The discovery of America belongs to Europeans.According to historical evidence, this country was discovered by the Phoenicians (ancient seafarers). The Chinese discovered this land long before Christopher Columbus appeared. Discovery of America by the Chinese is dated by some sources the beginning of the first millennium of our era.
Among all the information most reliableare considered information about the Normans (Vikings). The discovery of America by them occurred at the end of the 10th century. Vikings Leyf Eriksson and Bjarni Heryufson found "stone land" (Helluland), "land of vineyards" (Winland) and "Forest land" (Markland). These territories today are identified with the Labrador Peninsula.
The discovery of America, according to some information, dates back to the 15th century. At that time, the Biscay fishermen and Bristol sailors approached the continent. They called the continent the island of Brazil.
It should be noted that all these trips to the real discovery of America not only as a new land, but also as an identified continent, did not.
Until the 15th century people thought that the Earth was flat.The discovery of America in the 15th century by Europeans dispelled this myth. Beginning to spread the view that the Earth is still round, and reach India and China can be western way (across the Atlantic Ocean). In addition, it was believed that this path is shorter than the eastern one. In view of the fact that the South Atlantic was under the rule of the Portuguese, who wanted to establish relations with the eastern countries, Spain accepted the proposal of Columbus to organize an expedition to the west. Several sea expeditions were made. The discovery of America by Columbus brought Spain territorial benefits.
The first sea expedition was launched in 1492, on August 3rd. Columbus left the Palos harbor (Andalusia) with 120 sailors on three small ships.
Having crossed the Atlantic Ocean, the seafarerApproached the island of Guananhani (Watling), one of the Bahamas. After that Columbus discovered the islands of Haiti and Cuba. The navigator believed that he had found the Indian mainland. The first expedition ended in 1493, on March 15. On June 7 of the same year, a Spanish-Portuguese treaty was signed in Tordesillas on the delimitation of spheres of influence in the Atlantic. Thus, the line at 2200 kilometers west of the Azores became a frontier. The lands east of the line were recognized as the territory of Portugal, to the west - of Spain.
The next Columbus expedition began in 1493year, 25 September. As a result of the trip, the Virgin and Windward (Antigua, Dominica, Saint Christopher and others) islands, Jamaica, the island of Puerto Rico were discovered. The expedition ended in 1496, on June 11.
With Spain in 1497, rivalry enteredEngland, which tried to find a way to Asia through the north-west. Under the English flag was an expedition Genoese Giovanni Caboto. In May-August 1497, he discovered the island of Newfoundland and, probably, approached the North American coast. The next expedition took place in 1498. On a journey he went with his son Sebastian. Thus, England began to establish the basis of domination in North America.
In 1498, on May 30, Columbus went to the thirdexpedition. As a result of this campaign, the Orinoco estuary and the island of Trinidad were discovered. On August 5 of that year he landed on the South American coast. Venezuela and Guiana Spaniards reached in 1499, then was opened the mouth of the Amazon, Brazil. The third expedition ended in November 1500.
As a result of the fourth Columbus expedition, Central America was discovered. The navigator traveled along the coast of Nicaragua, Honduras, Panama and Costa Rica to the Darien Gulf.
In the period from 1501 to 1504 under the Portuguesethe flag was carried out by the expedition of Amerigo Vespucci. He suggested that the lands discovered by Columbus are a new continent. This hypothesis was later confirmed by Magellan, who made a round-the-world trip. By the name of Vespucci (Amerigo), the name of America was established behind the open Columbus continent.