Why can it be said that Europeans sis not discover the americas
It can be said that Europeans did not discover the Americas because indigenous peoples had already been living in the Americas for thousands of years before European arrival. These indigenous peoples had established complex societies, cultures, and civilizations, with their own languages, technologies, and forms of governance.
When Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas in 1492, he mistakenly believed he had reached the Indies or the eastern edge of Asia. He called the indigenous peoples he encountered "Indians" because of this misconception. However, the Americas were already inhabited by a diverse range of indigenous civilizations such as the Maya, Aztec, and Inca, who had developed advanced agricultural practices, sophisticated cities, monumental architecture, and complex trade networks.
The idea of "discovery" implies that something was unknown or hidden until it was found by Europeans, but this perspective disregards the knowledge and existence of the indigenous peoples who had been living in the Americas for millennia. Therefore, many argue that it is more accurate to say that Europeans "encountered" or "made contact with" the Americas rather than "discovered" them.
It can be said that Europeans did not "discover" the Americas because there were already indigenous peoples living in the Americas long before Europeans arrived. The term "discovery" implies that something or somewhere is completely unknown or uninhabited until found. However, the Americas were already inhabited by various Native American civilizations with established societies, cultures, and trade networks.
When Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer sailing for Spain, reached the Caribbean islands in 1492, he mistakenly thought he had reached a new route to Asia. Subsequent European explorers, such as Amerigo Vespucci, realized that these were actually entirely new continents. This eventually led to the adoption of the name "America" in honor of Amerigo Vespucci.
Therefore, it is more accurate to say that Europeans made contact and initiated their exploration and colonization of the Americas, rather than discovering a totally unknown land.