Who discovered America?

Question

...or the American Continent

ok...apart from the native indians who were obviously already there....so to narrow it down a fraction: who (explorer/navigator) from the 'Old World' was the first to set foot on the American Continent?

Answer 1

Leif Erickson discovered North America approx 1007. He settled in Newfoundland in a settlement named Vinland, later called Lanse Aux Meadows. Prior to Erickson, Eskimos/Indians crossed over from Asia to Alaska approx 5000 years ago. Asia and NA were actually connected by land. This section was called Beringia, and eventually, the two land masses separated.

Contrary to what others may post, Columbus was not the first one to land in North America....

Answer 2

Discovery of the American continents is credited to the Genoa's, Christopher Columbus. Basically he is credited for this discover for he was the first one that was able to return to Europe and provide guidance on how to get their, longitude and latitude of where it was and left a settlement there.
It is reported that the Vikings discovered North America in the 900's, had a settlement in Greenland, which is part of North America, and even traveled as far South as New Newfoundland. But the settlements were wiped out either by starvation or by the natives. This knowledge was mostly lost to western civilization and at the time it was not determined if this was a previous unknown land mass or part of Asia.
The "Native Americans" who were in North America at the time of Columbus crossed over from Asia.
Prior to Columbus there is no known credited written knowledge of the American Continents.
Amerigo Vespucci traveled to the Americas after Columbus, and had 2 works of his published, which lead to the naming of the new continents.

Answer 3

Amerigo Vespucci was the one it was named after cant remember why but yea the natives from Asia crossed on a land bridge from Asia to Alaska, then it was the vikings then Amerigo Vespucci, Christopher Columbus did come in 1492, you can always remember that by "in 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue" well some say that Columbus may not have landed in or around America but maybe a little farther south in the Caribbean islands, but remember back then it did not look like it does now

Answer 4

Aside from native Americans

Vikings led by Leif Eriksson landed in Newfoundland in the 1000's

Columbus reached America in 1492, and John Cabot landed in modern-day Canada in 1497

Answer 5

If you want to really be correct, Basque fishermen were fishing in the waters of the Banks off Canada for more than 900 years before Columbus discovered America. They had some nice camping areas set up in Newfoundland that they came back to year after year. There's just no powerful monarch behind them, so they don't get as much press. But if you're looking for accuracy, they predated even Leif Ericsson.

Answer 6

Grog of the Cave Bear Clan was dubbed "discoverer of America" in the Year 35,563 BC by the elders of the tribe for his crossing of the Bering Strait Ice Bridge chasing wooly mammoths...

Answer 7

The Native Americans of course. I dont agree with the columbus crap. How can he discover a country that already had people in it? Its like going up to a new car with the owner sitting in the drivers seat and saying... Hey look I discovered a new car. LOL!!

Answer 8

The Chinese They discovered the New World in 1421 Anno Domini. And if you want to get serious some say the Carthaginians may have found America but never knew what it was and never settled it.

Answer 9

first, the asians came over the land bridge between modern day russia and alaska to north america. then, the vikings came for a while then left. last, columbus came.

Answer 10

Native americans found indians in America. so its Indians but Native americans gave it the name.