Did China Discover America First ???

One can throw Kennewick man into this already murky mix. An apparently caucasian man in the Americas 7000 B.C.E. questions even aboriginal claims as to the first in North America. Throw into the mix the Meadowcroft Rock Shelter observations of human settlement as far back as 150000-30000B.C.E. . and it's more and more obvious that human settlement of North America is very, very complicated.

As to the Chinese question, Regardless who "found" the Americas, it was Columbus that made it common knowledge to the "Christian" Western civilization at the time. Therefore, his discovery is the most important, if not the first.

Originally posted by anxietydisorder
www.reuters.com... It seems that the Chinese planted their flag about 71 years before Columbus. I also know that the Vikings had a settlement for some time in eastern Canada long before that. And as far as I can tell, the place was already populated long before any of these groups "discovered" America...

Ask a Native American who discovered it and you'll get a more truthful response. They beat everyone else by thousands of years.

I believe that the true story is that that after discovering America, the Chinese sold America to the Indians for $15 in beads and trinkets. The Indians then turned around and sold it to the Dutch for about $24 in beads and trinkets - thus making a tidy profit on the deal.

Originally posted by anxietydisorder
www.reuters.com... It seems that the Chinese planted their flag about 71 years before Columbus. I also know that the Vikings had a settlement for some time in eastern Canada long before that. And as far as I can tell, the place was already populated long before any of these groups "discovered" America...

Ask a Native American who discovered it and you'll get a more truthful response. They beat everyone else by thousands of years.

This topic has interested me for a long time. The only story told in school was "1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue". But that was the 60's. My Grandfather was from Denmark, and he told us about the Vikings. And most of the kids we went to school with were Indian, and their Grandfathers told different stories. I just want to thank everyone that replied to this thread. I've learned more on this subject in a couple days, than I did in a lifetime.

hey lets not forget that the inuate have said that they were not even the first in that area. so mabe the inuit discovered america first.

actualy just maybe THEY are the decendants of the chinese they after all DO share some simularities with the chnese. the shape of their eys and coolouation for example. has any genetic study ever been done?

[edit on 6-5-2005 by drogo]

1). The "Bimini Road" underwater structure near Bimini island and the "Newport Tower" in Rhode Island. These are two sophisticated structures of unknown orgins. (However - radiocarbon dating tests done on the Newport Tower have indicated that it was constructed in the 17th century).

what the heck? I live in Rhode Island ive never heard of the Bimini Road... and i would really like to know how he connects the Newport Tower to Chinese Origin...

I read in the newspaper about this issue today (ATS tends to beat my local newspaper by about 2-3 days) and Menzies claims that he knows where an ancient settlement 2/3 the size of the Forbidden City on the east coast is. He stated that he will reveal the location on May 16.

The Chinese did a lot of exploring in their day, but I seriously doubt they made it that far. He is either completely nutty, or he has found something that will revolutionize archaeology. Given the extreme improbability of his claims, I wouldn't hold out much hope, but it will be interesting to see what happens on the 16th and in the days afterwards.

You might care to look at this map by Phillippe Buache made in 1752.

Why does it depict the sea route taken by the Chinese to reach America in 458AD?

Originally posted by soulforge
One can throw Kennewick man into this already murky mix. An apparently caucasian man in the Americas 7000 B.C.E. questions even aboriginal claims as to the first in North America.

Actually, no. He's a latecomer. The pre-Clovis and Clovis people were here in 13,000 BCE and earlier.

Originally posted by drogo
hey lets not forget that the inuate have said that they were not even the first in that area. so mabe the inuit discovered america first.

That's correct. They are the third or fourth wave of immigrants, coming into the area in about 1,000 AD.

Remember, the AmerInds were in the area in 13,000 BC and onward and the Na-Dene were there in 3,000 BC. Most moved down into California and the warmer southwest.

actualy just maybe THEY are the decendants of the chinese they after all DO share some simularities with the chnese. the shape of their eys and coolouation for example. has any genetic study ever been done?

Yes.

Some similarities, yes.

Originally posted by Essan
You might care to look at this map by Phillippe Buache made in 1752.

Why does it depict the sea route taken by the Chinese to reach America in 458AD?

Interesting map. I've never heard of Buache before. I wonder what his sources were when he included that on his map.

For those interested, the writing on the map is in French. I know enough french to make out what it says so here is my rough translation.

"New world map with north and south america and Asia." Then there's a bit I can't make out (both due to blurriness and limited french) then it says "including a route from China to America in 458 AD." There's a bit more that's blurry, and I can't tell what it says, but I think Buache is quoting his source. Feel free to correct my pitiful french, I'm quite rusty on it, plus parts of the writing weren't too clear to me due to the pic resolution.

This is quite interesting because if true, it means the Chinese had a route to America 1000 years before even Zheng He. I can definitely see it being possible the Chinese could have made it to America in the 15th century, but in the 5th? I'm not too familiar with Chinese history around that time, so I can't make an informed comment, but my gut tells me it didn't happen.

i belive the theory is that native amaricans got to north amarica through the bering strait (as said) from asia and the vikings visited area's of like greenland and newfoundland/labrador much later. then even more later fishers told tales of great fishing area's to the west and eventually while trying to find a new route to asia, columbus disoverd amarica.

but i dont think china was even a country then, also it probibly would have been more of the area of russia

Originally posted by DragonsDemesne

Interesting map. I've never heard of Buache before. I wonder what his sources were when he included that on his map.


This is quite interesting because if true, it means the Chinese had a route to America 1000 years before even Zheng He. I can definitely see it being possible the Chinese could have made it to America in the 15th century, but in the 5th? I'm not too familiar with Chinese history around that time, so I can't make an informed comment, but my gut tells me it didn't happen.

I only came across the map myself yesterday. Buache was a prominent cartographer of his day.

The sea voyage he depicts is based on a Chinese legend about a Buddhist monk who in 458AD visited the land of Fusang - which some have identficed as America.

en.wikipedia.org...

Buache shows Fousang on his map, to the north of California.

Originally posted by benevolent tyrant
In this politically correct time, I suggest that replacing Christopher Columbus with the Chinese as the discoverers of North America does not properly explain who the native people who greeted these explorers were.

It is believed that these native people migrated from Asia to North America during the last Ice Age on a land bridge that no longer exists (connecting modern day Alaska and Russia). Political Correctness has nothing to do with it...a fact is a fact. Columbus didn't "discover" America. Amerigo Vespuci (sorry for spelling ) found America, however it was already "discovered" by the people already inhabiting it. Columbus lucked out when he landed in the West Indies. Most of the crap we are taught about the "Great Explorer" Christopher Columbus is a pile of crap.