Who really discovered america?

I am a history major and i can tell you that your question is actually a really difficult one to answer. you see if fringes on what discover really means: Does it mean who was there first, does it mean who was there from a European society first, does it mean who traded there or who settled America? You see without that the teacher is really leaving you open to give the wrong answer. So lemme just say this, Native Americans were here first, Vikings stopped by but didn't settle, A few Spaniards and Portuguese discovered south America and Columbus just discovered that there was land on this side of the globe. Of course he was so stupid he thought he was in India, so we now know the islands he landed on as the west indies. I would tell her to say it was the native Americans though, she can make a good argument for that.