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 was the catalyst that brought more explorers across the Atlantic, who would eventually begin to explore North America, but it is . Legal Statement. Growing up, I wasnt exposed to this truth. These books have fueled the trends I mentioned around Columbus Day. Their spears are made of cane. But, again, no mainland United States. Columbus went on forth with a lot of violence, such as cutting off a slaves nose/hands to signify power against them. And in general, we want to students to engage with controversy. When confronted with evidence to the contrary, he simply could not conceive of the the idea that he might be wrong. The attack on Columbus Day is a major facet of the cultural . It is on public record, that Columbus rewarded his soldiers by giving them Native Americans to rape. Nevertheless, Italians claim him today and Columbus Day is a good chance to recognize what Italians have contributed to America, and the world. 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. And he was a talented astronomer and navigator. History, in fact, is the story of conquest. Usable Knowledge It is true that the conquest of the Americas by Europeans, which starts with Columbus, was very ugly, and involved a lot of violence. He first went to sea when he was only 14 years old. He brought with him a letter from King Ferdinand to the Taino-Arawak Indians. He thereby claimed the lifetime pension for himself, cheating the rightful claimant out of both glory and a significant amount of money. Many believe that they sailed even further south, maybe as far as New Brunswick. Religion was heavily forced upon the Native American tribes, and the Europeans means of dealing with their obstacles run much more inhumane. 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. Even perpetually leftward NPR admitted today . Ancient Chinese Earthquake Detector Invented 2,000 Years Ago Really Worked! 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. Hoping to bring fresh perspectives to topics like race & politics, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0. Howard Zinns A Peoples History of the United States includes horrific, detailed eyewitness accounts of how the Spanish explorers treated the Native Americans. Get in touch! There were already people living wherever he landed. Turning points are powerful lenses through which students need to view our past. 1. For any subject. your personal assistant! His father was a wool weaver, and cheese stand owner. As part of this plan, Spaniards aimed to convert native peoples to Christianity. Specify your topic, deadline, number of pages and other requirements. I believe thats the tact to take when looking at Chris. 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. Colorado did so on April 1, 1907. In this 2014 piece, " Columbus Day, or 'Indigenous Peoples' Day'? Ironically, the District of Columbia is named after, you guessed it, Christopher Columbus. 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. 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. And #5 gets worse. Everything that he did sounded like it was so whimsical and as a young child yearning for an adventure I idolized him. For example, a neighbor taking a stick and beating your child as some kind of punishment might have been perfectly fine at one time. Not just Europeans, but everyone. Columbus Day is a patriotic holiday. 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. But its hard for children to understand that someone who they were taught to idolize is a bad guy. After his voyage to America, he became one of the most well known explorers of his time. In a racially equal world, Columbus shouldn't be celebrated. Even though Eratosthenes (Greek mathematician living in Alexandria, Egypt, Columbus never discovered anything. Here are my main reasons why I refuse to celebrate Columbus Day: 1. Two Reasons why Columbus Day should not be Celebrated, This example was written and submitted by a fellow student. Not if we cant celebrate Christopher Columbus. Today's woke perspective condemns Columbus Day as an unworthy holiday. Consider how the first Columbus Day parade in New York was described in the newspapers. In his free time, Mettler enjoys reading, running, hiking, backpacking, and walking his dog. Christopher Columbus is just one of those English adaptations someone felt was preferable to pronouncing a foreign sounding name. 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. Specifically, he is credited with being the first European explorer since the Vikings to explore the New World for Europeans. We are a hopeful species. Columbus may have recorded that he "found" America, but he was a. mass murderer. Our writers can help you with any type of essay. 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. Cathedrals are some of the most awe-inspiring structures in the world, with their grandeur and intricate details captivating visitors for centuries. 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? According to, Columbus believed that he was playing a part in a divine plan to Christianize the world. And Washington, D.C., this week renamed the holiday, pending congressional approval. As known by many, Columbus Day commemorates the discovery of the New World by none other than Christopher Columbus himself. Which, of course, led to a demand for more slaves. Elliott Lassitter and John WirtOctober 26, 2017. It is known by many as to what had happened after Americas discovery. But our work was to exasperate, ravage, kill, mangle and destroy; small wonder," -Bartolome Las Casas, 1527. Now that the truth is becoming more widely known, people are pressuring their communities to stop celebrating Columbus Day. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Legal Statement. So why Columbus Day? It involves really unpacking the past, looking for complications, and making a deep exploration into the people that made history happen, rather than just looking for a glossy overview. Of course, I learned that everyone expected him to sail off the edge of a flat earth into space or sea monsters or something. If we blame Columbus and the Spanish kings, we should also blame every other invader and conqueror in History. See how Columbus Day actually become a holiday and find out who celebrates it. So, there you have it; five reasons not to celebrate Columbus Day this year (or any other year). The holiday celebrates . 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 new day was first adopted in Berkeley, California in 1992. Christopher Columbus wasnt American! Alaska is said not to celebrate the day because it falls too close to Alaska Day (Oct . The City Council recently voted to get rid of Columbus Day and replace it with Indigenous Peoples Day, commemorating indigenous, aboriginal and native people.. Pre-Columbian civilizations from Mexico to Peru were nearly all responsible for brutal violence on a large scale long before Columbus arrived on the shores of the New World including human sacrifices, even of children, sometimes by tearing out the victims still-beating heart.. The Columbus controversy can also help students see that history is still applicable today. Columbus stood to gain significant wealth and power from his voyage, terms he negotiated with King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. Its 2020 people. A recent Marist Poll shows why: Those campaigning against Columbus Day are in the minority. We need to set the record straight early on. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Columbus set a precedent for exploration of the new world. Columbus was definitely a brave and courageous (and lucky) captain, but his navigational skills left a lot to be desired. 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. ," Jake Flanagin explains why many are arguing it . -- Celebrate the spirit of exploration. Because thats public history. Columbus tried to build and has transformed the America we have today. She is a national writer at Her Campus and the former editor-in-chief of Her Campus Rowan. Other times they would go and massacre an entire village. And its fundamentally important that they do so. It took tremendous bravery to sail off into the unknown. Certain states and localities have moved away from celebrating Christopher Columbus, and now celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day. 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. Poll shows most Americans want to celebrate Columbus Day. 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. 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. (Remember, they werent well versed in Spanish. Read more TOM GRALISH / Staff Photographer by Staff Reports The act moved Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day and the new Columbus Day holiday to Mondays. He decided at an early age that this was not the life for him. matter in the end. They were the original immigrants to the New World, and deserve their remembrance. Dating back around 200 years, the nonreligious had been adverse to this celebration. The point is not to excuse the worst that happened, but to understand it. Historical knowledge can help students create an argument to answer those questions. 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). Who Destroyed the Great Library of Alexandria? Columbus day is a controversial holiday, but one that should be celebrated. 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. Mettler earned his Bachelors degree from William Jessup University and is an alumnus of the Young Leaders Program at The Heritage Foundation. In an era where we are fighting for racial equality celebrating false heroes is detrimental to progress. In 1927, Chicago's outer drive, connecting the city's North and South Sides, was renamed for Leif. Top 5 Reasons NOT to Celebrate Columbus Day And 1 Reason To History comes with an agenda. Not just Europeans, but everyone. Most Americans didn't even know much about Columbus until Washington Irving yes, that Washington Irving wrote. I doubt it. We think of Columbus Day as a heroic and triumphant day ever since 1970, when the holiday was legally made a national holiday. 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. Her Campus may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. With as simple of a description as that, one would wonder why so much controversy arises from a legal American holiday. And most of all, I was taught of his discovering America. 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. Understanding the Mysterious Kingdom of Shambhala, Alleged Sighting of the Mythical Manananggal in the Philippines Causes Public Anxiety, The Truth Behind the Christ Myth: Ancient Origins of the Often Used Legend Part I, The Evidence is Cut in Stone: A Compelling Argument for Lost High Technology in Ancient Egypt, Caesars Savage Human Skewers Unearthed In German Fort. The New World was discovered within the same timeframe as when slave trade had begun to arise. Archaeologists have been able to take a closer look at one of the United Kingdoms most famous shipwrecks. They have no iron. Personally, I dont think we should celebrate Columbus Day. Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492. President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Columbus Day a. 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. Marist shows that even with all of the attacks on Columbus, 57 percent of Americans believe it's. Interests? 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. The holiday is typically observed on the second Monday in October. While there is plenty to criticize about Columbus, and what followed his arrival, I think this movement is missing the point. 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. Three other states New Mexico, Maine, Vermont followed suit this year. 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. Congress also believed the holiday would mark the contribution of immigrants to the United States. 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. He read books, studied the ocean, and made a name for himself. Columbus set a precedent for exploration of the new world. Itd be ludicrous to say that Columbuswasnt guilty by association. South Dakota was the first state to rename Columbus Day, in 1990, electing to go with Native Americans' Day. The natives were removed from their villages to work in gold mines and colonial plantations. 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. But Columbus couldnt deliver on the gold claim. Thousands of the Taino, or Indians as Columbus had referred to them, were shipped out to be traded internationally. The point is not to excuse the worst that happened, but to understand it. Italian heritage. (2020, Aug 20). So, there you have it; five reasons not to celebrate Columbus Day this year (or any other year). Thankfully, Columbus Day has morphed into Indigenous Peoples Day. It is perhaps worth revisiting the two distinct reasons why we celebrate Columbus Day in the first place, and . Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide. April Holloway is a Co-Owner, Editor and Writer of Ancient Origins. ). (Not that the West solely had these ideas, but it put them in a package that wasnt generally available elsewhere.). I remember learning about Columbus as a young child and I was in awe learning about the explorer. Most of us can remember the day when Americans still seemed to like Christopher Columbus. 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. Ahh, well, semantics. 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. 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. Sorry, Mr. To begin, some people think Columbus is a hero because he found America, which is not true. Exploring the story of Columbus postmortem voyages and the enduring mystery. So, enjoy the day off and celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day. Columbus Did Not Discover North America. Posted by Zachary Mettler | Oct 14, 2019 | Opinion. There, the brothers should have been exposed to the adventures of another explorer: Leif Erickson. This criticism had quickly faded over time, and was replaced by a more pressing issue; the improper treatment towards indigenous people. Market data provided by Factset. 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. It's also why it's crucial we learn facts about Native Americans and. All islands I would love to visit on a single trip. Or maybe even plan to discover your own new-to-you islands! Columbus was a brutal and cruel man who . Every Columbus Day I am forcibly reminded of my hatred for Christopher Columbus. 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. 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. 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. For all the reasons listed above, and for how he acted during his stay in the Americas, Christopher Columbus should not be remembered as a voyaging adventurer who discovered America. If we cannot honor anyone in human history that did not have flaws or imperfections, we cannot honor anyone at all. 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. Or Napoleon Bonaparte Day, for that matter. Here are five reasons we should still celebrate Columbus Day. The evil deeds of Columbus far outweigh the few accomplishments he achieved. or redistributed. And if you can, take some time to learn more about all the diversity that makes the Caribbean great. It consisted mostly of about 12,000 public school students grouped into 20 regiments, each commanded by a principal. 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. Columbus should not be celebrated, let alone given a day. 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. . We should honor George Washington, the Indispensable man, for his military bravado and skilled leadership as our first president, even though he owned slaves. The New York Society of Tammany also honored Columbus of his first voyage with the marking of his 300th anniversary. Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+! Within a few decades, only a few hundred of an original native population of 300,000 remained. How could we look at this from a different perspective? So the discovery of the Western Hemisphere should go to Erickson, no? History comes with an agenda. Columbus Day is a United States federal holiday that celebrates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492. - IPL.org; 7.Why We Should Not Celebrate Columbus Day - IPL.org; 8.Why Columbus Day Should Not Be Celebrated Essay . The Knights of Columbus lobbied state legislatures to legalize the holiday. And hes credited for marking the establishment of institutionalized slavery in the West Indies. A genocide happened in "the Americas," and it began with Columbus. "Reason: he may have discovered America before Columbus; Columbus is now commonplace as . One of the few facts Americans remember from history is "Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492 Give us your paper requirements, choose a writer and well deliver the highest-quality essay! The Vikings sailed to, and colonized parts of Newfoundland, Canada, around AD 1000. "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. There has been much debate over whether or not Columbus Day should be celebrated. He was turned down from the Portuguese crown, Genoa crown, Venice crown, and English crown. By 1555, there were zero full-blooded natives left on the island. 2023 PapersOwl.com - All rights reserved. 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. So, yes, in 1498 and 1502, he did reach the continental Americas. History, in fact, is the story of conquest. For the first time this year some calendars don't mention Columbus Day but says October 11 is Indigenous Peoples' Day. 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. Hence, the inducement cited above.). Columbus couldnt be killed without angering the Italian court, so Queen Isabella sent him on a mission, hoping he wouldnt return. It was President Franklin Delano Roosevelt that designated the second Monday of October (Columbus Day) as a national holiday in 1971. 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.. He initiated a turning point in our history. By 1516, there were 12,000. Read More There are many good reasons as to why Columbus Day is such a controversial holiday. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Yes, this guy didnt commit genocide. Columbus killed a tremendous amount of people (genocide), and got away with it because of better equipment, men and control. We still have to understand the time he was born but Christopher Columbus. Despite the time that has passed, Columbus Day still remains a subject that most people would rather not think about. Alaska was second, in 2017, enacting Indigenous Peoples Day. By REAGAN ESCUD SCOTT / Monday, October 10, 2022. Once upon a time, teachers celebrated Columbus Day by leading children in choruses of song about the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. Dominant narratives tend to speak about heroes in a simple sense; counternarratives can be much more critical. Monday marks Columbus Day, in honor of Christopher Columbus but not all will be celebrating the Italian explorer. 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. 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. Hi! Are the Misty Peaks of the Azores Remnants of the Legendary Atlantis? We need students to understand that Columbus is important, even if he isnt someone to be celebrated. (And yes, I also know many other discoverers have been posited through the ages. 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. 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. In fact, a new exhibition in Brazil features more than 100 artefacts dating back as far as 30,000 years ago, 18,000 years earlier than previously believed. @uknowhgse. Reference list: Herman Lindquist, Christopher Columbus var han riktigt klok, Fischer, 1992. Columbuss men used native girls as young as nine or ten as their sex slaves. Unfortunately, many irksome doings lay deep under the surface. He and his crew were greeted with smiles, gifts and food. But you didnt discover a place that was already inhabited by a peaceful group of people. But many would be killed if they did not accept Christ, even if they didnt understand what the Spanish were explaining to them. We shouldn't be wasting our time on holidays that won't even. Columbus was from a middle class family. original papers. Two reasons why Columbus Day should not be celebrated is that we shouldnt 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. 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. If I sailed to Italy and said that I discovered this land in the name of Rowan University it wouldnt fly right? But that, for better or worse, is how history worked pretty much everywhere for thousands of years. Bring them to the light, if you would. But heres the kicker. This is also apparent when he was trying to get sponsorships for the trips. He cheekily claimed that he had spotted land a few hours before Triana and Pinzo, but that he hadnt said anything in case it was a false alarm. The opposition towards Christopher Columbus did not commence in todays society, or even the 21st century. Columbus was a brilliant man in his own right. 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. Norimitsu Odachi: Who Could Have Possibly Wielded This Enormous 15th Century Japanese Sword? Among the reasons cited for the Columbus Day federal holiday was that it was being observed in 40 states at the time. When it comes to celebrating Indigenous Peoples' Day, I want to make sure we do justice to indigenous folks. 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. hen, on his fourth, final voyage, he landed at present-day Panama. 1. Though he didnt discover America, he was the person to show the rest of the developed world that there was more far away lands. His first impression of the Arawaks, one of the first peoples he encountered, was . The idea that Christopher Columbus discovered "The New World" is one of the great fallacies of history.