Note mostly to self

[anotheranon]

Re: 1421: turns out the Vinland map might be authentic. Just your bit of historical nerdiness for the day.

Suddenly I seem to be finding myself with things to write about :P

Comments

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

I think it's likely from a logical standpoint that many groups from the Old World "discovered" the New - seafaring seems like it was possibly the most efficient form of transportation during that time, at least for speed/long distances.

Columbus gets all the credit because he was the first to open up America for European colonization on a large scale - and that wasn't exactly a good thing, when you look at it from the point of the natives :( Sobering thought on this, American Thanksgiving day!

I'm not sure why this history isn't taught more thoroughly in schools - perhaps because there's more of a written record after Columbus (accounts of the Chinese expeditions were destroyed by the emperor's lackeys, not wanting to encourage anyone to go to the expense of such travels again). Maybe it's just that reprinting all those schoolbooks would be too expensive, or because we're already stuck with the Columbus Day holiday :P