POLL: Who discovered America: Christopher Columbus, Native Americans, the Vikings, God, no one, someone...?

My teacher once said that the answer to the question who discovered the Philippines should not be "Ferdinand Magellan". Because the Philippines was not actually lost (it's been there the whole time), it did not have to be discovered. That's my teacher's explanation. I guess the same goes for America.

All of the above.

Interesting -because even as people were crossing the Baring Strait people from Europe may have followed the coast line and ice flows to the North American Continent . Arrow heads made in France (Europe) were found where I live in the South West. Even simple Technology travels fast through trade etc.

The Chinese no doubt discovered the West coast across the ocean.

And Africans I believe discovered South America at one point and settled there.

Native Americans may have also migrated from Polynesia . I do not believe that all Native Americans came over the Baring Strait.

I found it fascinating that traces of Coca leaves (which only grow in South America ) were found in African Egyptian mummies.

I also think there is a possibility that at one time the Phoenicians sailed the Gulf Of Mexico . As well as the Vikings hundreds of years later.

This "debate" rages on and on among people posturing to score political points. Nobody actually disputes what happened. It's just a bunch of hot air getting spewed over whether or not to use words like "found" or "discovered." The debate over words is, in this case, pretty stupid. Suppose I get a new job and move across the country to a new town. After unloading the moving truck, I hop in my car and go "exploring" around my new community. As I drive around, I come across the grocery store, the post office, a cool-looking coffee shop. Did I "find" the store, the post office, the cafe? Did I "discover" them? Of course I did. I didn't know they were there, or at least I didn't know where they were, I traveled around and found them. Discovery. Did the existing residents of the town already know about them? Of course they did. Probably most of them had to discover these places for themselves at one time or another. Just because one person finds something doesn't mean no one else can ever find it again. So of course Native Americans knew America was here before Columbus did. Duh! But for the majority of Americans who are of European descent, if you ask who discovered America FOR OUR ANCESTORS - whose "finding" of America made it possible for us to be here - well, then, it was Columbus' discovery that set that chain of events in motion. The Native Americans were not the ones who told my ancestors that America was here. I'm sure that common sense won't stop people from all the self-righteous posturing. But somehow I never give up hoping.

God made it....and the Native Americans were here first so they "discovered" it first. Then the Vikings but they couldn't make a go of it here. Then Christopher Columbus. Read your history books people.

Peace & Love :)

Christopher Columbus discovered America. The Native American are the true original inhabitants of this land. Everyone else just came here and killed off the indians and then called the land theirs. African Americans built this land. That's why it kills me when I hear certain Americans talking about how this is their land and all immigrants should leave.. Everyone here is an immigrant whether or not they want to admit it. Whether people are here legally or not it doesn't matter the true owners of this land are the Native Americans.

The conventional answer is Christopher Columbus but I'm going to go with Native Americans, they were here first.

Leif Ericsson discovered America in either 1000 or 1001.But of course the Indians were already here, lol.

Officially it was Chris Columbus. But more technically, it was Native Americans. I suppose someone may have discovered it before them, but I've heard no evidence of it.

Christopher Columbus.

Native Americans but they called it 'home'. The land has always been here the Europeans colonized and renamed it America.