Should our history books be rewritten? - repost
Should our history books be rewritten? Given that more and more information is coming to light as to who actually did what, should we change our history books?
We are all lead to believe that Columbus was the first to discover America. But in the past years there is strong evidence showing that there were others before him.
One possibility is Bjarni Herjulfson.
In about 986AD, a merchant, Bjarni Herjlfssonn got lost at sea while on his way to Greenland. He was from Norway, but was on his way to visit his parents when his ship encountered a great storm. After weathering a storm that lasted several days and blew his small ship far off course, the weather finally cleared. When it did, Bjarni and his crew could see land. It was not, however, a landmass they was familiar with. It had hills and forests in contrast to the mountains and glaciers of Greenland. His crew, still shaken from the storm they had survived and realizing the opportunity they had to be the first to see this new land, begged Bjarni to allow them to go to shore. He refused, however, and ordered them to turn north. They encountered two more land-masses before finally sighting Greenland.
Some of his Viking comrades, on the other hand were more than happy to risk the dangers of the unknown for the opportunity of discovering a new colony, especially if it was as good a land as that Bjarni described. As soon as Bjarni arrived in Greenland, his story was eagerly received by many including Leif Eriksson, the son of Greenland's founder, Erik the Red.
After asking Bjarni many questions about his journey and buying Bjarni's boats, Leif set out to retrace Bjarni's route around 1003AD with a crew of 35 men. Leif and his men made it to the mainland of North America and passed two land-masses before settling in a place they called Vinland (modern day Newfoundland) over the winter. They apparently thought the land was very good and enjoyed the time they spent there in the houses they built. Under the leadership of Leif and his brother Thorvaldur the Norse tried to colonize the new land. The colony did not last long, however, and was ultimately abandoned. Nevertheless, Leif Eriksson has gone down in history as the first European to set foot on the mainland of North America
Lets not forget Gavin Menzies book 1421, in which he argues that a huge Chinese fleet circumnavigated and charted the world years before the first great European voyages of discovery. The evidence for this comes in many different forms: from shipwrecks and ancient maps, to local peoples accounts and their DNA. Menzies has found ancient wrecks and artifacts that are of Chinese origin in regions like the Mississippi and Peru.
We are all lead to believe that Columbus was the first to discover America. But in the past years there is strong evidence showing that there were others before him.
One possibility is Bjarni Herjulfson.
In about 986AD, a merchant, Bjarni Herjlfssonn got lost at sea while on his way to Greenland. He was from Norway, but was on his way to visit his parents when his ship encountered a great storm. After weathering a storm that lasted several days and blew his small ship far off course, the weather finally cleared. When it did, Bjarni and his crew could see land. It was not, however, a landmass they was familiar with. It had hills and forests in contrast to the mountains and glaciers of Greenland. His crew, still shaken from the storm they had survived and realizing the opportunity they had to be the first to see this new land, begged Bjarni to allow them to go to shore. He refused, however, and ordered them to turn north. They encountered two more land-masses before finally sighting Greenland.
Some of his Viking comrades, on the other hand were more than happy to risk the dangers of the unknown for the opportunity of discovering a new colony, especially if it was as good a land as that Bjarni described. As soon as Bjarni arrived in Greenland, his story was eagerly received by many including Leif Eriksson, the son of Greenland's founder, Erik the Red.
After asking Bjarni many questions about his journey and buying Bjarni's boats, Leif set out to retrace Bjarni's route around 1003AD with a crew of 35 men. Leif and his men made it to the mainland of North America and passed two land-masses before settling in a place they called Vinland (modern day Newfoundland) over the winter. They apparently thought the land was very good and enjoyed the time they spent there in the houses they built. Under the leadership of Leif and his brother Thorvaldur the Norse tried to colonize the new land. The colony did not last long, however, and was ultimately abandoned. Nevertheless, Leif Eriksson has gone down in history as the first European to set foot on the mainland of North America
Lets not forget Gavin Menzies book 1421, in which he argues that a huge Chinese fleet circumnavigated and charted the world years before the first great European voyages of discovery. The evidence for this comes in many different forms: from shipwrecks and ancient maps, to local peoples accounts and their DNA. Menzies has found ancient wrecks and artifacts that are of Chinese origin in regions like the Mississippi and Peru.
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