It is often said that Columbus discovered America. Explain why this claim is not entirely true. Use details and complete sentences in your answer. Mention at least two factors that would make this claim disputable. You must write at least four sentences (more is fine, too) in your answer.
Social Studies · High School · Mon Jan 18 2021
Answered on
The claim that Columbus discovered America is not entirely true due to at least two major factors. First, there were already indigenous peoples inhabiting the Americas long before Columbus arrived in 1492; these populations had established diverse cultures and societies across the two continents. The term "discovery" in this context ignores the existence of these peoples and their historical claim to the land. Second, Columbus was not even the first European to reach the Americas; Viking explorers, such as Leif Erikson, had set foot on North American shores in what is now Canada around 500 years earlier. Additionally, Columbus did not initially set foot on the mainland of North or South America but landed in the Caribbean islands and made his explorations there.