2006-08-26 07:12:40 · 12 answers · asked by nyker 3 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
It depends on a few factors; 1. How do you define U.S. soil? 2. How do you define explorer?
If you define U.S. soil as the current U.S. then the answer is Juan Ponce DeLeon who set foot on Florida (Spanish colony) soil in 1513. If you exclude Florida, then the answer would be Hernan DeSoto who set foot on what would become Georgia (one of the original 13 American colonies) soil in 1539. Columbus' foot never touched what is now U.S. soil.
Leif Erikson and the Vikings almost certainly were in North America before Columbus, but there is very little evidence and only some conjecture that they made it as far south as the present U.S. Most evidence for the Vikings in North America has been found in Newfoundland which is a part of Canada. In any case, the Vikings are not generally thought of as explorers in the traditional sense of the word.
2006-08-26 07:51:54 · answer #1 · answered by atwil 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Columbus was traditionally considered the first European to have visited the Americas, but that was thrown up in the air in the 1950's when they found remnants of a Viking settlement in Newfoundland, Canada. That's a bit north of the US.
The first European to cross the ocean to get to the Americas were almost certainly Vikings. There are some claims of viking artifacts found as far inland as Minnisota, but I'm not up on the details of those.
Now for who was first to reach the what is now the continental US... Well, it's generally considered to be Juan Ponce De Leon 1n 1513. He visited Florida.
2006-08-26 07:23:15 · answer #2 · answered by Lendorien 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Leif Erikson, a Viking and son of Eric the Red, is creidited to being the first European to land on American soil. He landed in Newfoundland, Canada, in c. 1000 AD. There is even evidence to suggest that the Vikings even made it as far as Minnesota! Ask Garrison Keilor of Prarie Home Companion. So that would be US soil.
Columbus only made it as far as Cuba. I don't why they still emphasize him in schools. Many did more than him.
Juan Ponce de León made it to Florida in 1513. John Cabot made it to US soil in 1497 and trapsed around. Anyways, hope this helps.
2006-08-26 07:27:35 · answer #3 · answered by coffee_addict 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Christopher Columbus
2006-08-26 07:21:48 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
that's interesting...a history major thinks Columbus was the first westerner to step foot in America....I'm pretty sure it was Amerigo Vespucci after the Vikings failed settlements....
2006-08-26 09:53:47 · answer #5 · answered by squigit1985 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Leif Erikson --- approximately 1000 years ago
2006-08-26 07:45:05 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
BJARNI OLAFFSON... CIRCA BEFORE "THE VINLAND MAP"!!!ERIC THE RED...CIRCA THE NORSE SAGAS...SEE"AUX AU MEADOWS" ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE!!!MIGUEL CORTEREAL A PORTUGUESE EXPLORER ..1511 IN NEW ENGLAND!!ST. BRENDAN OF IRELAND WHO SAILED TO THE W"ISLES OF THE BLESSED" IN A TIED LEATHER BOAT WITH SEVERAL COMPANIONS"...RED-BEARDED And blonde-haired men were seen by the "grijalva expedition of spain"( that predated the conquest of mexico by ten years)in the area of the YUCATAN!!!THE CHINESE LANDED IN CALIFORNIA IN 499 A.D.LED BY A NATIVE OF LURISTAN(PRESENT DAY IRAN!!!)NAMED HOWEI SHENG!!!
2006-08-26 08:52:02 · answer #7 · answered by eldoradoreefgold 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Columbus?
2006-08-26 07:14:50 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Leif Ericson? That's just a guess.
2006-08-26 07:18:28 · answer #9 · answered by tsopolly 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
definitely a viking, if not Leif
2006-08-26 07:20:17 · answer #10 · answered by deeon2 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋