But as far as I know, no U.S. landfall. Columbus day is a controversial holiday, but one that should be celebrated. Their spears are made of cane. April Holloway is a Co-Owner, Editor and Writer of Ancient Origins. Columbus Day is not a holiday the U.S. and Italian Americans should Not if we cant celebrate Christopher Columbus. If we need a national holiday for the second Monday in October, lets at least honor an AMERICAN who hasnt been shown to be the prime mover in the torture/death/destruction of so many people. And #5 gets worse. 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. In fact, there is proof that the Chinese, Greeks and Italians, all explored America before Columbus. Lets stop idolizing people in history who dont deserve it. -- Celebrate the spread of Western civilization. His father was a wool weaver, and cheese stand owner. It's also why it's crucial we learn facts about Native Americans and. There, the brothers should have been exposed to the adventures of another explorer: Leif Erickson. One of the best parts of our humanity is that sense of discovery. By 1516, there were 12,000. The holiday is typically observed on the second Monday in October. Archaeologists have been able to take a closer look at one of the United Kingdoms most famous shipwrecks. His contract with the monarchs, called The Capitulations. Nevertheless, Italians claim him today and Columbus Day is a good chance to recognize what Italians have contributed to America, and the world. Spanish conquistadors couldn't believe their eyes while exploring the rugged terrain of the Andes during their invasion of Peru. In a racially equal world, Columbus shouldn't be celebrated. First of all, Christopher Columbus isnt even his name. If instead of Columbus, a Chinese marine had arrived first and "colonized" America, would be blaming the Chinese for the destruction of American civilizations? With as simple of a description as that, one would wonder why so much controversy arises from a legal American holiday. In the early morning hours of the third day on October 12, the lookout . Everything that he did sounded like it was so whimsical and as a young child yearning for an adventure I idolized him. Both in an effort to secure funding for their expedition. He should be remembered as the cruel and incompetent man he was who let his sailors rape and pillage the islands they landed on as they pleased. Hi! Fine, fine But he did discover America right? Since then, its spread across the nation with increasing speed, as more than 60 cities from Maine to Washington have supported the idea. Growing up, I wasn't exposed to this truth. Yeah. In an era where we are fighting for racial equality celebrating false heroes is detrimental to progress. He never set foot on any part of the 50 United States. While we are thankful for this land we call America, it . Herman Lindquist, Christopher Columbus var han riktigt klok, Fischer, 1992, Captivating History, Christopher Columbus: A Captivating Guide to the Life of an Italian Explorer and His Voyages to the Americas, Captivating History, 2020, Encyclopdia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Christopher-Columbus. Back in 1492, Columbus sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, where he. Although it has been a tradition in the United States to recognize this day as a federal holiday for many years, whether Christopher Columbus' actions merit celebration is now being questioned, and rightly so . Why Columbus Does Not Deserve A Holiday - The Odyssey Online Most of the time when injustices occurred, Columbus wasnt even there. Columbus Day is a national holiday in the United States that celebrates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492. 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. Not just Europeans, but everyone. Columbus Day means that finally, America was economically assimilated to Europe, in those times peopled by Western dominant civilizations. 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. Why We Shouldn't Celebrate Columbus Day - 1191 Words - StudyMode Or better yet, follow him. 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. -- Celebrate the spirit of exploration. Published: October 7, 2021 8.23am EDT Updated: October 7, 2021 9.53am EDT. Yes, this guy didnt commit genocide. Mettler earned his Bachelors degree from William Jessup University and is an alumnus of the Young Leaders Program at The Heritage Foundation. How Columbus Sailed Into U.S. History, Thanks To Italians She likes thrifting, romance novels, cooking shows, and can often be found binging documentaries. All rights reserved. 4. And those multiple viewpoints may help engage students who might feel otherwise unrepresented in a history class, such as females and students of color. Columbus went on forth with a lot of violence, such as cutting off a slaves nose/hands to signify power against them. The act moved Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day and the new Columbus Day holiday to Mondays. It is perhaps worth revisiting the two distinct reasons why we celebrate Columbus Day in the first place, and . Two Reasons why Columbus Day should not be Celebrated, This example was written and submitted by a fellow student. Another reason why Columbus Day should not be celebrated is because it promotes a distorted view of history. Columbus couldn't be killed without angering the Italian court, so Queen Isabella sent him on a mission, hoping he wouldn't return. And Erickson was certainly as European as Columbus (at least in todays geographical terminology.) 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. Many books and videos show depictions of vast work forces hewing blocks of stone in the hot desert sun and carefully setting them into place. Why Columbus Day Continues to Be Celebrated in Parts of the U.S. October 11, 2021 5:00 am. Why is Columbus Day being renamed? Christopher Columbus wasnt American! But you didnt discover a place that was already inhabited by a peaceful group of people. 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? Howell Public Schools Stance on Mask Mandate, In person school, more beneficial to kids. 2. 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. He decimated the native population. 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. "It's difficult to think there exists a site anywhere with a higher concentration of cave art.". At times, they would make an example of a Native by cutting his hands off and tying them around his neck, then telling him to go and 'share the message' with the rest of his tribe. Reference list: Herman Lindquist, Christopher Columbus var han riktigt klok, Fischer, 1992. The Columbus Day Problem | Harvard Graduate School of Education He initiated a turning point in our history. What Does Columbus Day Mean for Hispanics? Columbus may have recorded that he "found" America, but he was a. mass murderer. If the commemorations dealt at all with the impact of European exploration on the indigenous civilizations already flourishing in these discovered lands, it was often fleeting. We should stop celebrating Columbus - The Bona Venture Although many people have adopted Columbus day as "Indigenous People's Day," many people will not agree that we should also have a holiday . Once upon a time, teachers celebrated Columbus Day by leading children in choruses of song about the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. (Remember, they werent well versed in Spanish. That is, South and Central America to be exact. He decided at an early age that this was not the life for him. Columbus never even came to this country! As a direct result of Columbus discovery, indigenous Americans were enslaved, killed and oppressed to such a degree that a population of around 60 million in 1492, fell by 8090% in less than 150 years. Jarrett Stepman writes at The Daily Signal, While Columbus, and certainly his Spanish benefactors, had an interest in the goods and gold he could return from what they thought would be Asia, the explorers primary motivation was religious., 3. 2023 PapersOwl.com - All rights reserved. - IPL.org; 7.Why We Should Not Celebrate Columbus Day - IPL.org; 8.Why Columbus Day Should Not Be Celebrated Essay . Ancient Origins 2013 - 2023Disclaimer- Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy -Submissions - We Give Back - Contact us. "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. Cambridge, MA 02138, Challenges? The evil deeds of Columbus far outweigh the few accomplishments he achieved. This kept them from planting crops, leading to widespread starvation. However, a circumspect understanding of history offers numerous reasons why Columbus should not only be celebrated, but . I gave them many beautiful and pleasing things, which I had brought with me, for no return whatever, in order to win their affection, and that they might become Christians and inclined to love our King and Queen and Princes and all the people of Spain., Columbus usually treated the Native Americans kindly and brought them gifts in order to win their favor. 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. Not just Europeans, but everyone. Jarrett Stepman also writes in his book The War on History, What is never explained is why so-called indigenous peoples are worthy of celebration if Columbus is not. 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. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Norimitsu Odachi: Who Could Have Possibly Wielded This Enormous 15th Century Japanese Sword? 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. Like Andrew Jackson, Christopher Columbus is a historical figure who is celebrated as a mythical hero. Hire a verified expert to write you a 100% Plagiarism-Free paper. Ahh, well, brothers will be brothers. A recent Marist Poll shows why: Those campaigning against Columbus Day are in the minority. 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. It was still his idea to sail west, rather than east to hit the East Indies, right? The main reason some Leftists dont want to celebrate Christopher Columbus is because his actions supposedly led to the genocide of Native American peoples. Why NOT to celebrate Columbus Day | Ancient Origins We should honor George Washington, the Indispensable man, for his military bravado and skilled leadership as our first president, even though he owned slaves. Despite the time that has passed, Columbus Day still remains a subject that most people would rather not think about. Analysis Of Columbus Day Controversy By Nannette Croce Because thats public history. There are still people who believe Christopher Columbus found America and that what he did was harmless because he was being a man of his time. They would make fine servants. Yet, many continue to believe that America owes its discovery to Christopher Columbus. Nevertheless, the same could be said of Julius Caesar, but I dont know of many European countries who celebrate Julius Caesar Day. 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. In his role, he writes about current political issues, U.S. history, political philosophy, and culture. 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. Columbus Day, which is celebrated on the second Monday of October each year, has become a controversial subject for many people. But heres the kicker. So why Columbus Day? However, his other two ships on his first voyage were the Santa Clara and the Gallega. The Vikings sailed to, and colonized parts of Newfoundland, Canada, around AD 1000. And if you can, take some time to learn more about all the diversity that makes the Caribbean great. Some committed suicide to avoid subjugation, others fled, but many rebelled. The holiday celebrates . The Left Hates Christopher Columbus. Here are Five Reasons Why We I believe thats the tact to take when looking at Chris. 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. In fact, the result of Columbuss voyages was mass, Columbus didnt do too well as a governor of these new lands. When Columbus first landed on American soil he was met by the Arawak native Americans. Are the Misty Peaks of the Azores Remnants of the Legendary Atlantis? Christopher Columbus may have been a daring adventurer but he is not someone we want our kids to think of as a hero or role model. Contrary to popular belief, Columbus Day is a celebration of diversity, not oppression. The Columbus controversy can also help students see that history is still applicable today. And yes, I know Columbus was at least in part a product of his brutish times and any nation who landed on Hispaniola in 1492 might have done similar things. As part of this plan, Spaniards aimed to convert native peoples to Christianity. Why Do We (Still) Celebrate Columbus Day? - Learning for Justice If you want a unique paper, order it from our professional writers. As these texts have become popular, and more history teachers have read them, more students have learned a more accurate account of Columbus from a younger age. Columbus day represents an exploration that lead to many discoveries and examples of leadership and control. All islands I would love to visit on a single trip. Get the recap of top opinion commentary and original content throughout the week. He shows the effect of willpower and perseverance. Why Christopher Columbus shouldn't be celebrated - The Snapper The New York Society of Tammany also honored Columbus of his first voyage with the marking of his 300th anniversary. original papers. Columbus wanted to test this idea. More States Say Goodbye to Columbus Day | The Pew Charitable Trusts 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. Its just that Columbus was the brave one to stake his claim to a land that did not belong to him. It neednt be a battleground, but a chance to celebrate the best within us. The Andy Griffith Show Remains a Masterclass in Leadership and Life, Births in Japan Fall to Record Low Amid Catastrophic Population Decline, Foretelling Worlds Future. Should the United States continue to celebrate Columbus Day? Columbus was wrong of course, and needless to say, he didnt actually discover anything the Americas had already been inhabited for thousands of years. What Columbus Day Really Means - The American Scholar The attack on Columbus Day is a major facet of the cultural . Columbus Day vs Leif Erikson Day: Who 'Discovered' America? | Time Hence, the inducement cited above.). But that, for better or worse, is how history worked pretty much everywhere for thousands of years. Specifically, he is credited with being the first European explorer since the Vikings to explore the New World for Europeans. Posted by Zachary Mettler | Oct 14, 2019 | Opinion. Be careful, this sample is accessible to everyone. That's my nephew, Trinidad, reveling in the joys of Caribbean sailing somewhere between St. Croix and Buck Island aboard Teroro II. Why Should Columbus Day Be Celebrated | Hearinnh If it wasnt for Columbus, the motivation for exploration and expansion wouldnt have become a priority because nobody knew about the Americas. 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. This new day was first adopted in Berkeley, California in 1992. Of course, Christopher Columbus was Italian, and his day . A new intersectional publication, geared towards voices, values, and identities! European settlers not only introduced new diseases to the Americas that wiped out scores of Indigenous people, but also warfare, colonization, enslavement, and torture. According to a recent poll, 79% of college students support such a change. On October 12,1792was when it was first celebrated. Medieval Sea Monster Was Likely a Whale, New Research Reveals, What is Shambhala? Indigenous Peoples' Day now replaces Columbus Day in 14 states, the District of Columbia and more than 130 communities. If it wasn't for Columbus, the motivation for exploration and expansion wouldn't have become a priority because nobody knew about the Americas. 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. A main argument for the idealization of the 15th century explorer is the idea that he was the first European to discover the Americas. All rights reserved. We shouldn't be wasting our time on holidays that won't even. And the D.C. City Council recently approved a measure to abolish Columbus Day and replace it with Indigenous Peoples Day. Over a dozen states and more than 130 local governments have chosen to not celebrate Columbus Day altogether or replace it with Indigenous Peoples' Day. 1. So, there you have it; five reasons not to celebrate Columbus Day this year (or any other year). 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. Yes, we have a federal holiday on Christmas, but Ill put that in a special category (which well call religious.). The pro for Columbus Day written by John Wirt. 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. But what exactly does it mean to be civilized? It consisted mostly of about 12,000 public school students grouped into 20 regiments, each commanded by a principal. 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 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. And yet he is given an American holiday for discovering AmericaYeah Ill wait for that to make sense. Even after spending his whole career exploring the Caribbean, Columbus never at any point thought he had landed anywhere other than his intended destination, Asia. 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. Listen I know almost everyone celebrated in history enslaved people. The tradition of observing Columbus Day dates back to the 18th century. 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.