Was America discovered in 1170?

[Stumpfoot]

The story of Madoc, a Welsh prince, who is said to have discovered America in 1170, over 300 years before Columbus seems like a very interesting tale.
? ? ? ?It is said that he sailed from Wales. Many believe that he and his followers initially settled in the Georgia,Tennessee and Kentucky area, and later moving to the Upper Missouri, where they became part of a tribe of  Mandans.?

 What do you think? Fact or fiction?

[Phidippides]

Yeah I heard that Donnie is living in Madoc's old house somewhere in Kentucky these days...lol. 

Actually, I had never heard of the tale before.  I did find the link to the Wikipedia article about him:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madoc

[Herstory]

I'm not sure but it is a very interesting notion.  I would probably say that it was discovered prior to Columbus even if by a small group of men who couldn't get back to Europe.  History would never know.  So I see it as a very feasible notion.  I would have loved to live during this era.  There was so much to discover in the world.
__________
My stupid history professor is making us write a term paper over Christmas Break.  Professor Scrooge.  Grrrrrrr 

[ThatFrontierHistorian]

I have heard the Madoc tale before but based on the lack of evidence I can't say I believe it.  That said, there is some anecdotal evidence - Indians with blue eyes, etc - which suggests that some Europeans did arrive in America before Columbus, likely through ship wrecks and the like but I do not believe any returned to Europe.  That said there was a Viking settlement in Newfoundland and it is not impossible that some contact occurred but I am very sceptical about such ideas.  I would be happy to have my cynicism proved wrong, but until real evidence comes to light it just seems like there's too much wishful thinking involved.

On a side note, I did find a great account of an expedition into the far west in the Kentucky Gazette (c. 1787-1793 - can't remember exactly and it's too early in the morning for me to dig it out!) in which the explorer encounters a tribe of Indians who (apparently) spoke Welsh.  I think this is a reference to the Madoc legend but not Welsh speaking tribe was ever found.

[donroc]

Decades ago I read a book titled America B.C. , in which the author (whose name I have forgotten) postulated that Celts arrived on the east coast over many centuries before Leif Ericson, and one can still find a mini-Stonehenge and other similar evidence of that plus some Celtic words among the Iriquois and Algonquin languages. Don't know if he was discredited or not.

Still, Columbus must always receive credit for beginning the permanent European colonization and conquest of the entire New World.

[ThatFrontierHistorian]

Decades ago I read a book titled America B.C. , in which the author (whose name I have forgotten) postulated that Celts arrived on the east coast over many centuries before Leif Ericson, and one can still find a mini-Stonehenge and other similar evidence of that plus some Celtic words among the Iriquois and Algonquin languages. Don't know if he was discredited or not.

Still, Columbus must always receive credit for beginning the permanent European colonization and conquest of the entire New World.

I am sure I heard something relating to the Basque people of France who MAY have whaled off the south coast of Florida - I am sure this is what you must be referring to as I remember it being mentioned that there were - possibly - some remnants of basque words, a language still not fully understood, found among some tribes but I believe the evidence was very circumstantial.  Never heard of a henge being discovered in the area but stone structures such as those pre-dated the celtic peoples by some way; celtic culture developed in the iron, not stone age, I believe but I am not an expert in that area so I don't want to push my argument too far.  What I will say is that the type of boats used by stone builders could not conceivably have gone to America; not sure about Iron age peoples.

[skiguy]

Madoc was likely a myth, however the idea behind this myth is what inspired the British to explore.

[Phidippides]

Kind of like the legend of Prester John.