Why do people still think Columbus discovered America?

[Hegstoria]

Really and truly, why? For years now we have known Leif Erickson went to New Foundland before him, there are Norse settlements there, so please don't dispute that. In case you do, here is a credible link that states the settlement was occupied somewhere around 990-1030 AD. http://archaeology.about.com/cs/explorers/a/anseauxmeadows.htm

So again I ask, why do people still think Columbus discovered America? To push even harder, there is evidence that Zheng He, renound Chinese explorer, "discovered" America in 1421. http://www.1421.tv/

So for a third time I ask, why do people think Columbus discovered America? To add to this, if any of you know anything about the Polynesians, you will know they settled nearly every island in the Pacific from New Zealand to Hawaii, so please tell me why they wouldn't be able to find two massive continents? Plus, there is evidence of Polynesian Chickens in Chile, Polynesian Fish hooks off the coast of California, and much more. http://archaeology.about.com/b/2010/04/25/polynesian-seafaring-to-the-american-continents.htm

So really, why does the public still believe Columbus discovered America, it is just flat out false.

Oh, and almost all of this info was contained in a History Channel special which aired today, but that is not where I got this, it merely refreshed my mind on these things, I had previously known at least something about all of these.

[Sun Aut Ex]

Because he was the one who brought it to the attention of the European powers of the day.

[Avenio]

I don't think anyone still does, really. They teach about the Viking expeditions to Vinland all the way back in 6th grade here in Canada, and as far as I know, and the Zheng He expedition is still largely theoretical, as far as I know. The reason why Columbus' expeditions are considered so important is that Columbus directly brought about the Age of Colonization, whereas the Chinese only visited the coasts of the Pacific and the Vikings left before long.

[Berzerkirs]

No source, which I'll get flak for, but I've read that many Basque fishing expeditions have been to Newfoundland before the Vikings themselves.

Maybe not the first, but still pretty good in my book.

[Hegstoria]

I don't think anyone still does, really. They teach about the Viking expeditions to Vinland all the way back in 6th grade here in Canada, and as far as I know, and the Zheng He expedition is still largely theoretical, as far as I know. The reason why Columbus' expeditions are considered so important is that Columbus directly brought about the Age of Colonization, whereas the Chinese only visited the coasts of the Pacific and the Vikings left before long.

Well you have not gone to School in America. I live in New York, which has a very good public education program, but it still almost solely teaches Columbus discovered America.

[Caelapes]

The thing that pisses me off the most about the History Channel thing today was that some guy was like "A lot of people in Columbus's fleet were terrified because they thought they were going to fall off the edge of the Earth."

Literally none of them did because they knew the goddamn world was round. The year of Columbus's voyage was the year the goddamn GLOBE was invented. I don't understand why something called the History Channel airs such shit. Most of the stuff in the show today is widely believed to be a hoax by the academic community, to boot. The History Channel is a joke.

[Allbeama]

Because it's a nice story. And to be fair he was the first one who actually did something with it. And those who came after of course. Of course the part about the nice story is Blatant Lies.

[Berzerkirs]

I don't think anyone still does, really. They teach about the Viking expeditions to Vinland all the way back in 6th grade here in Canada, and as far as I know, and the Zheng He expedition is still largely theoretical, as far as I know. The reason why Columbus' expeditions are considered so important is that Columbus directly brought about the Age of Colonization, whereas the Chinese only visited the coasts of the Pacific and the Vikings left before long.

Well you have not gone to School in America. I live in New York, which has a very good public education program, but it still almost solely teaches Columbus discovered America.

They teach about the Vikings here in Iowa.

You know, if the Natives aren't considered as "discoverers".

[The Bleeding Roses]

because ocean blue rhymes with 1492...

[Panzerjaeger]

The thing that pisses me off the most about the History Channel thing today was that some guy was like "A lot of people in Columbus's fleet were terrified because they thought they were going to fall off the edge of the Earth."

Literally none of them did because they knew the goddamn world was round. The year of Columbus's voyage was the year the goddamn GLOBE was invented. I don't understand why something called the History Channel airs such shit. Most of the stuff in the show today is widely believed to be a hoax by the academic community, to boot. The History Channel is a joke.

Boats of the time period proved they didn't think the Earth was flat because they had a Crow's Nest.

[Hegstoria]

The thing that pisses me off the most about the History Channel thing today was that some guy was like "A lot of people in Columbus's fleet were terrified because they thought they were going to fall off the edge of the Earth."

Literally none of them did because they knew the goddamn world was round. The year of Columbus's voyage was the year the goddamn GLOBE was invented. I don't understand why something called the History Channel airs such shit. Most of the stuff in the show today is widely believed to be a hoax by the academic community, to boot. The History Channel is a joke.

No, I have read exerts from some sailors journals that show some of them planned to mutiny if they didn't stop soon. Even during Columbus's time, things like the Globe would only be privy to the upper class, not lowly sailors. The public scoffed at Columbus, but the Spanish royalty knew he was right and that's why they funded him.

[Avenio]

The thing that pisses me off the most about the History Channel thing today was that some guy was like "A lot of people in Columbus's fleet were terrified because they thought they were going to fall off the edge of the Earth."

Literally none of them did because they knew the goddamn world was round. The year of Columbus's voyage was the year the goddamn GLOBE was invented. I don't understand why something called the History Channel airs such shit. Most of the stuff in the show today is widely believed to be a hoax by the academic community, to boot. The History Channel is a joke.

Plus, if you think about it, Columbus was looking for a shortcut to China during his expeditions, not simply exploring.

I don't think anyone still does, really. They teach about the Viking expeditions to Vinland all the way back in 6th grade here in Canada, and as far as I know, and the Zheng He expedition is still largely theoretical, as far as I know. The reason why Columbus' expeditions are considered so important is that Columbus directly brought about the Age of Colonization, whereas the Chinese only visited the coasts of the Pacific and the Vikings left before long.

Well you have not gone to School in America. I live in New York, which has a very good public education program, but it still almost solely teaches Columbus discovered America.

Well then, you have your answer, don't you? It's because the education system in the States is in the toilet.

[Hegstoria]

I don't think anyone still does, really. They teach about the Viking expeditions to Vinland all the way back in 6th grade here in Canada, and as far as I know, and the Zheng He expedition is still largely theoretical, as far as I know. The reason why Columbus' expeditions are considered so important is that Columbus directly brought about the Age of Colonization, whereas the Chinese only visited the coasts of the Pacific and the Vikings left before long.

Well you have not gone to School in America. I live in New York, which has a very good public education program, but it still almost solely teaches Columbus discovered America.

They teach about the Vikings here in Iowa.

You know, if the Natives aren't considered as "discoverers".

It is completely ignored here, I only know a handful of people my age that know about Lief Erickson.

[Berzerkirs]

I don't think anyone still does, really. They teach about the Viking expeditions to Vinland all the way back in 6th grade here in Canada, and as far as I know, and the Zheng He expedition is still largely theoretical, as far as I know. The reason why Columbus' expeditions are considered so important is that Columbus directly brought about the Age of Colonization, whereas the Chinese only visited the coasts of the Pacific and the Vikings left before long.

Well you have not gone to School in America. I live in New York, which has a very good public education program, but it still almost solely teaches Columbus discovered America.

They teach about the Vikings here in Iowa.

You know, if the Natives aren't considered as "discoverers".

It is completely ignored here, I only know a handful of people my age that know about Lief Erickson.

What age, if I may ask?

The thing that pisses me off the most about the History Channel thing today was that some guy was like "A lot of people in Columbus's fleet were terrified because they thought they were going to fall off the edge of the Earth."

Literally none of them did because they knew the goddamn world was round. The year of Columbus's voyage was the year the goddamn GLOBE was invented. I don't understand why something called the History Channel airs such shit. Most of the stuff in the show today is widely believed to be a hoax by the academic community, to boot. The History Channel is a joke.

No, I have read exerts from some sailors journals that show some of them planned to mutiny if they didn't stop soon. Even during Columbus's time, things like the Globe would only be privy to the upper class, not lowly sailors. The public scoffed at Columbus, but the Spanish royalty knew he was right and that's why they funded him.

Also, remember many of the "sailors" were simply prisoners and ne'er-doers who were given a second chance. Not to mention the fact that the Spanish monarchy had everything to gain and nothing to lose should whatever happen.

[Tsaraine]

Everyone at the time knew the Earth was a sphere. Columbus' goof was that he'd got his math wrong and thought it was a lot smaller than it was. Many people at the Spanish court had better math and a measurement for the Earth's circumference more closely matching the real one. Obviously, since they didn't know about the Americas, the idea that someone could cross the width of the Atlantic and the width of the Americas and the Pacific to reach the Far East was dubious, given the naval technology of the time.

[Augarundus]

Because:

1) It's a cool story.

2) There are a lot of ignorant people in the world.

3) The previous "discoveries" of America by figures such as Erik the Red were relatively unknown to European society until the modern era. Columbus enlightened European leaders as to the presence of the "New World"...


I've met a few people who thought Christopher Columbus was the United States' founding father... 0.0

[The Weegies]

The only conclusive visitation by pre-Columbian non-Native Americans is the Norse settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows (although in terms of the other theories, I find the Polynesian one appealing and most probable, though still with little in the way of concrete evidence.)

The Zheng He hypothesis is widely considered by most historians to be highly unlikely and based on the most tenuous of suppositions.

[Katganistan]

I don't think anyone still does, really. They teach about the Viking expeditions to Vinland all the way back in 6th grade here in Canada, and as far as I know, and the Zheng He expedition is still largely theoretical, as far as I know. The reason why Columbus' expeditions are considered so important is that Columbus directly brought about the Age of Colonization, whereas the Chinese only visited the coasts of the Pacific and the Vikings left before long.

Well you have not gone to School in America. I live in New York, which has a very good public education program, but it still almost solely teaches Columbus discovered America.

Odd. Not in my school.

[Bergnovinaia]

Well, up to a certain point, people believed he discovered India, but that isn't true either...

We mainly believe because American's don't care who discovered our nation. All we care about are the current football scores.

[Berzerkirs]

Well, up to a certain point, people believed he discovered India, but that isn't true either...

We mainly believe because American's don't care who discovered our nation. All we care about are the current football scores.

Yeh, I'd say history isn't one of America's strong points...

[New Cassel]

So really, why does the public still believe Columbus discovered America, it is just flat out false.

Tradition, mostly.

because ocean blue rhymes with 1492...

^This, too.

The year of Columbus's voyage was the year the goddamn GLOBE was invented.

I believe news travelled somewhat slowly in those days; what without TV and the internet.

I don't understand why something called the History Channel airs such shit. Most of the stuff in the show today is widely believed to be a hoax by the academic community, to boot. The History Channel is a joke.

Yeah, THC is really hurting for decent programming these days. They often show movies that are loosely based on historical events. Sad.

Edit: Wrote without thinking. Wasn't the first time. Probably won't be the last. Do I get a cookie for at least admitting it?!

[Hegstoria]

I don't think anyone still does, really. They teach about the Viking expeditions to Vinland all the way back in 6th grade here in Canada, and as far as I know, and the Zheng He expedition is still largely theoretical, as far as I know. The reason why Columbus' expeditions are considered so important is that Columbus directly brought about the Age of Colonization, whereas the Chinese only visited the coasts of the Pacific and the Vikings left before long.

Well you have not gone to School in America. I live in New York, which has a very good public education program, but it still almost solely teaches Columbus discovered America.

Odd. Not in my school.

I have never once spent time on the Vikings, let alone the fact that they discovered America. Now, I know it's in the Textbook, because I looked (Yes, I'm a global history nerd lol). None of my teachers really ever mentioned him. My Global History Teacher this year mentioned Zheng He, but he was telling someone about the book that some guy wrote about it(Although my Global History teacher is awesome, if he had the first half he would probably teach us about lief.)

Oh, and to answer someone's question about what age, 15-16-17, depends on who. I'm 15, but I'm a december birthday. I know some people in my grade that are 17. So to summarize, we're soon to be Juniors.

[The Weegies]

Of course, to be entirely pedantic, technically Columbus never discovered America; he never landed on the North American continent. The first European to land on the continent of North America after the Vikings is generally considered to be John Cabot.

[Conservative Alliances]

Because people remember what they were told when they were younger? Anyway, he opened up the Americas to Europe, which is what is taught in schools now.

[Caelapes]

I believe news travelled somewhat slowly in those days; what without TV and the internet.

Well it's a good thing it was universally known anyway and the globe wasn't invented as soon as they realized that the earth was round.