Chinese discovered America, not Columbus.

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Kadarin

Lifer
Nov 23, 2001
44,303
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Originally posted by: Dead Parrot Sketch
The point about Columbus and America is that his "discovery" is what led to the current status of the America's being largely European in character.

If the Chinese, and it's a big if IMHO, did what this article says, it's largely irrelevant since it doesn't seem to have much impact on World History the way that Columbus' voyage did.

Exactly. It doesn't matter who was here first; it was Columbus' discovery that changed the world. It's the same situation as the Wright Brothers' flap about who was really the first to fly a powered heavier than air craft; even if someone else technically did it before, it was they who changed the world.
 

milagro

Golden Member
Jun 19, 2001
1,459
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Originally posted by: Heisenberg
Didn't the Vikings beat Columbus here anyway?

yes...and basically if you look at current patterns in the atlantic, virtually any boat launching from Western Europe is bound to end up in America..

And how does one discover something where people already are?
 

GasX

Lifer
Feb 8, 2001
29,033
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81
If you claim to "discover" a place and people already live there, aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself?
 

Tom

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
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He discovered that too.

If you use your thinking cap it's very easy to understand.

Until Columbus got back from his voyage the Spanish and Europeans didn't know about the Americas or the people there. So when he got back and told them about it he had discovered it from their point of view.

No one "discovered" America in some absolute sense. or I should say we can't possibly know who may have "discovered" it first since it undoubtedly happened long before recorded history begins.



 

bolido2000

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 2001
3,720
1
0
The "Civilized world" or Europe discovered America thanks to Columbus. Many customs in many modern countries still come from European/Western culture that's why I guess the general notion is the European notion.

 

Blain

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
23,643
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81
To "discover" is to uncover a thing not previously known. Now if Columbus had claimed to have "invented" America, that would be a different story.

I'm sure people had known about gold at "Sutter's Mill" before 1848. Yet that year was recognized as being the year of its discovery. :p
 

Walleye

Banned
Dec 1, 2002
7,939
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LMAO!!!

did anyone see the blaringly obvious word set in the first paragraph that casts severe doubt on (i would say nullifies) all the "findings" of this book?

since when do I let Ametuer historians tell me what happened 500+years ago?

The Americas were discovered by Mongoloid Asians (chinese looking Russians) who migrated over the ice bridge between Russia and Alaska, several thousand years ago. but as far as Americas being discovered by civilized societies (know how to smith metal, imo), that honor falls on Leif Ericcson, son of Eric the Red, discoverer of Greenland. (now who's the more successful?
 

BeauJangles

Lifer
Aug 26, 2001
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Leif Ericson (sp?) landed here in the 10th century; trumps both Chinese claim and mainland European claim.
 

911paramedic

Diamond Member
Jan 7, 2002
9,450
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I am just glad that Columbus decided to colonize, because I cant speak Chinese.

(I hear their arithmetic is hard too :Q )
 

gopunk

Lifer
Jul 7, 2001
29,239
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Originally posted by: BlinderBomber
Leif Ericson (sp?) landed here in the 10th century; trumps both Chinese claim and mainland European claim.

actually there was a chinese monk that came here in 500 BC iirc :D

i think this is really interesting stuff from a historical standpoint.
 

Jugernot

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
6,889
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NPR, need I say more?
rolleye.gif
 

Jugernot

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
6,889
0
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Originally posted by: gopunk
Originally posted by: Jugernot
NPR, need I say more?
rolleye.gif

uh what's wrong with NPR? best radio station on the air...

You can't turn it on without hearing some nut job trying to tell people how to live their lives, about how the aliens did an anal probe of their sister, or we are all about to die. Pure crap if you ask me. A few bad apples DO ruin the bunch in this case.
 

gopunk

Lifer
Jul 7, 2001
29,239
2
0
Originally posted by: Jugernot
Originally posted by: gopunk
Originally posted by: Jugernot
NPR, need I say more?
rolleye.gif

uh what's wrong with NPR? best radio station on the air...

You can't turn it on without hearing some nut job trying to tell people how to live their lives, about how the aliens did an anal probe of their sister, or we are all about to die. Pure crap if you ask me. A few bad apples DO ruin the bunch in this case.

wtf? maybe your NPR affiliate is on crack or something...

this is what my affiliate airs

it's mostly politics + discussion of various issues, with some music, and some "fun" shows like that garrison keillor show.
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,414
8,356
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interesting, but really doesn't change anything
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,414
8,356
126
Originally posted by: Heisenberg
Didn't the Vikings beat Columbus here anyway?

the vikings discovered canada and look how that whole mess turned out
 

Hayabusa Rider

Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
Jan 26, 2000
50,879
4,265
126
I am aware of some of this before the book. Thanks for posting it, because I did not get to hear all of it, and I missed the book title. Thing was this guy did not just discover America. He apparently discovered the whole frickin world. See Beaus quote. Doesnt matter if it stuck, if all the settlements and bits and pieces were due to this man, then he stands as an explorer unequalled in all of history.