them? Certainly not perfection I hope.


Now then, as for Columbus not even knowing what he stumbled on. Many artists died before their paintings become famous... They wouldn't know that their work is now masterpiece worth millions because... well, they died.

In comparison, Columbus died before he had a chance to realize what we now know.

[*iNyCxShoRT*]

Psh. . .christopher columbus didn't discover america he was tryign to find a new route to Asia or something and then came across american. I think something Americo Vespuci or something like that discovered it i have no idea why they made it C.C day >=(

[Spirited Away]

Psh. . .christopher columbus didn't discover america he was tryign to find a new route to Asia or something and then came across american. I think something Americo Vespuci or something like that discovered it i have no idea why they made it C.C day >=(

Will you please read the whole thread before posting? Thank you.

[aznxdreamer]

hes the one that made it official. but i do think its kinda unfair that he took all the credit for it when the native americans were there first.