oundland around 1960 and suggested it might have been Vineland. Although some historians suggest that Leif must have traveled further south because grapes do not grow that far north. Other explorers sailed from Greenland to Vineland for fifteen more years. They might have even settled, but attacks by the Native Americans deterred them.After Leif Erickson and the Vikings came Christopher Columbus and the Spaniards. They were searching for the Spice Islands of the Indies, but mistakenly landed in the Bahamas in 1492. Christopher Columbus was an Italian who had a great plan to open up a new trade route to the Indies. His plan was to sail west and end up in Japan in less time than it would take to go by land. Columbus planned to sell his idea and get sponsored for his trip. Spain took him up on his deal and gave him money and ships to make his voyage in hopes that he would bring back spices and other precious materials to Spain. Columbus set sail and headed west. He found land three months later. Believing he had found the Indies he named the inhabitants Indians. This name had stuck with the Native Americans even to the present day. Columbus made three more trips to the new land not knowing he had discovered America. He died in 1506 never knowing of his tremendous discovery. So the reason he gets all the credit is because he came back to civilized England and announced his findings. The Indians did not.Although the Paleolithic ancestors of the Native Americans were the true discoverers of America, Leif Erickson and Christopher Columbus deserve some credit also. Each discovered the land for their people and added another chapter to our history....
