Changes

The American Indians were [[nomads]] who traveled across wide areas.  They did not read and write, and they lacked a monetary system.  They were organized by tribes and some had very simple forms of government.  There was the [[Iroquois Confederacy]] that united some Indians, but typically there was a lack of unity that led to their easy defeat by Europeans.  The Indians did introduce [[tobacco]] and [[corn]] to Europeans, and they became widely popular back in Europe.  Europeans also brought new things to the Indians, such as horses and guns.

The American Indians were [[nomads]] who traveled across wide areas.  They did not read and write, and they lacked a monetary system.  They were organized by tribes and some had very simple forms of government.  There was the [[Iroquois Confederacy]] that united some Indians, but typically there was a lack of unity that led to their easy defeat by Europeans.  The Indians did introduce [[tobacco]] and [[corn]] to Europeans, and they became widely popular back in Europe.  Europeans also brought new things to the Indians, such as horses and guns.

Textbooks written after 1970 began claiming that around A.D. 1000 the Scandinavian [[Leif Ericson]] established a small colony at [[Vinland]], where the present [[Newfoundland]] is (north of Maine).  But there is little evidence that such a colony existed, and no explanation for what happened to it. It did not last long even if it did exist, and there is no sign of any Viking colony in what is now the United States.<ref>"People have been looking hard for hundreds of years and there is no archaeological evidence in this part [New England]— it's certainly possible, the Vikings were incredible boat handlers — '''but there is no evidence'''," observed one university history professor.[http://farshores.org/a04viki.htm]</ref>.

Archaeological and historical evidence obtained in the 20th century showed that the Vinland colony, established around A.D. 1000 by the Viking [[Leif Ericson]], was on the island now known as [[Newfoundland]], in the far east of Canada.  There is limited physical evidence of the colony and it is not known what eventually happened to it. It did not last long and there is no sign of any Viking colony in what is now the United States.<ref>"People have been looking hard for hundreds of years and there is no archaeological evidence in this part [New England]— it's certainly possible, the Vikings were incredible boat handlers — '''but there is no evidence'''," observed one university history professor.[http://farshores.org/a04viki.htm]</ref>.

'''Debate: Did the Vikings settle in North America before Columbus?'''

'''Debate: Did the Vikings settle in North America before Columbus?'''