Who Was First?: Discovering the Americas by Russell Freedman

For anyone who is sure that Columbus was the first to discover the New World, this book presents historical and archaeological evidence to suggest that he was not. Instead of providing answers, more and more questions are raised as the author presents cases suggesting that the Vikings or the Chinese were the first to sail to the Americas, not to mention the Native Americans who had “discovered” the Americas far earlier. A chapter on Columbus also questions traditional understandings of his role as peaceful missionary. Full-color photos of archaeological artifacts, sites, maps, drawings, and paintings allow students to closely examine the evidence themselves.

Freedman, Russell. Who Was First?: Discovering the Americas. New York: Clarion Books, 2007.