Acording to a Historical Programme (american) on Tv now America was found by fristly by the Vikings from Greenland and Norway in about the year 1000

Yes, they have radio-carbon dated proof of it from settlements in Labrador and on New Foundland. This has been known for decades now. The Italian American population is large and quite influential enough here that Columbus Day will still be celebrated for many years to come. They take strong objection to being suplanted after so many centuries of being accepted as the first. Never quite made sense to me as Columbus was an Italian sailing a group of Spanish ships. So the Spanish have every bit as much right to crow as the Italians. I think there's room enough for all three. The Scandinavians for getting here first (after the Mongols who became the Native Americans some 10,00 years earlier), the Italians for having the man who led the first first successful colonization and the Spanish for funding the mission and providing the manpower and ships. Some even think the Chinese sailed to California some decades before Columbus. Objects thought to be Chinese anchors have been found off the coast and a Chinese adventurer did exist at that time whose tale seems to indicate that he did go there, but he stayed even less than the Scandinavians did who at least tried to settle.

Leiv Eiriksson

The show was called 'Barberians The Vikings' Intresting but didnt tell half enough,

Here in school we study alot about vikings in history.

The Vikings have a gigantic role in European history. You cannot tell the story of Europe without telling the story of the Vikings.

That is true. Vikings are probably the most influential figures of Europe, who somewhat mended Europe together through Trade, Commerce, and friendship. Although we often think Vikings are barbaric and pillagers, but of course we know that's not always true.

That is true. Vikings are probably the most influential figures of Europe

Not only Europe but most of the world!!

But not only that they were one of the most advamced people in the world

Not were, but IS... !!

Well, America wasn't founded first by the Vikings, there where lots and lots of indiginous people at that time. Also, the vikings only built two or three cities up in modern day canada they didn't last that long. So while they where the first Europenas to land on America they never could settle it.

No, but it does give lie to Columbus "discovering" America. Especially since he only tooled about the Caribbean and never hit the Continent.

Wasn't there some excitement a while ago about a discovery that the Phoenicians were crossing the Atlantic rather regularly? And didn't they find evidence of a West African presence in S. or C. America?

Wish my memory worked. It was like on some PBS special. (There, if that isn't an acceptable bibliographic source, I don't know what is!

Also...don't forget Brendan the Voyager. I mean, while I doubt the old Saint made the journey himself, the landfalls mentioned in the accounts match up fairly well with geographical areas on the NE coast of North America. And if the Vikings could do it in longboats, why not Irish monks in a curragh? Especially if they got into the Guinness beforehand.

J