Early US history...Columbus is a liar?

[Kaz Likes Cookies]

Kind of is, kind of isn't. So I was reading about how there were millions of natives before Columbus even got NEAR our coast. I'm taking an early us history college course and I was shocked to find out that Columbus was actually quite late in the discovery of the New World. There were so many other civilizations already here! So the discussion points...

Why do they say in schools that Columbus "discovered" America and that no one knew it existed before him?

What do you think of the diseases Europeans brought and the military technology that wiped out almost 90% of all the millions of natives that once walked this earth?

((didn't think this really fit under In Depth Discussion so I put it here...))  

[The Dinosaur Next Door]

A lot of history texts don't count the natives as "discoverers" thanks to the fact that the victors are the ones who get to write the texts.  

[wakusei]

Well he kind of reached "The Americas" which is why I guess they use that phrasing. Even if he just landed on the Bahamas and such and the Norse really "discovered" it first.

But I don't ever remember actually being told in school that Columbus discovered America.... I was always told the truth... sweatdrop

And of course it's terrible the diseases and cruelty that happened to the Native Americans. I don't think anyone would disagree. Not really a whole lot we can do about it now, though.  

[Chexley]

The Norse, long after the land bridge fell to the sea's clutches, were the "first" to discover what we know as North America on one of their journeys. Historians only admitted that after it was established that a man named Americo (I think. His first name start's with an F. Not sure) discovered the continent of North American again.

We only chose his name to name our country America for reasons unknown. xd

Columbus originally set out for the West Indies because of the tales he had heard about their being riches and spices; he pretty much wanted to be another Marco Polo (who was creditted for connecting Europe with China by sea). He boo-boo'd and found the Caribbean instead. He was greedy and disgusting, thus raping and pilaging the locals.

I forget where Pizzaro fits into all of this. I'm not sure if he came around in the 1400s, 1500s or 1600s. I know it was England who came to the "New World" in 1607 and established Jamestown, Virginia.

Basically, it was the Portguese, the Spanish and Italians who were rushing to get their hands on most of the land the world had to offer. Cortez and Pizzard, to get this straight, were credited for Mexico and parts of Central America. I forget who got the kudos for getting a hold of the whole of South America. The French were the ones who claimed Canada (though they only really inhabit the eastern half; the Russians and asians dot the western half).

I don't like the fact that history depicts a very bloody and disgusting picture of how the natives were shoved under thumb, but I'll say it now that that was the way of things.

People can now go ahead and correct me if I'm wrong. I was just going off what I remembered from high school. I'll probably have to straighten things out.

@Waku: Indeed, the winners are who write the history. *Thinks about taking a history class next semester.*  

[CR Kyrie]

Chexley

Americo (I think. His first name start's with an F. Not sure)

Amerigo Vespucci.  

[Saverio C.]

Most modern day histories don't say he discovered it, and Columbus believed that he made it to Asia for most of his life. He really was a p***k.  

[Chexley]

Ranuu

Chexley

Americo (I think. His first name start's with an F. Not sure)

Amerigo Vespucci.

Ah, thank you. I couldn't remember the correct name. whee  

[Thaliat Everwood]

Saverio C.

Most modern day histories don't say he discovered it, and Columbus believed that he made it to Asia for most of his life. He really was a p***k.

An ignorant one at that.

Seriously, how could he confuse a native from here for one from Asia? Height alone should have clued him in he made a wrong turn somewhere. And the different food. And the native's different complexions. And the lack of noodle goodness. How do you mistake this place for Asia? Sheesh.  

[Elcia]

I've heard that the Portuguese sometimes stopped off on the coast to salt fish before returning to Portugal. We don't really know how much undocumented visiting was done.

And there is a researcher trying to prove Columbus was in fact a Jew looking for a place for the Jews to go to escape the Spanish inquisition.
His wife lived on the Portuguese Island of Madeira.  

[Saverio C.]

Thaliat Everwood

Saverio C.

Most modern day histories don't say he discovered it, and Columbus believed that he made it to Asia for most of his life. He really was a p***k.

An ignorant one at that.

Seriously, how could he confuse a native from here for one from Asia? Height alone should have clued him in he made a wrong turn somewhere. And the different food. And the native's different complexions. And the lack of noodle goodness. How do you mistake this place for Asia? Sheesh.

He thought he was on an Island outside Asia. Which isn't much better as we knew the circumference of the world at the time,  

[Sanzoskitsune]

Okay so I'm slightly confused by the original post, where you guys talking about this and decided to bring it up here in the ATG because it brought up ideas and thoughts or because this is honestly the first time you've heard about this? I mean, I remember the last time I even TALKED about this in a classroom setting was back in high school when we were going over how many things in history used to be painted nicer or glossed over. Including of course the fact that the Vikings bumped heads with the native people of this continent, you know what we now call Native Americans.

Actually, I've always been irritated by how Europeans killed off all the Native Americans, there were so many AMAZING cultures here. At least there was a little meshing of culture.  

[Kalstolyn]

well hundreds of years before columbus, some viking sailors landed on what is now Newfoundland because they were sailing for greenland and missed. Also a lot of natives here are easily confused for asians. Actually I knew a korean girl who looked for all the world like she was inuit.  

[Shram]

Sanzoskitsune

Okay so I'm slightly confused by the original post, where you guys talking about this and decided to bring it up here in the ATG because it brought up ideas and thoughts or because this is honestly the first time you've heard about this? I mean, I remember the last time I even TALKED about this in a classroom setting was back in high school when we were going over how many things in history used to be painted nicer or glossed over. Including of course the fact that the Vikings bumped heads with the native people of this continent, you know what we now call Native Americans.

Actually, I've always been irritated by how Europeans killed off all the Native Americans, there were so many AMAZING cultures here. At least there was a little meshing of culture.

All cultures die eventually.
people destroy what they are afraid of and what isn't the same as theirs.
Common to this day but hidden behind politics and religion.
The middle east is the biggest screamer of culture killer you'll find.  

[God-Raped-Me]

You know Shram, the natives of this land just wanted to share with the new comers, so I believe that even that statement is false. I believe that it's more likely that people who are afraid to loose something will try and destroy what they don't understand.  

[Shram]

God-Raped-Me

You know Shram, the natives of this land just wanted to share with the new comers, so I believe that even that statement is false. I believe that it's more likely that people who are afraid to loose something will try and destroy what they don't understand.

thats... the same thing
Not understanding cause fear, this fear tends to come from things being different.
Its hard to understand the cultures of the other sides of the world, for many "higher" authorities this causes fear for multiple of reasons, generally the lack of understanding.
the only reason the higher authorities get to control so much now is cus of multiple media control.
mass murder is basically easier to put acceptable now, before it was always hidden.