Who discovered 'America'?

Question

If it is columpus ,then why it is named after Americago Vespuchi?

Answer 1

It was actually discovered by Norsemen around 900 but their colonization died out in northern Canada shortly after the initial settling.



The Vikings, or Norsemen, explored and settled areas of the North Atlantic, including the northeast fringes of North America, beginning in the 10th century. While this settlement process did not have the lasting effects that later settlements and conquests would have, it can be seen as a prelude to wide-scale European settlement in the Americas.

The Viking activities are often erroneously described as the Viking colonization of North America, but there are few findings that support this idea. Their settlements only grew to a small size and never fully developed into permanent colonies, partly because of hostile relations with Native Americans, whom the Norse referred to as Skraelings. The situation is better described as Viking exploitation of natural resources such as furs and lumber. Lumber, in particular, was in short supply in Norse Greenland, due to deforestation.[1]

The Norse sagas are the first written sources in Europe that refer to North America. Some scholars believe that South American petroglyphs are rune-like symbols and thus offer proof of Norse contact (e.g. Nazca urn in Peru, Brazil, Paraguay), but this assertion has never found support among Scandinavian runologists.

There are also runestones found in North America (e.g. the Kensington Runestone, Newport Tower and Heavener Runestone) that are thought by some to descend from the Viking Age. Runological experts generally do not believe either the North nor South American runestone finds to be sound proof of Viking contact, and some suggest that these stand merely as proof of the quality and diversity of pre-historic Native American arts. There is a map describing North America, the Vinland map, the age of which is subject to some debate. While it is at least based on a real, historical map, the Vinland map does show parts of the Greenland coastline that were covered with ice around 11-13th century.

Answer 2

one of the best supported by archaeological evidence is that Leif Eriksson reached North America and established a colony called Vinland (Newfoundland) around 1000 a.d., 500 years before Columbus sailed the ocean blue. Then of course there were the Irish voyagers who reached NOrth America in the 9th or 10th century, but some say this is a myth. Another unfounded 'myth' would be Modoc, a Welshman who established a colony. The distinction of being the first European to set foot on what would become the United STates soil rightfully belongs to Juan Ponce de Leon'. But all of these European seamen and more were no more than 'johnny come latelys' in the Americas. The true discoverers of America were the people whose culture and societies were well established here while Europe was still in the Dark Ages, the 'so called' Indians.

The naming of America was about as accurate as calling Indians "Indians". Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian who found his way to Spain and actually helped Columbus outfit his voyages. In 1499 he sailed to South America to the mouth of the AMazon. He made 3 more voyages along the coast of Brazil. IN 1504 letters supposedly written by Vespucci appeared in Italy in which he claimed to be captain of the four voyages and in which the words Mundus Novas, or New World were first used to describe the lands that had been found. Some years later, in a new edition of Ptolemy, this new land, still believed to be attached to Asia, was labeled 'America' in honor of Vespucci.
Go figure.

Answer 3

Columbus thought he was sailing to Asia. Hence the native people were known as "Indians". He never actual set foot on the mainland instead only visited the Caribbean islands. Amerigo Vespuchi was the one who realised they were not in Asia and hence the continent is named after him. This isn't as daft as it sounds. Columbus made the brave assumption that the world was round and sailed west to find Asia. If you don't know how big the world is then you'll obviously have no idea how long it takes to get to India. And if you've never been to India or even seen pictures of it then its hard to know whether you're there or not.

As for who really discovered it as most people have said on here the Vikings were there before Columbus and they were preceded by many thousands of years by the ancestors of today's native americans who crossed the Baring Strait when it was once possible to walk across.

Why Columbus gets so much credit is down to the arrogance of people who write the history books really and the racist assumption that 'natives don't count'. He was a good sailor and a brave and clever man but doesn't deserve credit for discovering America really.

Answer 4

It was Columbus who discovered America although some experts say that the Vikings were there 300 years before. It is named after Amerogo Vespucci because he was the first person to travel from the east coast to the west coast.

Answer 5

"why it is named after Americago Vespuchi?"
Are you an American? You probably think George Washington was the first President (It was Peyton Randolph).

It isn't. It's named after Richard Ameryk, a Bristol merchant who financed the second transatlantic voyage of Giovanni Caboto (John Cabot).
Cabot reached Labrador in May 1497 and became the first RECORDED European to set foot on American soil, predating Vespucci by two years.

Cabot mapped the North American coastline from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland.. Vespucci never reached North America, nor did he ever use the term "America" for his discovery (South America). New countries or continents were never named after person's first name, always after the last. America would have become Vespucci land (or Vespuccia?) if he had given his name to it.

The earliest known use of the name America for this particular landmass dates from 1507. It appears on a globe and a large map created by the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller

Waldseemüller's maps are alleged to incorporate information from the early English journeys to North America. The theory holds that a variant of Amerike's name appeared on an early English map (of which however no copies survive) and that this was the true inspiration for Waldseemüller.

Answer 6

Washington is a large and all know city and is certainly worthwhile deliver a vacation or simply visit this city. with hotelbye you will learn more. One of the representations of Washington and the whole America could be the famous White House, the official house of the President of the United States. The home of each president except George Washington, it absolutely was actually built by James Hoban in 1792, and following being burnt down by British causes in 1814 was renewed in 1818. Though travels of the inner offering the East, Blue, Green, and Red Areas; the Ballroom; and the State Dining Room must certanly be reserved properly beforehand, every tourist to Washington would want to see this legendary making, at the very least from the outside. Nearby to the White House would be the elaborate 1833 Greek Revival Treasury Building and the 1871 Executive Office Building, one of the very most striking old government buildings in Washington.

Answer 7

Leif Eriksson, the son of Erik the Red, was the first "european" to reach America in the 1100s. The first colonization attemps at the Anse-aux-meadows (northern part of Newfoundland, Canada) werent successful, and they left after a hundred years or so. Byafter, Columbus discovered islands in the Carribeans, but he never set foot on the mainland, nor has he discovered it. The merit of its "re-discovery" goes to Amerigo Vespucci from whom the continent is named.

Answer 8

Earliest remains of homo sapiens apparently found in central Brazil about 47,000yrs BP. Anatomically the skulls are very similar to those found in Australasia 50-60,000 years BP. Speculation is that these 'aboriginal' peoples then sailed/island hopped to the Americas. Possibly these peoples were assimilated or wiped out by Asian peoples migrating down through the Americas by the Bering land bridge from about 20,000yrs BP. problem is.. the accompanying artifacts in Brazil show a definite mousterian culture (Neanderthal?). Suggest re-examination of the original skulls. If the lower jaw is available, look for evidence of a recessed mandibular nerve, a predominantly neanderthal trait found in only 8% of modern humans.

Answer 9

it is ironic but true that historical facts are more often than not distorted and written to please the winning side which would mean the side that can dictate terms to the writer. this is true of all wars in world history wherein the victor or the so called civilized side have been painted as angels and the vanquished or the other side which didn't have the means to get their points of view across have always been shown as barbarians or worse. both sides have committed crimes against humanity in equal manner but the loser is tried and the victor is given a hero's welcome. hence if the indigenous people are not credited with saving Columbus and his crew from starvation and certain death in the strange land, that is just the ways of the world, we credit him for discovering America when he should have been demoted for poor navigation!!! these are the ways of the world and we have to learn to accept the half truths as acts of glory???????????

Answer 10

The people who crossed the Bering Strait and became our Native Americans and then everyone who wasn't born here. People are still discovering America. That is until people actually build "walls" to keep them out. However, as Robin Williams stated: The Chinese will tell you "That won't work!"