Who Discoverd America Essays - Viking Exploration Of North America

Who Discoverd America The Paleolithic ancestors of the native Americans are the true original inhabitants of America, but many others deserve credit as well for the discovery of the land. Among these are Leif Erickson and the Vikings of Norway, and Christopher Columbus of Spain. Without these early visitors to the land, America would not be the thriving nation it is today. Fifteen to forty thousand years ago the first settlers of America came to the land by way of the Bering Straight. Some believe the Pacific Ocean was much lower than it is now and these early migrants could have walked across a land bridge between Siberia and Alaska. Others believe they used small Kayaks or walked across an ice cap. These first settlers were the Paleolithic ancestors of the Native Americans. These Asians were nomadic hunters and found the land while following herds of animal's eastward. After the first band of settlers many more came who soon spread across what is now the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Present day archaeologists have unearthed many Paleolithic artifacts such as campsites, primitive tools and weapons of the early settlers. With the ability to carbon 14 test these artifacts, scientists were able to confirm that they were here as early as 4000 BC. Somewhere around 1000 AD, Leif Erickson discovered North America for the Vikings of Greenland. According to Icelandic sagas, Leif boarded his ship with thirty-five other men and sailed south of Greenland. Their first stop was somewhere near the present day Baffin Islands. He also visited a place, which he called Vineland, meaning wine land, where they found many grapes and made wine to take back to their homeland in Greenland. Leif and his crew spent the winter in Vineland and built a large house and a shed to protect their ship. No one knows the exact location of Vineland, but estimate it is somewhere in northern Newfoundland. Archaeologists found the ruins of an old Viking settlement in north Newfoundland around 1960 and suggested it might have been Vineland. Although some historians suggest that Leif must have traveled further south because grapes do not grow that far north. Other explorers sailed from Greenland to Vineland for fifteen more years. They might have even settled, but attacks by the Native Americans deterred them. After Leif Erickson and the Vikings came Christopher Columbus and the Spaniards. They were searching for the Spice Islands of the Indies, but mistakenly landed in the Bahamas in 1492. Christopher Columbus was an Italian who had a great plan to open up a new trade route to the Indies. His plan was to sail west and end up in Japan in less time than it would take to go by land. Columbus planned to sell his idea and get ?sponsored? for his trip. Spain took him up on his deal and gave him money and ships to make his voyage in hopes that he would bring back spices and other precious materials to Spain. Columbus set sail and headed west. He found land three months later. Believing he had found the Indies he named the inhabitants Indians. This name had stuck with the Native Americans even to the present day. Columbus made three more trips to the new land not knowing he had discovered America. He died in 1506 never knowing of his tremendous discovery. So the reason he gets all the credit is b ecause he came back to civilized England and announced his findings. The Indians did not. Although the Paleolithic ancestors of the Native Americans were the true discoverers of America, Leif Erickson and Christopher Columbus deserve some credit also. Each discovered the land for their people and added another chapter to our history. History Essays

Lord Of The Flies Essays (355 words) - English-language Films

Lord Of The Flies Essays (355 words) - English-language Films Lord Of The Flies Critique Lord of the Flies written by Willam Golding, is a 208 page novel, written in 1954. Lord of the Flies is about a group of of young english boys whos planes crashes onto a remote island. Throught the novel the boys gradually changed from civilzed english boys to to small savages that need to surive. The author used many metaphors and Imagery to describe the situations and places on the island. All the places in the island where described very well for example when Ralph first used the conch to call the other boys. The author says, Ralph pursed his lips and squurted air into the shell, which emitted a low , farting noise. That line tells the reader exactly how he blew the conch and he described how he put he is lips on it and what sound it made. He uses very descriptive words in that line and the reader feels like they are standing right next too them. the authors metaphors are also another good use of litery techinque it in the book. Willam Golding also uses alliteration in this next example. This quote is when Jck is ready to hunt the beast. He gave a wild whoop and leapt down to the pale sand. Wild whoop would be alliteration and could also be considered onomapeia. The pale sand is a metaphor beacuse it described what the sand looked like. Willam Golding used many literary techinques in this book which make the book more interesting and fun to read. Lord of the Flies by Willam Golding was very interesting and fun too read. I liked how the author described many aspects of the island and the creatures that lived on it. The book was very detalitled so i always new what was going on and it felt like I was right there because the book is so detailed. I liked reading Lord of the Flies because it was very interesting. It described so manythings that i could imagine being next to one of the characters. Lord of The Flies proved ot be a great adventure novel. I would recomened this book to anyone who likes to read adventure novels and peole who like a good ending in the book.