[Khurkris]

This debate goes on & on. Colombus was probably not the 1st, but he had the better press agent working for him; and the USA is basically of European background.

Another interesting fact - A few very ancient Chinese villages have been found on the western coast of Mexico. These were fishing/sea-trading encampments. Archeologists just DON'T want to even discuss these...lol.

[rmlew]

It isn't about press. Teh Vikings were there 400 years earlier. They left a small settlement, which dissapeared in a generation.
Chinese, Africans, Egyptian, Irish and Carthaginian exploreres may also have "found" North and/or South America. But they failed to do anyhting with the discovery.
In the long run only 3 groups made a difference: the Eskimos, the nomadic precursors of Indians, and the Spanish. Each of these groups settled/conquered the land in large numbers.