In the century+ since 1892, we have the physical evidence of the Vikings in Newfoundland as well as Greenland and rumors, myths, legends and lies for other explorers, drifters and accidental landers on some place of the Western Hemisphere to 'dispute' Columbus' "discovery!" So very much ado about nothingness is only too evident! No one beyond or before Cristobal Colon had any lasting effect on history as his was the discovery that STAYED!
An amusing aside about the lack of even much effort at any semblance of history comes from a local TV ad running for this weekend. While touting their Columbus Day sale, their silhouette graphic shows a modern schooner rather than taking that oh so laborious effort to show any one of the three ships of historical record. Who knows, maybe it was the mainsail cross of historical accuracy that inclined the decision but nonetheless a bit of WTF when I saw this TV Ad!
Spain founded 23 universities in colonial America, something without parallel in History
Culturally speaking, Spain gave the very best to America. “The Spanish record of some twenty three colleges and universities in America, graduating 150,000 (including the poor, mestizos, and some Negroes) makes, for example, the Dutch in the East Indies at a later and supposedly more enlightened times, look obscurantism indeed. The Portuguese did not establish a single university in colonial Brazil nor in any other overseas possessions. The total of universities established by Belgium, England, Germany, France and Italy during later Afro-Asian colonial periods assuredly suffers by any fair comparison with the pioneering record of Spain.” (American History professor Philip W. Powell)
The rest of the History
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/808686/posts