For years, many history books claimed that “Columbus discovered America.” Why do you think Native Americans disagree with the word “ discovered” in this statement? What might be a better word?

Obviously, Columbus wasn't the first person to "discover" America. People from northeastern Asia had been here in America for thousands of years. Columbus wasn't the first European to land here either; the Vikings beat him by about 500 years.

How about?

Columbus accidentally stumbled upon America.

Columbus was the second European to set foot on the Americas.

Columbus was not the first person to explore a

America

Native Americans often disagree with the word "discovered" in the statement "Columbus discovered America" because it suggests that the Americas were empty or unknown prior to Columbus's arrival. However, Native Americans have lived on the American continents for thousands of years before Columbus's arrival.

A better word to replace "discovered" could be "encounter" or "encountered." This would acknowledge that Columbus's arrival marked the first contact between Europeans and Native Americans, but it recognizes that Native Americans were already living in the land and had their own complex civilizations, cultures, and histories.

Native Americans disagree with the word "discovered" in the statement that "Columbus discovered America" because it implies that America was unknown or uninhabited before Columbus arrived. However, this is misleading, as Native American tribes had been living in various parts of the Americas for thousands of years before Columbus's journey in 1492.

To understand why Native Americans take issue with the term "discovered," we can look at historical evidence and acknowledge the existence of advanced civilizations such as the Mayans, Aztecs, and Incas. These civilizations had well-developed cultures, cities, and social structures, long before Columbus's arrival.

The use of the word "discovered" suggests a Eurocentric perspective that disregards the presence and accomplishments of Native Americans, effectively erasing their historical significance. Instead, a more appropriate word could be "encountered" or "contacted," as these terms acknowledge that Columbus's arrival brought about a significant encounter between European explorers and the Native American populations already residing in the Americas.

By recognizing the existing Native American civilizations, we are able to provide a more accurate account of history that respects the contributions and rich heritage of Native American cultures.