And yet he is given an American holiday for discovering AmericaYeah Ill wait for that to make sense. All islands I would love to visit on a single trip. Christopher Columbus is just one of those English adaptations someone felt was preferable to pronouncing a foreign sounding name. He decided at an early age that this was not the life for him. By 1555, there were zero full-blooded natives left on the island. And if you can, take some time to learn more about all the diversity that makes the Caribbean great. -- Celebrate the spirit of exploration. And, sure he was directly responsible for the enslavement, torture, mutilation, and murder of tens of thousands of Native American people in the Caribbean islands during his quest for riches. According to, Columbus believed that he was playing a part in a divine plan to Christianize the world. Columbus Day is one of America s oldest holidays. It was President Franklin Delano Roosevelt that designated the second Monday of October (Columbus Day) as a national holiday in 1971. Market data provided by Factset. He and his crew were greeted with smiles, gifts and food. Are the Misty Peaks of the Azores Remnants of the Legendary Atlantis? Columbus Day, which is celebrated on the second Monday of October each year, has become a controversial subject for many people. This movement sees Columbus as a symbol of destruction, and thus not to be celebrated. Columbus tried to build and has transformed the America we have today. Columbus never stepped foot on North American soil. We asked Eric Shed, a veteran history teacher who now directs the Harvard Teacher Fellows Program, to share perspectives on the changing currents around Columbus Day and the challenges of learning and teaching history, as distinct from celebrating it. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Howell Public Schools Stance on Mask Mandate, In person school, more beneficial to kids. Nevertheless, the first official Columbus Day happened in 1892, when President Harrison issued a proclamation for Americans to commemorate the day. And maybe only one reason to celebrate. How could we look at this from a different perspective? As part of this plan, Spaniards aimed to convert native peoples to Christianity. If it wasnt for Columbus, the motivation for exploration and expansion wouldnt have become a priority because nobody knew about the Americas. We may not like it, but its our shared heritage. Columbus day is a national holiday that many countries (not all) in the USA celebrate to mark the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas on October 12, 1492. Many believe that they sailed even further south, maybe as far as New Brunswick. Even if we ignore that, this one still depends on your definition of America. How many countries award holidays to non-natives? Here are three reasons we shouldn't celebrate Columbus Day, as a country. Cathedrals are some of the most awe-inspiring structures in the world, with their grandeur and intricate details captivating visitors for centuries. Columbus couldnt be killed without angering the Italian court, so Queen Isabella sent him on a mission, hoping he wouldnt return. But since the 1990s, a growing number of states have begun to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day - a holiday meant to honor the culture and history of the people living in the Americas both before and after Columbus' arrival. He was the catalyst that brought more explorers across the Atlantic, who would eventually begin to explore North America, but it is . From early colonial exploration, to our push westward with manifest destiny, to our more modern quest to outer space and landing on the moon, Americans seem to have an innate desire to push the boundaries and discover new places. We dont want to expose young kids to graphic accounts of brutal treatment of Native Americans, but I think you want them to begin to question: What did this person do? Once we do this, Columbus Day can be a truly inclusive holiday. Or better yet, follow him. There were terrible diseases that got communicated to the natives, but he cant be blamed for that., 5. Columbus made a total of four voyages to the Americas, visiting the following places (and sighting many others): Interestingly, Columbus never set foot in modern-day USA, nor anywhere else in North America. Why is he important? Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/two-reasons-why-columbus-day-should-not-be-celebrated/. He first went to sea when he was only 14 years old. With all that, there are reasons to celebrate Columbus Day. Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide. There are several reasons why Columbus Day has become controversial. In another case, some people think Columbus was a hero because he represents a leader who went far and beyond to find America. Contrary to popular belief, Columbus Day is a celebration of diversity, not oppression. Columbus Day is a patriotic holiday. The king wrote, We in his name will receive you with love and charity, respecting your freedom and that of your wives and sons and your rights of possession and we shall not compel you to baptism unless you, informed of the truth, wish to convert to our holy Catholic faith., Columbuss drive for exploration was religious. As known by many, Columbus Day commemorates the discovery of the New World by none other than Christopher Columbus himself. And Washington, D.C., this week renamed the holiday, pending congressional approval. Howard Zinns A Peoples History of the United States includes horrific, detailed eyewitness accounts of how the Spanish explorers treated the Native Americans. So yeah, Christopher Columbus, upon closer inspection, is a terrible fellow to honor. He was a man of faith for whom God provided, and his discovery led to the eventual establishment of the Western values we know and seek to preserve today. According to a census taken by Columbus' men, in 1496 there were more than 1 million natives on the island of Haiti. After a few weeks sailing, he landed in the present day Bahamas. He initiated a turning point in our history. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. And Erickson was certainly as European as Columbus (at least in todays geographical terminology.) Every Columbus Day I am forcibly reminded of my hatred for Christopher Columbus. I discovered America. Most people know of the great construction achievements of the dynastic Egyptians such as the pyramids and temples of the Giza Plateau area as well as the Sphinx. Thats when learning happens. Indeed, Columbus was mostly benign in his interaction with native populations. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings. Legal Statement. President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Columbus Day a. While there is only limited knowledge of what pre-Columbus America was like, it did feature war, slavery, torture and plenty of brutality. If Columbus had been an Englishman, or a Frenchman, would have they behaved in a different way? It is on public record, that Columbus rewarded his soldiers by giving them Native Americans to rape. Based on my experience, I think its vitally essential that teachers engage kids as young as sixth grade in questions that really interrogate Columbus. In a racially equal world, Columbus shouldn't be celebrated. I think there is a ton of potential in celebrating an Indigenous Peoples' Day, but what that is, what it looks like we need to start with asking indigenous folks to define it. The pro for Columbus Day written by John Wirt. As awareness has grown about the catastrophic effect his discovery had on Americas indigenous populations, it has increasingly been viewed as a disaster rather than triumph, and rightly so. The statue of Christopher Columbus remains encased in a wooden box on Marconi Plaza Aug. 12, 2020, as the sun sets on the day the Philadelphia Art Commission voted to remove it and store it while the city deliberates on a new permanent home for the controversial monument. This movement sees Columbus as a symbol of destruction, and thus not to be celebrated. We dont know exactly where this is, but its most likely one of the islands that make up modern-day Bahamas. original papers. If Columbus is Off Limits to Celebrate, so are Indigenous Peoples. He led the way for future colonists to settle the United States. There, the brothers should have been exposed to the adventures of another explorer: Leif Erickson. Religion was heavily forced upon the Native American tribes, and the Europeans means of dealing with their obstacles run much more inhumane. The American Indian Movement, among other groups, have gone as far as to state that the continuous celebration of this holiday is oppressive towards Native Americans. Cal Poly State University - San Luis Obispo, California State University - Los Angeles, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, California State University, Channel Islands, Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi, Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, Federal University Of Agriculture Abeokuta, University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign, Interamerican University of Puerto Rico San German campus, Keiser University - Latin American Campus, London School of Economics and Political Science, California State University of Sacramento, Savannah College of Art and Design Atlanta, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, The University of Texas of the Permian Basin, University of North Carolina - Wilmington, University of South Florida - St. Petersburg, William Paterson University of New Jersey. Upon arriving in the New World, one of the first observations Columbus made with regards to the indigenous people was the following: They do not bear arms, and do not know them, for I showed them a sword, they took it by the edge and cut themselves out of ignorance. Colorado did so on April 1, 1907. (And yes, I also know many other discoverers have been posited through the ages. If this is what it means to be civilized and our children are taught to revere Columbus and his heroic adventure, what hope is there for our future? And hes credited for marking the establishment of institutionalized slavery in the West Indies. Columbus Day celebrations date back to 1792, when New York City celebrated the 300th anniversary of Columbus' landfall. So before waving the US flag in celebration of a criminal who did not discover America, spare a thought for the millions of Native Americans who were murdered as a result of Christopher Columbus arrival on American soil. Though it has its controversies, Columbus day should be celebrated. It also became clear that there are many reasons not to celebrate Columbus Day. When Columbus arrived in 1492, he enslaved the Natives, and took control over their way of life, and also made his way into the Caribbean Island. This was due to the impression that Columbus was attempting to spread Catholic influence. It also became clear that there are many reasons not to celebrate Columbus Day. One of the few facts Americans remember from history is "Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492 Bring them to the light, if you would. The idea that Christopher Columbus discovered "The New World" is one of the great fallacies of history. Columbus Day means that finally, America was economically assimilated to Europe, in those times peopled by Western dominant civilizations. -- Celebrate Italians (though there is some question as to whether Columbus would have considered himself an Italian -- he was long thought to have been born in Genoa, then an independent city-state in what is now Italy, though everyone from Greece to Portugal to Poland have claimed him as their own). Columbus Day, which is celebrated today in the USA and honours the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the New World, is an example of outdated and misguided history. Market data provided by Factset. Then they would sail away together to claim their riches. When it comes to celebrating Indigenous Peoples' Day, I want to make sure we do justice to indigenous folks. It was first celebrated on October 12, 1792, when the New York Society of Tammany honored Columbus on the 300th anniversary of his first voyage. Historical knowledge can help students create an argument to answer those questions. Not many civilizations were safe when invaders arrived, from Assirians to Vikings; from Gengis Khan to the Roman Empire; from the Jewish general Joshua to the colonial British Empire. The plan was to join up once theyd gotten the backing they needed. Or Napoleon Bonaparte Day, for that matter. And Bart was left behind on the cutting room floor of history. (Only 23 states give their workers a paid day off to celebrate it, according to a 2013 Pew poll). Although Columbus Day remains a national holiday, given the criticism surrounding the day, some states and cities have opted to celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day instead. You can order an original essay written according to your instructions. In the early morning hours of the third day on October 12, the lookout . Norimitsu Odachi: Who Could Have Possibly Wielded This Enormous 15th Century Japanese Sword? Without him, the modern world would not be the way it is today. matter in the end. Very trying! sums it up for Daniel, creator of Stories Guaranteed to Make You Sick, Dr. Crankenfuss books, Moose Jokes, & now Practically News. Yet, what is rarely discussed is the barbaric genocide perpetrated by Native American tribes from Mexico to Peru against other Native Americans before the arrival of Europeans. Those left were forced to work in mines and plantations. What are some Facts about Christopher Columbus? All rights reserved. Here Are Some Reasons Why. Nevertheless, Italians claim him today and Columbus Day is a good chance to recognize what Italians have contributed to America, and the world. "It's difficult to think there exists a site anywhere with a higher concentration of cave art.". Growing up in St. Croix, I had a fairly typical U.S. education with fairly typical U.S. textbooks as far as I can remember. Here are five reasons we should still celebrate Columbus Day. Below are five reasons why Columbus Day celebrants can hold their head high in 2019 rather than kowtow to guilt-based politics. There are many examples in his writings where he gave instructions to this effect. We should celebrate Indigenous People's Day instead. For if we celebrate Columbus, we are celebrating a racist genocide, massive land robbery, barbaric slavery, serial rape and systemic torture. Some of my students entered high school aware of the problematic nature of Columbus but their thinking is, Well, Columbus is not important to study, because he didnt do anything. We have to push back on that. To get a custom and plagiarism-free essay. Although Christopher Columbus is credited with discovering America, people had been inhabiting both North and South America for thousands of years before the 15 th century criminal explorer actually first set foot there. Well, the tough thing about labeling someone as good or bad is the definitions change with the times. These books have fueled the trends I mentioned around Columbus Day. Get in touch! On his first voyage, Columbus promised the crew on his three ships (Santa Maria, Pinta and Santa Clara) that the first person who spotted land would receive a lifetime pension. Had he have given up, the world would be drastically different today. ," Jake Flanagin explains why many are arguing it . There are many good reasons as to why Columbus Day is such a controversial holiday. Columbus Day was invented by the Knights of Columbus in the 1930s when they were looking for a role model for school age children. I remember learning about Columbus as a young child and I was in awe learning about the explorer. Always trying. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, October 11, 2021 5:00 am. I am sure you are familiar with his legend which states that he was born in a manger surrounded by shepherds, about Christopher Columbus: Master Double Agent and Portugals 007, about Roman Sword discovered off Oak Island radically suggests Ancient Mariners visited New World 1,000 years before Columbus, For Sale In Britain: A Small Ancient Man With A Colossal Penis, Sacred Marvels: 17 Cathedrals That Will Take Your Breath Away, In Pictures, Egyptologists Reveal a Lost Chamber in the Great Pyramid With Cosmic Rays, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Unleashing the End of the World. The evil deeds of Columbus far outweigh the few accomplishments he achieved. Lately a lot of people have been putting down Western civilization, but its spread is one of the greatest things thats ever happened to humanity. Columbuss Native American slave trade morphed into the African slave trade by the mid-16th century. Lets stop idolizing people in history who dont deserve it. Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday of October. Now, I got nothing against thousands of virgins or a good story. When he was only 23. he had the idea of going to India, China and Japan. Like most Americans, I learned in 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue. Ingrained in my mind are the names of his ships: The Nina, The Pinta and the Santa Maria. Medieval Sea Monster Was Likely a Whale, New Research Reveals, What is Shambhala? In our opinion, this is something to celebrate, not the arrival of Christopher Columbus who led the way for these indigenous populations to have their culture decimated and their population murdered, displaced or forced into slavery. There has been much debate over whether or not Columbus Day should be celebrated. Both in an effort to secure funding for their expedition. Nevertheless, the same could be said of Julius Caesar, but I dont know of many European countries who celebrate Julius Caesar Day. Alaska is said not to celebrate the day because it falls too close to Alaska Day (Oct . First, lets just put aside the paradox of discovering a land that already had a population of indigenous people. Which, of course, led to a demand for more slaves. Columbus was definitely a brave and courageous (and lucky) captain, but his navigational skills left a lot to be desired. Usable Knowledge Columbus Day. If we cannot honor anyone in human history that did not have flaws or imperfections, we cannot honor anyone at all. The Knights of Columbus lobbied state legislatures to legalize the holiday. Columbus Is Innocent of Most of the Charges Against Him, Christopher Columbus was not perfect, but he is innocent of most of his alleged crimes. 2. While deprivations did occur, Columbus was quick to punish those under his command who committed unjust acts against local populations Columbus did not engage in the savage acts that have been pinned on him., In addition, Columbus strictly told the crew not to do things like maraud, or rape, and instead to treat the native people with respect. Its like me walking into your house (with my gang and all of us armed to the teeth) and saying, Wow, look what I found here, boys. This is the Monster Celebrated on Columbus Day, The American Holocaust: Columbus and the Conquest of the New World, Multicultural View of Christopher Columbus Story, The Rise of Sexual Assault in the Military. As of September 2019, nine states (Alaska, Minnesota, Vermont, South Dakota, New Mexico, Oregon, Maine and Louisiana) have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day. - IPL.org; 7.Why We Should Not Celebrate Columbus Day - IPL.org; 8.Why Columbus Day Should Not Be Celebrated Essay . They would make fine servants. The initial recorded Columbus Day celebration in the United States was on October 12, 1792. (He did follow his big brother to the Caribbean two years later.). Personally, I dont think we should celebrate Columbus Day. 20 University Rd., 6th Floor Who Destroyed the Great Library of Alexandria? Surprisingly, this holiday was first celebrated by Italians of New York in 1866 honoring Columbus's Italian Heritage, but the official celebration in Spain did not . The first reason for why Christopher Columbus should not be celebrated is because he committed mass genocide against the Native Americans. So partly, out of spite, here are a few reasons why Columbus Day shouldnt be celebrated. Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment. Indigenous Peoples' Day now replaces Columbus Day in 14 states, the District of Columbia and more than 130 communities. Not just Europeans, but everyone. Christopher Columbus was a murderer, rapist, and thief who did not actually find America, but indeed only visited a land where Native Americans have already been living. The West has its good and bad points, but its best ideasequal rights, freedom of religion, free speech, due process, open scientific inquiry, property rights and so onhave helped all people who adopt them. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Since then, its spread across the nation with increasing speed, as more than 60 cities from Maine to Washington have supported the idea.