Today in Global History class the teacher got a little off track (as usual!) and we started to talk about world conspiracies and the first non-native people to reach the New World, namely Canada and the U.S. There were a lot of different names that came up, but could anyone please tell me who they think first came to the New World? This question has been bothering me ever since this afternoon and so I really appreciate it! ;D The world history is so tangled up in debates and opinions, so I guess the truth will never be clear, but each theory and conspiracy is so intriguing…
The conspiracies behind the story of Columbus are amazing! *lol* Oh, BTW, this teacher also mentioned the little known theory that the moon is hallow…would anyone explain this to me too? :D
It’s been pretty much established that the Norse/Vikings reached Labrador and Newfoundland about 1,000 years ago. Ask Google about L’Anse aux Meadows.
There are legends about Irish monks visiting North America. There’s a book called The Brendan Voyages or some such that goes into this.
I recall reading that Basque and possibly Portuguese fishermen are thought to have been working the Grand Banks of Newfoundland well before Columbus, but not likely before the Vikings.
Obviously, the first to reach the New World were the people who came across the alleged land bridge between Siberia and Alaska thousands of years ago. Thor Heyerdahl once postulated that the Pacific Northwest of North American could have been settled by sailors from Asia, following the Northern currents. He based this on a comparison of artifacts from the Pacific Northwest and Asia. He also theorized that Polynesia was settled from South America, because the trade winds would prevent Eastward travel from Japan and that part of Asia.
The Language Question would be: What lanquage these original Aboriginals speak? Qui sait?
(Amy, should you be flying the Maple Leaf or the Fleur-de-Lis? )
Obviously, the first to reach the New World were the people who came across the alleged land bridge between Siberia and Alaska thousands of years ago. Thor Heyerdahl once postulated that the Pacific Northwest of North American could have been settled by sailors from Asia, following the Northern currents.
You can see Alaska from Siberia—and vice versa, because there are two islands, one owned by the US and the other by Russia, that are only 2.5 miles apart.
The distance between the mainlands of the US and Russia, however, is 55 miles at its narrowest point. To think such a contrast in cultures, economies, and standard of living exists between these neighbouring countries is mind boggling.
I’ve thought about that a lot too. And Russia covers what, 8 to 11 time zones. And the USA bought Alaska from Russia, back when, for a steal on pennies on the acre. Amazing, and now it is our
largest state.
The term is used in History texts for high schoolers: e.g.
“Many groups fled to the newly discovered lands across the ocean to escape the religious persecutions of the old world”.
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