A growing number of cities are no longer celebrating Columbus Day, swapping it for "Indigenous Peoples' Day.". There, the brothers should have been exposed to the adventures of another explorer: Leif Erickson. Its just that Columbus was the brave one to stake his claim to a land that did not belong to him. In a letter that has been preserved among his personal historical records, Columbus wrote that God inspired him to make a deal with his Spanish crew and stake his life on it. I dont think that we should start childrens education by saying that the country is built on the genocide of a group and the enslavement of another. Every year, on the second Monday in October, the people in the United States celebrate a national holiday in memory of Christopher Columbus, the one who discovered the new continent. After his voyage to America, he became one of the most well known explorers of his time. Columbuss men used native girls as young as nine or ten as their sex slaves. It requires looking at dominant narratives and counternarratives. Europe, Asia and Africa, of course, suffered through numerous plagues of their own.). Consider how the first Columbus Day parade in New York was described in the newspapers. James Loewens Lies My Teacher Told Me, and his shorter Lies My Teacher Told Me about Christopher Columbus, critique how textbooks have covered Columbus. He even made his crew swear an oath that Cuba was not an island but indeed the mainland of Asia, and that China could be reached overland from there. Columbus Day is one of America s oldest holidays. We all own it. In addition to The Daily Citizen, his written pieces have appeared in The Daily Signal, Life News, The Colorado Independent, and The Millennial Review. Here Are Some Reasons Why. Were theonlyPop Archaeology site combining scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives. Very trying! sums it up for Daniel, creator of Stories Guaranteed to Make You Sick, Dr. Crankenfuss books, Moose Jokes, & now Practically News. Certain states and localities have moved away from celebrating Christopher Columbus, and now celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day. As Columbus might have quipped, One good turn deserves another. Okay, he never said that, but his writings prove that he would not have been opposed to it in the least. When Columbus first landed on American soil he was met by the Arawak native Americans. It is perhaps worth revisiting the two distinct reasons why we celebrate Columbus Day in the first place, and . If instead of Columbus, a Chinese marine had arrived first and "colonized" America, would be blaming the Chinese for the destruction of American civilizations? The first reason for why Christopher Columbus should not be celebrated is because he committed mass genocide against the Native Americans. Columbus is also well known as a great explorer, and not the man he truly is, who hurt people in order for things to go his way and for him to get what he wants, which was power., Two Reasons Why Columbus Day Should Not be Celebrated. Columbus Day is a United States federal holiday that celebrates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492. Right now, across the country, cities and schools are faced with the question, Should we celebrate Columbus? Were facing similar questions about how we commemorate the confederacy and the Civil War. Christopher Columbus wasnt American! That alone is worth celebrating.". The con for Columbus Day written by Elliot Lassitter. Likewise, Thomas Jefferson, also a slave owner, should be remembered for writing one of the most brilliant documents in the history of mankind, the Declaration of Independence, which contributed greatly to the ending of slavery and segregation in the United States. But I think considering the fact that Columbus also enslaved a group of people who were otherwise peaceful to him should be noted. Top 5 Reasons NOT to Celebrate Columbus Day And 1 Reason To History comes with an agenda. Without him, the modern world would not be the way it is today. What are some Facts about Christopher Columbus? Nefer Say Nefer - Was Nefertiti Buried in the Valley of the Queens? Columbus Personified the American Spirit. Despite the time that has passed, Columbus Day still remains a subject that most people would rather not think about. If it wasn't for Columbus, the motivation for exploration and expansion wouldn't have become a priority because nobody knew about the Americas. Yet, many continue to believe that America owes its discovery to Christopher Columbus. Thankfully, Columbus Day has morphed into Indigenous Peoples Day. According to a census taken by Columbus' men, in 1496 there were more than 1 million natives on the island of Haiti. As a result, in 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Columbus Day into law as a way to celebrate the hero who changed the world (Bragdon 12). ). 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. Columbus and his men raped and mistreated the slaves, especially young girls through ages nine and ten. Reference list: Herman Lindquist, Christopher Columbus var han riktigt klok, Fischer, 1992. Between 1482 and 1485 Columbus traded along the Guinea and Gold coasts of tropical West Africa and made at least one voyage to Elmina, Ghana. After all of this, he made four transatlantic voyages to the new world beginning with his first famed voyage in 1492. The Columbus controversy can also help students see that history is still applicable today. The slaves were to do most of Columbuss dirty work, as he was highly demanding of gold, crops, and land, which caused many of the slaves to be malnourished and sick. Dating back around 200 years, the nonreligious had been adverse to this celebration. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, University Overrules Student Senate Activists; Recognizes Conservative Club, A Mansion, Yemen, and Stories of Gods Goodness, Tennessee and Mississippi Pass Bills to Protect Children from Harmful Sex Change Procedures. And Washington, D.C., this week renamed the holiday, pending congressional approval. Columbus never even came to this country! See how Columbus Day actually become a holiday and find out who celebrates it. Since then, its spread across the nation with increasing speed, as more than 60 cities from Maine to Washington have supported the idea. It is claimed by these people that the enjoyment and simplicity of Columbus day is almost a mask or distraction to divert the people from the many indigenous lives lost after the discovery of the New World. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The holiday celebrates . Its the responsibility of our school system to talk about Columbus as part of our work to prepare students to be citizens. Specifically, he is credited with being the first European explorer since the Vikings to explore the New World for Europeans. "Endless testimonies.prove the mild and pacific temperament of the natives. 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. Here are five reasons we should still celebrate Columbus Day. I think history teachers have a responsibility to prepare students to comment critically and participate critically in the discourse about who we are honoring, who we are celebrating, and how we are doing it. We shouldn't be wasting our time on holidays that won't even. For example, a neighbor taking a stick and beating your child as some kind of punishment might have been perfectly fine at one time. 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? 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 . 2023 PapersOwl.com - All rights reserved. The Lefts hatred of Columbus is predicated on the idea that he represents the tyrannical, western force that colonized the Americas at the expense of those already living here. About the author: Daniel Berenson contributes to Medium now and then in this case now with original and unique views on such things as squirrels, politics, fairy tales, history, and Spanish telenovelas. After you read both, let us know what you think by posting a comment. When confronted with evidence to the contrary, he simply could not conceive of the the idea that he might be wrong. According to documents 6 " Christopher Columbus was the greatest, because he accomplished the most against the highest odds before Columbus ' time all European voyages had followed coastlines, or cross open seas to land previously known or at . Though he didnt discover America, he was the person to show the rest of the developed world that there was more far away lands. He and his crew were greeted with smiles, gifts and food. Thats a lesson for later. The main reason some Leftists dont want to celebrate Christopher Columbus is because his actions supposedly led to the genocide of Native American peoples. Be careful, this sample is accessible to everyone. Columbus tried to build and has transformed the America we have today. 20 University Rd., 6th Floor Personally, I dont think we should celebrate Columbus Day. For privacy reasons, she has previously written on Ancient Origins under the pen name April Holloway, but is now choosing to use her real name, Joanna Gillan. 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. A main argument for the idealization of the 15th century explorer is the idea that he was the first European to discover the Americas. "This historically problematic holiday Columbus never actually set foot on the continental U.S. has made an increasing number of people wince, given the enslavement and genocide of Native. If we have a holiday honoring somebody, the question on everyones mind should be, Why are we honoring them? by sailing west. 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. We need to set the record straight early on. Poll shows most Americans want to celebrate Columbus Day. Indeed, the promise of the West has delivered freedom and bounty such as humanity has never known. But as I grew older, it became clear that history is murky. Columbus couldn't be killed without angering the Italian court, so Queen Isabella sent him on a mission, hoping he wouldn't return. Columbus Day was invented by the Knights of Columbus in the 1930s when they were looking for a role model for school age children. ), Christopher Columbus initiated the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Lets look at Columbus himself, to see if he meets the definition. He was turned down from the Portuguese crown, Genoa crown, Venice crown, and English crown. They were the original immigrants to the New World, and deserve their remembrance. And in general, we want to students to engage with controversy. We should celebrate Indigenous People's Day instead. Columbus stood to gain significant wealth and power from his voyage, terms he negotiated with King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. And most of all, I was taught of his discovering America. As known by many, Columbus Day commemorates the discovery of the New World by none other than Christopher Columbus himself. Sure, Chris had been sailing since age 14. Very much like the lyrics of the famous She may be ancient Egypts most famous face, but the quest to find the eternal resting place of Queen Nefertiti has never been hotter. And #5 gets worse. The New York Society of Tammany also honored Columbus of his first voyage with the marking of his 300th anniversary. (He had plenty of different ships on subsequent voyages.). . Columbus arrival is seen as the beginning of civilization in the Americas. Posted by Zachary Mettler | Oct 14, 2019 | Opinion. The evil deeds of Columbus far outweigh the few accomplishments he achieved. This new day was first adopted in Berkeley, California in 1992. Columbus did not discover America, but his voyages began the Columbian exchange, a turning point in world history involving the massive transfers of human populations, cultures, ideas, animals, plants, and diseases. Today's woke perspective condemns Columbus Day as an unworthy holiday. 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. And thats even if you discount the fact that native peoples lived in these places all along. Ancient Origins 2013 - 2023Disclaimer- Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy -Submissions - We Give Back - Contact us. There were already people living wherever he landed. Like Andrew Jackson, Christopher Columbus is a historical figure who is celebrated as a mythical hero. The United States and several Latin American countries celebrate Columbus Day to recognize Christopher Columbus striking land in the Americas and the mixing of European and Native American Cultures. Or maybe even plan to discover your own new-to-you islands! On his 1492 voyage, Chris landed on a number of islands including some in the Bahamas very close to mainland Florida. It is known by many as to what had happened after Americas discovery. With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want.. Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+! His father was a wool weaver, and cheese stand owner. The natives were removed from their villages to work in gold mines and colonial plantations. or redistributed. A Blazing Weapon: Unraveling the Mystery of Greek Fire. The first complete mapping of a Neanderthal genome took place about five years ago - supporting the human-Neanderthal hook-up and also showing that Neanderthal DNA in humans is a thing. He decided at an early age that this was not the life for him. Columbus should not be celebrated, let alone given a day. He asked for 3 more days, and if land was not sighted, the crew could do with him as they wished. . And thanks for reading this. 2. In fact, the result of Columbuss voyages was mass, Columbus didnt do too well as a governor of these new lands. 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. In 1891, one of the largest mass lynchings in American history took place in New Orleans after nine Italians were acquitted of murdering the city's police chief. Columbus wanted to expand knowledge about the world and what more it consisted of by going across the ocean. 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. Ancient Chinese Earthquake Detector Invented 2,000 Years Ago Really Worked! Why is he important? Not if we cant celebrate Christopher Columbus. Then they would sail away together to claim their riches. But, again, no mainland United States. Who Destroyed the Great Library of Alexandria? Chris wasnt a bad guy right? This follows both Minneapolis and Seattle, which adopted the new. Though it has its controversies, Columbus day should be celebrated. Of course, I learned that everyone expected him to sail off the edge of a flat earth into space or sea monsters or something. Within a few decades, only a few hundred of an original native population of 300,000 remained. Lets stop idolizing people in history who dont deserve it. And yet he is given an American holiday for discovering AmericaYeah Ill wait for that to make sense. You need to be able to deeply understand the profoundly problematic past of this great nation. We need students to understand that Columbus is important, even if he isnt someone to be celebrated. He led the way for future colonists to settle the United States. Areas within Texas and California began celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day as a means of pointing the spotlight on the natives, rather than Columbus himself. CONTACT US: If you want a unique paper, order it from our professional writers. 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. Nevertheless, Italians claim him today and Columbus Day is a good chance to recognize what Italians have contributed to America, and the world. Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment. This conflict between reality and fiction is what makes Columbus Day one of the most controversial holidays in America. Understanding controversies what Columbus did, how he did it, whether we should be commemorating him builds skills that are fundamental for understanding history and social studies. Most of us can remember the day when Americans still seemed to like Christopher Columbus. But in reality, Christopher Columbus is an American hero, and he should remain as such. One of the best parts of our humanity is that sense of discovery. 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. Aside from the despicable acts that Columbus and his people committed, there is plenty of evidence to show that Columbus was not the first foreigner to arrive on the continent anyway. Until the mid-1700s, Christopher Columbus was not widely known among most Americans. South Dakota was the first state to rename Columbus Day, in 1990, electing to go with Native Americans' Day. Columbus Day is a national holiday in the United States that celebrates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492. 1. Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. Nevertheless, the first official Columbus Day happened in 1892, when President Harrison issued a proclamation for Americans to commemorate the day. And those multiple viewpoints may help engage students who might feel otherwise unrepresented in a history class, such as females and students of color. Last updated by Patrick Bennett on 10/02/2021. Many believe that they sailed even further south, maybe as far as New Brunswick. Columbus Day was a solution to a problem that most people didn't know existed. According to a recent poll, 79% of college students support such a change. Please follow him or give him some claps please be sure thats in the plural if you enjoyed this. I discovered America. After Columbus established the first Spanish colony at La Isabela, on the north coast of Hispaniola (modern-day Dominican Republic), relations between the Spanish and the indigenous population quickly deteriorated. It was still his idea to sail west, rather than east to hit the East Indies, right? They also show evidence that at least 12 other groups of people entered the Americas before Columbus. He would have peoples ears and noses cut off as punishments. Columbus went to live in Portugal. Columbus tortured and murdered many thousands of native peoples. The attack on Columbus Day is a major facet of the cultural . The main reason Columbus Day draws opposition is because of how the explorer's arrival to the New World affected Indigenous people. In fact, that might have been a good neighbor, whereas today That neighbor would find themselves in jail. Columbus Day Should Not Be Celebrated. uknow@gse.harvard.edu It doesn't make sense for the United States to recognize this supposed Christian with ashow more content The New World was discovered within the same timeframe as when slave trade had begun to arise. The Zinn Education Project also includes a bunch of primary sources related to Columbus, such as writings by Bartolom de La Casas. Alaska was second, in 2017, enacting Indigenous Peoples Day. That is, South and Central America to be exact. Itd be ludicrous to say that Columbuswasnt guilty by association. While there is only limited knowledge of what pre-Columbus America was like, it did feature war, slavery, torture and plenty of brutality. (You may want to add this into the equation.). Columbus day is a controversial holiday, but one that should be celebrated. Contrary to popular belief, Columbus Day is a celebration of diversity, not oppression. Americans have the right to celebrate whatever they chose, but the history behind Columbus Day is not to be ignored. He first went to sea when he was only 14 years old. Fine, fine But he did discover America right? I dont think its ever too young. Or Napoleon Bonaparte Day, for that matter. Just bear in mind that the verb "colonize" and the terms "colony", and "colonial" derive from Columbus ("Colon", in Spanish spelling). matter in the end. It was President Franklin Delano Roosevelt that designated the second Monday of October (Columbus Day) as a national holiday in 1971. On October 11th, 2021 its 529 years since Italian explorer Christopher Columbus, or Cristoforo Colombo as he was probably known in his native Genoa, landed on the island San Salvador. The initial recorded Columbus Day celebration in the United States was on October 12, 1792. 1. Once upon a time, teachers celebrated Columbus Day by leading children in choruses of song about the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. Lastly, I would contend that historical figures should be honored by their great achievements, and not their mistakes or weaknesses. Indigenous Peoples Day: Why it's replacing Columbus Day in many places. It neednt be a battleground, but a chance to celebrate the best within us. She is a national writer at Her Campus and the former editor-in-chief of Her Campus Rowan. (See, Columbus promised Ferdinand and Isabella so much, including gold, they had given him 17 ships and well over a thousand men for his second voyage! You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Italian heritage. We should honor George Washington, the Indispensable man, for his military bravado and skilled leadership as our first president, even though he owned slaves. If we cannot honor anyone in human history that did not have flaws or imperfections, we cannot honor anyone at all. Read more TOM GRALISH / Staff Photographer by Staff Reports Sorry, Mr. Specify your topic, deadline, number of pages and other requirements. Though flawed, Columbus was a great man with an adventurous spirit, sailing the seas to prepare to establish a new world. In short, today is Christopher Columbus Day, and we should all celebrate that. With three boats, the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria, he set out in search of a better trade route to India. Dominant narratives tend to speak about heroes in a simple sense; counternarratives can be much more critical. The point is not to excuse the worst that happened, but to understand it. Columbus Day's only silver lining may be found at historically significant sites throughout the Caribbean that connect us to history. 1. But as I grew older, it became clear that history is murky. Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) is generally considered to be a great explorer during the Age of Exploration . Columbus Day. The things Columbus did such as capturing the Natives as slaves just made him the man of his time, saying everyone did this, and that he needed the help anyway. The artefacts include cave paintings and ceramic art depicting animals, hunting expeditions and the daily lives of people who lived around the Serra da Capivara in Brazil for tens of thousands of years. Growing up, I wasnt exposed to this truth. It also became clear that there are many reasons not to celebrate Columbus Day. 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. This kept them from planting crops, leading to widespread starvation. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings. Zachary Mettler works as a staff writer and communications liaison for The Daily Citizen at Focus on the Family. 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. There has been much debate over whether or not Columbus Day should be celebrated. If Columbus is Off Limits to Celebrate, so are Indigenous Peoples. Now that the truth is becoming more widely known, people are pressuring their communities to stop celebrating Columbus Day. According to, Columbus believed that he was playing a part in a divine plan to Christianize the world. Even though Eratosthenes (Greek mathematician living in Alexandria, Egypt, Columbus never discovered anything. So why Columbus Day? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Large Increase in U.S. And hes credited for marking the establishment of institutionalized slavery in the West Indies. Trends are really hard to detect in a country as divided as ours, but Ive noticed two developments in my work teaching high school and teaching at Harvard. Legal Statement. Columbus Day means that finally, America was economically assimilated to Europe, in those times peopled by Western dominant civilizations. (Not that the West solely had these ideas, but it put them in a package that wasnt generally available elsewhere.). This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Rather than celebrate, we believe it should be a day to mourn the destruction of an indigenous population which had lived in peace for tens of thousands of years before Columbus a rapist and murderer set foot on American soil. These books have fueled the trends I mentioned around Columbus Day. If it wasnt for Columbus, the motivation for exploration and expansion wouldnt have become a priority because nobody knew about the Americas. Indeed, Columbus was mostly benign in his interaction with native populations. (2020, Aug 20). . Ahh, well, semantics. If the world was round, this was possible, he thought. By bringing together top experts and authors, this archaeology website explores lost civilizations, examines sacred writings, tours ancient places, investigates ancient discoveries and questions mysterious happenings. Even if we ignore that, this one still depends on your definition of America. As part of this plan, Spaniards aimed to convert native peoples to Christianity. Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/two-reasons-why-columbus-day-should-not-be-celebrated/. The population of the Taino decreased by over two hundred thousand within sixty years. So, there you have it; five reasons not to celebrate Columbus Day this year (or any other year). 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. What Columbus did next was nothing less than shameful. Hire a verified expert to write you a 100% Plagiarism-Free paper. 1. Many states celebrate both. Cathedrals are some of the most awe-inspiring structures in the world, with their grandeur and intricate details captivating visitors for centuries. America is celebrating. 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. Columbus inspired countless other explorers, both of his time and of modern time, to explore and make discoveries. Listen I know almost everyone celebrated in history enslaved people. This was a sign of things to come. Columbus day is a controversial holiday, but one that should be celebrated. There are many examples in his writings where he gave instructions to this effect. You can order an original essay written according to your instructions. Columbus is often portrayed as a heroic figure who bravely discovered America, but this narrative ignores the fact that the Americas were already inhabited by millions of people before Columbus arrived.
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