Who REALLY discovered America?

"To discover" means to see or learn or find something for the first time. And to most people, "America" today means the United States. But "America" really means what we call North America, Central America, and South America.

Believe it or not, there's a lot of mystery about who discovered America. Many  books say it was Christopher Columbus. But was it really? Not if you agree with those who believe the first to find it were ancestors of the religious group we call the Mormons.

Or some who think it was discovered by a Chinese monk named Huishen.

Others say it was an Irish monk named St. Brendan.

Many have heard or read about a Norwegian named Leif Ericsson who is said to have come to America in the year 1000.

And there's also a story about a mysterious buried stone bearing strange markings that may have been carved in Minnesota by Norse adventurers more than 500 years ago.

History books have also told about an early voyage to America supposedly made by an explorer named John Cabot.

There are mysteries about all of these, and it may not be correct to say that Columbus discovered America. To find out just what he did and where he really went, his story must be examined.

From the introduction