Who Discovered North America?

L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site in Newfoundland, which features archaeological remains of Viking encampments and a reconstructed base camp. mynewturtle/Shutterstock

Commentary

There are many legends surrounding the discovery of the Americas: tales of Phoenician seafarers, Chinese explorers, Roman dissidents, West African traders with gold-tipped spears, and Irish monks, all long before Christopher Columbus, John Cabot, or Jacques Cartier. Fleets of nameless Basque fishermen figure somewhere in the lineup too.