[Redcloak]

Of course, it really doesn't matter. The Chinese may have come here first, but they did nothing with that knowledge. Columbus in his inferior, little boats was the one that did something. The same is true in so many other areas. The Chinese invented gunpowder, but did nothing with it. The Arabs made many scientific discoveries, but did nothing with them. Algebra was an Arab invention, but nothing came of it in their hands. The West is the dominant culture on the planet because we take knowledge and use it; we advance it. The Chinese "discovery" of North America has no value beyond its use as an answer in Trivial Pursuit.

[Destro]

Modern China's growth is due to its adoption of Western civilizational attributes - right down to having Chinese kids flocking to learn classical music to the exclusion of traditional Chinese instruments.

What you said of course is true - but you are incorrect it does not matter in the mong run. It does matter in the sense we can learn from history. For example will future generations consider our space missions in the same way we know talk about the Chinese exploring the world and then ending all exploration? That was just an example - for argument's sake.