World History
Were Polynesians in South America before Columbus happened upon the Americas in 1492? Some evidence suggests this is the case. An article by Heather Whipps titled Chicken Bones Suggest Polynesians Found Americas Before Columbus has the details.
Whipps wrote, "Popular history, and a familiar rhyme about Christopher Columbus, holds that Europeans made contact with the Americas in 1492, with some arguing that the explorer and his crew were the first outsiders to reach the New World. But chicken bones recently unearthed on the coast of Chile?dating prior to Columbus? discovery of America and resembling the DNA of a fowl species native to Polynesia?may challenge that notion, researchers say."
?Chickens could not have gotten to South America on their own?they had to be taken by humans,? said anthropologist Lisa Matisoo-Smith from the University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Whipps also wrote, "Polynesians made contact with the west coast of South America as much as a century before any Spanish conquistadors, her findings imply."
Of course, this still makes the Vikings the first outsiders to be in the Americas. They would predate both the Polynesians and Columbus under the scenario presented. This is still impressive though but hardly surprising. If the Polynesians could find Easter Island, they certainly could have got to South America. (Hat tip)
- Bull Of Demarcation
Christopher Columbus’s first voyage to the Americas threatened to intensify the rivalry between the Catholic kingdoms of Spain (Castile) and Portugal into open warfare. Both kingdoms wanted to claim all newly discovered lands that were not Christian,...
- Christopher Columbus
Genoese navigator and explorer, most renowned for his voyage to the Americas on October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus (Cristóbal Colón) ranks among the most important actors in the early modern era. His encounter with the Americas ranks among the...
- Columbus Blamed For Little Ice Age
Christopher Columbus gets blamed for lots of things from being a poor manager to being one of the causes of the mass genocide in the new world. However, one thing he is not associated with is global climate change. Until now anyway... An article by Devin...
- "the Age Of Discovery"
"The Age of Discovery" Chapter-length article written in 1966 reviewing the literature on exploration. Includes references, by Wilcomb E. Washburn. This is a little dated but it is fun. From the site: "The Age of Discovery!" What visions the phrase...
- Teaching About The Voyages Of Columbus
Teaching about the Voyages of Columbus. This is an interesting article which details the history of the Columbus voyages of discovery. It also includes tips on teaching this in the classroom. From the site: The voyage of Columbus in 1492 is a turning...
World History
Chicken Bones Suggest Polynesians Found Americas Before Columbus
Were Polynesians in South America before Columbus happened upon the Americas in 1492? Some evidence suggests this is the case. An article by Heather Whipps titled Chicken Bones Suggest Polynesians Found Americas Before Columbus has the details.
Whipps wrote, "Popular history, and a familiar rhyme about Christopher Columbus, holds that Europeans made contact with the Americas in 1492, with some arguing that the explorer and his crew were the first outsiders to reach the New World. But chicken bones recently unearthed on the coast of Chile?dating prior to Columbus? discovery of America and resembling the DNA of a fowl species native to Polynesia?may challenge that notion, researchers say."
?Chickens could not have gotten to South America on their own?they had to be taken by humans,? said anthropologist Lisa Matisoo-Smith from the University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Whipps also wrote, "Polynesians made contact with the west coast of South America as much as a century before any Spanish conquistadors, her findings imply."
Of course, this still makes the Vikings the first outsiders to be in the Americas. They would predate both the Polynesians and Columbus under the scenario presented. This is still impressive though but hardly surprising. If the Polynesians could find Easter Island, they certainly could have got to South America. (Hat tip)
- Bull Of Demarcation
Christopher Columbus’s first voyage to the Americas threatened to intensify the rivalry between the Catholic kingdoms of Spain (Castile) and Portugal into open warfare. Both kingdoms wanted to claim all newly discovered lands that were not Christian,...
- Christopher Columbus
Genoese navigator and explorer, most renowned for his voyage to the Americas on October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus (Cristóbal Colón) ranks among the most important actors in the early modern era. His encounter with the Americas ranks among the...
- Columbus Blamed For Little Ice Age
Christopher Columbus gets blamed for lots of things from being a poor manager to being one of the causes of the mass genocide in the new world. However, one thing he is not associated with is global climate change. Until now anyway... An article by Devin...
- "the Age Of Discovery"
"The Age of Discovery" Chapter-length article written in 1966 reviewing the literature on exploration. Includes references, by Wilcomb E. Washburn. This is a little dated but it is fun. From the site: "The Age of Discovery!" What visions the phrase...
- Teaching About The Voyages Of Columbus
Teaching about the Voyages of Columbus. This is an interesting article which details the history of the Columbus voyages of discovery. It also includes tips on teaching this in the classroom. From the site: The voyage of Columbus in 1492 is a turning...