The statement that "Europeans did not discover the Americas" can be elaborated upon in several ways, but the most straightforward reason is that Native Americans were already inhabiting the land in the Americas long before Europeans arrived.
Here are a few key points to consider:
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Indigenous Populations: Long before European explorers arrived, the Americas were home to diverse indigenous cultures and societies, each with their own histories, languages, and ways of life.
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Prior Contact: There is evidence that other groups, such as the Vikings under Leif Erikson, may have reached parts of North America (like Newfoundland) around the year 1000, well before Columbus’s voyages.
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Perception of Discovery: The term "discovery" implies that the land was unknown or unclaimed, which erases the histories and experiences of the indigenous peoples who had lived on the continents for thousands of years.
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Cultural Impact: The arrival of Europeans had devastating effects on Native American populations through disease, conflict, and colonization, fundamentally altering their societies.
Thus, the framing of discovery tends to overlook the established presence of Native peoples and their histories prior to European arrival.
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