Published: October 7, 2021 8.23am EDT Updated: October 7, 2021 9.53am EDT. What is the origin of the legend of the Christed Son who was born of a virgin on December 25th? A genocide happened in "the Americas," and it began with Columbus. 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. Columbus arrival is seen as the beginning of civilization in the Americas. October 11, 2021 5:00 am. Archaeologists have been able to take a closer look at one of the United Kingdoms most famous shipwrecks. He asked for 3 more days, and if land was not sighted, the crew could do with him as they wished. This claim has been proven recently as Viking Leif Ericksson was the first European to discover the New World, about 500 years prior to Columbus' famous journey. Columbus didnt know shit about geography! Columbuss Native American slave trade morphed into the African slave trade by the mid-16th century. Congress also believed the holiday would mark the contribution of immigrants to the United States. And Im not one to turn down a national holiday for a day off work! It is on public record, that Columbus rewarded his soldiers by giving them Native Americans to rape. It requires looking at dominant narratives and counternarratives. 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which is celebrated today in the USA and honours the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the New World, is an example of outdated and misguided history. The Iliad can provide new insights on the role of motherhood among the ancient Greek gods, and by extension, amongst ancient mortal Greek women themselves. First, lets just put aside the paradox of discovering a land that already had a population of indigenous people. Give us your paper requirements, choose a writer and well deliver the highest-quality essay! Many believe that they sailed even further south, maybe as far as New Brunswick. 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. Here are five reasons we should still celebrate Columbus Day. Itd be ludicrous to say that Columbuswasnt guilty by association. 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. In 1927, Chicago's outer drive, connecting the city's North and South Sides, was renamed for Leif. . uknow@gse.harvard.edu It is true that the conquest of the Americas by Europeans, which starts with Columbus, was very ugly, and involved a lot of violence. Now theres a deed worth celebrating every year! I'm not the only Italian American on board with ditching the holiday. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. On October 11, 2021, America officially recognized the inhumane treatment that the Native Americans faced for centuries and honored the brave warriors who fought against the oppression and genocide of their people. Columbus Personified the American Spirit. They have no iron. Columbus day is a controversial holiday, but one that should be celebrated. So, there you have it; five reasons not to celebrate Columbus Day this year (or any other year). A Blazing Weapon: Unraveling the Mystery of Greek Fire. Here Are Some Reasons Why. That alone is worth celebrating.". -- Celebrate the spread of Western civilization. matter in the end. This essay is available online and might have been used by another student. "Ignore the propaganda and instead remember Christopher Columbus with gratitude and a clear conscience. Despite not finding any of the places that his favorite books described (places in China, India and Japan), he convinced himself that they were just around the corner. Christopher Columbus, as it turned out, was responsible for widespread genocide; he permitted his men to rape, murder, mutilate and enslave indigenous people. I dont think its ever too young. Turning points are powerful lenses through which students need to view our past. Growing up, I wasn't exposed to this truth. Why is Columbus Day being renamed? . When I got to high school and learned the truth about Columbus I felt betrayed. Columbus Day is one of America s oldest holidays. 3.Two Reasons Why Columbus Day Should Not be Celebrated; 4.Should Christopher Columbus Day Be Celebrated Essay Example; 5.Columbus Day Is Not Worth Celebrating - GradesFixer; 6.Why Columbus Day Should Not Be Celebrated? Land was first spotted by Rodrigo de Triana, a lookout on the Pinta, and thereafter by its captain Martin Alonso Pinzo, who notified Columbus. This has started to cause a change, and many cities within America have taken on a remuneration for the controversial holiday. 1. Its important to learn about what Columbus did to Native Americans because not everyone knows the truth about him and his treatment of the Natives. And while some people may seem content with the story as it stands, our view is that there existcountless mysteries, scientific anomalies and surprising artifacts thathave yet to be discovered and explained. And Washington, D.C., this week renamed the holiday, pending congressional approval. While there is plenty to criticize about Columbus, and what followed his arrival, I think this movement is missing the point. There has been much debate over whether or not Columbus Day should be celebrated. (And yes, I also know many other discoverers have been posited through the ages. Back in 1492, Columbus sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, where he. According to a census taken by Columbus' men, in 1496 there were more than 1 million natives on the island of Haiti. Her Campus may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Now, I got nothing against thousands of virgins or a good story. SHOULD CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS BE CELEBRATED? 1. But many would be killed if they did not accept Christ, even if they didnt understand what the Spanish were explaining to them. Areas within Texas and California began celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day as a means of pointing the spotlight on the natives, rather than Columbus himself. But I think considering the fact that Columbus also enslaved a group of people who were otherwise peaceful to him should be noted. The next obvious question is: well, if thats not his name, what were the names of his famous ships? Columbus Day was supposed to recognize the greatness of all of America's people, but especially Italians and Native Americans. Though it has its controversies, Columbus day should be celebrated. 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. Based on my experience, I think its vitally essential that teachers engage kids as young as sixth grade in questions that really interrogate Columbus. Until the mid-1700s, Christopher Columbus was not widely known among most Americans. But as I grew older, it became clear that history is murky. She is a national writer at Her Campus and the former editor-in-chief of Her Campus Rowan. After his voyage to America, he became one of the most well known explorers of his time. For any subject. Columbus inspired countless other explorers, both of his time and of modern time, to explore and make discoveries. Americans have the right to celebrate whatever they chose, but the history behind Columbus Day is not to be ignored. Columbus set a precedent for exploration of the new world. Until his dying day Columbus maintained that the land he had discovered was Asia and not a new continent. History comes with an agenda. 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. I discovered America. Diseases were spread and were not able to be resisted by the sick slaves. Ahh, well, semantics. Most of us can remember the day when Americans still seemed to like Christopher Columbus. Chris went to Spain and Bart to France. Yet in the past few decades, something has changed. 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. If instead of Columbus, a Chinese marine had arrived first and "colonized" America, would be blaming the Chinese for the destruction of American civilizations? Zachary Mettler works as a staff writer and communications liaison for The Daily Citizen at Focus on the Family. ," Jake Flanagin explains why many are arguing it . So, no, Columbus did not discover the New World.. But as I got older and began learning more about the history of the Caribbean, the glossy veneer of ol Chris didnt hold up. Two Reasons why Columbus Day should not be Celebrated, This example was written and submitted by a fellow student. We shouldn't be wasting our time on holidays that won't even. He and his crew were greeted with smiles, gifts and food. Columbus went on forth with a lot of violence, such as cutting off a slaves nose/hands to signify power against them. However, it was his brother, the cartographers idea to sail West. He sailed to Iceland and Ireland in 1477, and to Madeira in 1478. If we have a holiday honoring somebody, the question on everyones mind should be, Why are we honoring them? According to, Columbus believed that he was playing a part in a divine plan to Christianize the world. 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. However, a circumspect understanding of history offers numerous reasons why Columbus should not only be celebrated, but . Read More 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. Lets stop idolizing people in history who dont deserve it. His contract with the monarchs, called The Capitulations. When it comes to celebrating Indigenous Peoples' Day, I want to make sure we do justice to indigenous folks. Alaska is said not to celebrate the day because it falls too close to Alaska Day (Oct . 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. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! And to see that it is not the essence of Columbus, but rather part of the times. In his free time, Mettler enjoys reading, running, hiking, backpacking, and walking his dog. Two reasons why Columbus Day should not be celebrated is that we shouldn't have a day where we glorify someone who hurt and enslaved innocent people (Native Americans) and because he destroyed the tranquility in the slaves homes and land with genocide and abuse. (Only 23 states give their workers a paid day off to celebrate it, according to a 2013 Pew poll). He thereby claimed the lifetime pension for himself, cheating the rightful claimant out of both glory and a significant amount of money. Three other states New Mexico, Maine, Vermont followed suit this year. By 1516, there were 12,000. A recent Marist Poll shows why: Those campaigning against Columbus Day are in the minority. On his second voyage, he landed at Hispaniola, Cuba, and Jamaica among others. A growing number of cities are no longer celebrating Columbus Day, swapping it for "Indigenous Peoples' Day.". Although many people have adopted Columbus day as "Indigenous People's Day," many people will not agree that we should also have a holiday . Yet, many continue to believe that America owes its discovery to Christopher Columbus. There were terrible diseases that got communicated to the natives, but he cant be blamed for that., 5. In an era where we are fighting for racial equality celebrating false heroes is detrimental to progress. 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. They would make fine servants. 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. A lot of depopulation was caused by suicides, including some parents killing their own children to prevent them from living and growing up as a slave. Christopher Columbus is just one of those English adaptations someone felt was preferable to pronouncing a foreign sounding name. A main argument for the idealization of the 15th century explorer is the idea that he was the first European to discover the Americas. (Sarcasm intended.) To begin, some people think Columbus is a hero because he found America, which is not true. Stupid but hopeful. Curious, politically homeless, always hopeful. And yet he is given an American holiday for discovering AmericaYeah Ill wait for that to make sense. Equipping students to grapple with the complexities of the past and the controversies of today, By grappling with the question of who we celebrate, and why, history teachers can help students navigate the complexities of the past, Resurfacing the lessons of Ferguson, which continue to resonate today, From Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day, Theres definitely a trend toward questioning Columbus Day. And thanks for reading this. 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. original papers. 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. Columbus Day, the second Monday in October, is a nationally recognized holiday. Columbus never even came to this country! This movement sees Columbus as a symbol of destruction, and thus not to be celebrated. Its Cristoforo Colombo. Without him, the modern world would not be the way it is today. He was turned down from the Portuguese crown, Genoa crown, Venice crown, and English crown. 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. After you read both, let us know what you think by posting a comment. Historical Figures Should Be Viewed in Light of Their Greatest Achievements, Not Their Worst Mistakes. They also show evidence that at least 12 other groups of people entered the Americas before Columbus. Ironically, the District of Columbia is named after, you guessed it, Christopher Columbus. Even though Eratosthenes (Greek mathematician living in Alexandria, Egypt, Columbus never discovered anything. 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. With all that, there are reasons to celebrate Columbus Day. 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. As a citizen, you need to be able to critically engage and reflect in a discourse around the public celebration and honoring of historical events and figures. "Reason: he may have discovered America before Columbus; Columbus is now commonplace as . 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. Except, once Chris had succeeded in Spain, he didnt wait for his brother. Don't know where to start? You need to be able to deeply understand the profoundly problematic past of this great nation. And maybe only one reason to celebrate. South Dakota was the first state to rename Columbus Day, in 1990, electing to go with Native Americans' Day. Dating back around 200 years, the nonreligious had been adverse to this celebration. The plan was to join up once theyd gotten the backing they needed. Some schools, cities, and institutions, such as the. Once we do this, Columbus Day can be a truly inclusive holiday. 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. But, again, no mainland United States. 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. What Columbus did next was nothing less than shameful. What were his actual contributions? Those are important questions we want to ask as citizens. Thats when learning happens. Indeed, Columbus was mostly benign in his interaction with native populations. For this nation's over 5 million American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian citizens, Columbus' voyages to the so-called New World inaugurated a long history of exploitation, enslavement, eradication, and erasure (and he himself initiated and sanctioned such actions). 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. James Loewens Lies My Teacher Told Me, and his shorter Lies My Teacher Told Me about Christopher Columbus, critique how textbooks have covered Columbus. The evil deeds of Columbus far outweigh the few accomplishments he achieved. Columbus was wrong of course, and needless to say, he didnt actually discover anything the Americas had already been inhabited for thousands of years. I remember learning about Columbus as a young child and I was in awe learning about the explorer. When Columbus first landed on American soil he was met by the Arawak native Americans. Religion was heavily forced upon the Native American tribes, and the Europeans means of dealing with their obstacles run much more inhumane. Had he have given up, the world would be drastically different today. Here are my main reasons why I refuse to celebrate Columbus Day: 1. Thankfully, Columbus Day has morphed into Indigenous Peoples Day. A new intersectional publication, geared towards voices, values, and identities! Mettler earned his Bachelors degree from William Jessup University and is an alumnus of the Young Leaders Program at The Heritage Foundation. The attack on Columbus Day is a major facet of the cultural . Historical knowledge can help students create an argument to answer those questions. -- 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). CONTACT US: He read books, studied the ocean, and made a name for himself. Certain states and localities have moved away from celebrating Christopher Columbus, and now celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day. Lastly, I would contend that historical figures should be honored by their great achievements, and not their mistakes or weaknesses. 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). (Though it should be noted a large portion of the deaths of Native Americans was due to disease, not violence--an inevitable consequence of Old World illness in New World soil. He wrote in his log: They brought us parrots and balls of cotton and spears and many other things they willingly traded everything they owned 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. They would make fine servants With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want.. "Endless testimonies.prove the mild and pacific temperament of the natives. Chris wasnt a bad guy right? (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! History, in fact, is the story of conquest. There are also theories that the Irish arrived far before the Vikings, and that the Chinese and Polynesians may also have also visited the Americas before Columbus. Howell Public Schools Stance on Mask Mandate, In person school, more beneficial to kids. Americans, for all our faults, love adventure. Truth of Discovery Normally, the notion of discovery means encountering a place or an idea for the very first time.. Get in touch! As an anti-paean to a holiday most Americans hardly acknowledge (unless they get a day off), here are a list of reasons that we should remove Columbus Day from our list of federal holidays. In fact, that might have been a good neighbor, whereas today That neighbor would find themselves in jail. AtAncient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. 20 University Rd., 6th Floor 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. We should celebrate Indigenous People's Day instead. In another case, some people think Columbus was a hero because he represents a leader who went far and beyond to find America. Mother and Child Reunion Of Thetis And Achilles, Seductive Sirens of Greek Mythology and How Heroes Resisted Them, Celestial Goddess Selene: The Ancient Greek Goddess of the Moon, Pegasus of Greek Mythology: Majestic Winged Horse of Mount Olympus, Dreams of Human-Powered Flight: Daedalus and the Story of Icarus, The Warriors Who Shaped African History: The Horsemen of Oyo, Royal Mistress Jane Shore Walked Streets of London in her Underwear, Leonardo Da Vincis Notes Show He Understood Gravity Long Before Newton, Talks Begin on Repatriating Remains of Patrick Sarsfield, Irish War Hero, The Ramessid Dynasty: A Golden Era in Ancient Egypt, Unraveling the Mystery of the Carnac Stones: An Ancient Puzzle of Epic Proportions, Unraveling the Enigma of Aramu Muru, The Mysterious Gate of the Gods. Read more TOM GRALISH / Staff Photographer by Staff Reports Well, the Pinta was indeed, the Pinta. Market data provided by Factset. In fact, the result of Columbuss voyages was mass, Columbus didnt do too well as a governor of these new lands. Columbus may have recorded that he "found" America, but he was a. mass murderer. Usable Knowledge Is Columbus' tomb in the Dominican Republic or Seville? For example, a neighbor taking a stick and beating your child as some kind of punishment might have been perfectly fine at one time. Just as the country grapples with the meaning and problems of Confederate monuments, so too are schools, towns, and even whole states grappling with Columbus Day. Many are deciding to rename and refocus the holiday, choosing to call it Indigenous Peoples' Day to honor the people whose lives and cultures were irreparably damaged by the colonial conquest that the age of exploration ushered into being. It not only invalidates the legitimacy of the natives people claim to their land but also projects the notion that the natives arent people at all. By REAGAN ESCUD SCOTT / Monday, October 10, 2022. Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. We still have to understand the time he was born but Christopher Columbus. Interests? Nevertheless, Italians claim him today and Columbus Day is a good chance to recognize what Italians have contributed to America, and the world. In an era where we are fighting for racial equality celebrating false heroes is detrimental to progress. America is celebrating. What are some Facts about Christopher Columbus? An angry mob decided to drag them. For instance, they lay out what specific textbooks omitted about Columbuss involvement with the slave trade and genocide. The war against the Western heritage. However, because Columbus brought disasters to the Native Americans, many people opposed the Columbus celebrations. But as far as I know, no U.S. landfall. 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. Now that the truth is becoming more widely known, people are pressuring their communities to stop celebrating Columbus Day. Hire a verified expert to write you a 100% Plagiarism-Free paper. And in general, we want to students to engage with controversy. He completely miscalculated the distance between Europe and Japan however, estimating it to be around 2,000 nautical miles when the real distance is closer to 11,000. The Encyclopedia Britannica describes him as a "master navigator and admiral." He sailed to numerous places beginning his career as a merchant marine. Hence, the inducement cited above.). Washington, D.C., has joined hundreds of U.S. cities in seven states in replacing Columbus Day with a day to celebrate Native Americans. Or maybe even plan to discover your own new-to-you islands! Of course, Christopher Columbus was Italian, and his day . 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. Make sure your essay is plagiarism-free or hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs. The reason Columbus set sail on his epic journey in the first place was because he raped the 13-year-old daughter of a Spanish Duchess. He brought with him a letter from King Ferdinand to the Taino-Arawak Indians. Thegoal of Ancient Origins is to highlight recent archaeological discoveries, peer-reviewed academic research and evidence, as well as offering alternative viewpoints and explanations of science, archaeology, mythology, religion and history around the globe. Every Columbus Day I am forcibly reminded of my hatred for Christopher Columbus. 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. Another reason why Columbus Day should not be celebrated is because it promotes a distorted view of history. Columbus Day Should Not Be Celebrated. Though it was disputed for many years, there is conclusive evidence that Neanderthals bred with modern humans (Homo sapiens). Since then, it's spread across the. The pro for Columbus Day written by John Wirt. 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. President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Columbus Day a. Elliott Lassitter and John WirtOctober 26, 2017. The main reason some Leftists dont want to celebrate Christopher Columbus is because his actions supposedly led to the genocide of Native American peoples.