Debunking Myths: Columbus, Leif Erikson, and the First Thanksgiving

The video challenges the traditional narrative of Christopher Columbus discovering America, highlighting that he never set foot on North America and that indigenous people had long inhabited the land. It credits Leif Erikson as the first European to reach North America and discusses Amerigo Vespucci's role in naming the continent. The video also debunks the myth of a harmonious first Thanksgiving, revealing tensions between pilgrims and Native Americans.

Who was the first European to reach North America?

• Ferdinand Magellan

• Amerigo Vespucci

• Leif Erikson

• Christopher Columbus

What was Christopher Columbus originally trying to prove by sailing west?

• That America was a new continent

• That the Earth was flat

• That Asia could be reached by sailing east

• That the Earth was round

In what year was the name 'America' given to the landmass now known as North, Central, and South America?

• 1620

• 1507

• 1501

• 1492

What is a common misconception about the first Thanksgiving?

• It marked the beginning of a long-lasting friendship

• It was attended by only 90 Wampanoags and 50 pilgrims

• It was a peaceful and joyous meal shared by all Native Americans and pilgrims

• It was celebrated in 1492

How did the pilgrims view the Native Americans during the early years of settlement?

• As distant allies

• As skilled navigators

• As uncivilized savages

• As equals and partners