In fact, that might have been a good neighbor, whereas today That neighbor would find themselves in jail. 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. 1. He never set foot on any part of the 50 United States. We think of Columbus Day as a heroic and triumphant day ever since 1970, when the holiday was legally made a national holiday. Dominant narratives tend to speak about heroes in a simple sense; counternarratives can be much more critical. Large Increase in U.S. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings. Lastly, I would contend that historical figures should be honored by their great achievements, and not their mistakes or weaknesses. 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. And Erickson was certainly as European as Columbus (at least in todays geographical terminology.) Adults Especially Gen Z Identifying as LGBT. Washington, D.C., has joined hundreds of U.S. cities in seven states in replacing Columbus Day with a day to celebrate Native Americans. 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. ," Jake Flanagin explains why many are arguing it . For if we celebrate Columbus, we are celebrating a racist genocide, massive land robbery, barbaric slavery, serial rape and systemic torture. Is Columbus' tomb in the Dominican Republic or Seville? A growing number of cities are no longer celebrating Columbus Day, swapping it for "Indigenous Peoples' Day.". 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. (He had plenty of different ships on subsequent voyages.). The Vikings sailed to, and colonized parts of Newfoundland, Canada, around AD 1000. There were already people living wherever he landed. Columbus Day is a United States federal holiday that celebrates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492. 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. We should honor George Washington, the Indispensable man, for his military bravado and skilled leadership as our first president, even though he owned slaves. Spanish conquistadors couldn't believe their eyes while exploring the rugged terrain of the Andes during their invasion of Peru. Cambridge, MA 02138, Challenges? 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. And in general, we want to students to engage with controversy. uknow@gse.harvard.edu 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. Columbus and St. Croix We still have to understand the time he was born but Christopher Columbus. 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. This essay is available online and might have been used by another student. When I got to high school and learned the truth about Columbus I felt betrayed. Yet, despite all the gruesome sacrifice and slavery, some still wish to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day. Columbus never even came to this country! Give us your paper requirements, choose a writer and well deliver the highest-quality essay! Columbus Personified the American Spirit Columbus was a brilliant man in his own right. 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. Yes, we have a federal holiday on Christmas, but Ill put that in a special category (which well call religious.). Specifically, he is credited with being the first European explorer since the Vikings to explore the New World for Europeans. We need students to understand that Columbus is important, even if he isnt someone to be celebrated. But heres the kicker. So partly, out of spite, here are a few reasons why Columbus Day shouldnt be celebrated. 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. 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. So, yes, in 1498 and 1502, he did reach the continental Americas. As Greek mythology goes, the universe was once a big soup of nothingness. With three boats, the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria, he set out in search of a better trade route to India. This began with the spirit of Christopher Columbus. Nefer Say Nefer - Was Nefertiti Buried in the Valley of the Queens? Who Destroyed the Great Library of Alexandria? Don't know where to start? 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. The first reason for why Christopher Columbus should not be celebrated is because he committed mass genocide against the Native Americans. Interests? Pay the writer only for a finished, plagiarism-free essay that meets all your requirements. . Ahh, well, brothers will be brothers. Monday marks Columbus Day, in honor of Christopher Columbus but not all will be celebrating the Italian explorer. 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This is also apparent when he was trying to get sponsorships for the trips. 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. Unfortunately, many irksome doings lay deep under the surface. 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. If it wasnt for Columbus, the motivation for exploration and expansion wouldnt have become a priority because nobody knew about the Americas. We need to set the record straight early on. Columbus inspired countless other explorers, both of his time and of modern time, to explore and make discoveries. 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? A genocide happened in "the Americas," and it began with Columbus. History, in fact, is the story of conquest. . 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. Within the Italian community, Columbus Day symbolizes the legacy of their ancestors who immigrated to America, overcame poverty, language barriers, and above all, discrimination. And he was a talented astronomer and navigator. And Bart was left behind on the cutting room floor of history. Ancient Chinese Earthquake Detector Invented 2,000 Years Ago Really Worked! 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. 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. 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. Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday of October. Even perpetually leftward NPR admitted today . 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. 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. Not just Europeans, but everyone. What is the origin of the legend of the Christed Son who was born of a virgin on December 25th? On October 12,1792was when it was first celebrated. Thousands of the Taino, or Indians as Columbus had referred to them, were shipped out to be traded internationally. His first impression of the Arawaks, one of the first peoples he encountered, was . But you didnt discover a place that was already inhabited by a peaceful group of people. The act moved Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day and the new Columbus Day holiday to Mondays. 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. To get a custom and plagiarism-free essay. There are many good reasons as to why Columbus Day is such a controversial holiday. They would make fine servants. According to a recent poll, 79% of college students support such a change. This was due to the impression that Columbus was attempting to spread Catholic influence. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. When he was only 23. he had the idea of going to India, China and Japan. This is where many of the peaceful natives were met with brutal deaths onboard, whether it be from disease or mistreatment from the handlers. After his voyage to America, he became one of the most well known explorers of his time. Berkeley originally replaced Columbus Day with show more content. Columbus day represents an exploration that lead to many discoveries and examples of leadership and control. -- 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). By 1555, there were zero full-blooded natives left on the island. 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. 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. - IPL.org; 7.Why We Should Not Celebrate Columbus Day - IPL.org; 8.Why Columbus Day Should Not Be Celebrated Essay . Colorado did so on April 1, 1907. 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. 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 . Columbus was taking advantage of opportunities to find goods by getting the help of slaves. It was still his idea to sail west, rather than east to hit the East Indies, right? Religion was heavily forced upon the Native American tribes, and the Europeans means of dealing with their obstacles run much more inhumane. The point is not to excuse the worst that happened, but to understand it. Alaska was second, in 2017, enacting Indigenous Peoples Day. Columbus killed a tremendous amount of people (genocide), and got away with it because of better equipment, men and control. In the early morning hours of the third day on October 12, the lookout . That's my nephew, Trinidad, reveling in the joys of Caribbean sailing somewhere between St. Croix and Buck Island aboard Teroro II. Our writers can help you with any type of essay. Exploring the story of Columbus postmortem voyages and the enduring mystery. Another reason why Columbus Day should not be celebrated is because it promotes a distorted view of 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. 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. Why should we celebrate a man who promoted and distributed so much violence when we can celebrate and honor the history of Indigenous people? Now, I got nothing against thousands of virgins or a good story. If it wasn't for Columbus, the motivation for exploration and expansion wouldn't have become a priority because nobody knew about the Americas. Columbus Day is a national holiday in the United States that celebrates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492. What Columbus did next was nothing less than shameful. And yet he is given an American holiday for discovering AmericaYeah Ill wait for that to make sense. We should celebrate Indigenous People's Day instead. Market data provided by Factset. Christopher Columbus, as it turned out, was responsible for widespread genocide; he permitted his men to rape, murder, mutilate and enslave indigenous people. But our work was to exasperate, ravage, kill, mangle and destroy; small wonder," -Bartolome Las Casas, 1527. He shows the effect of willpower and perseverance. 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. He first went to sea when he was only 14 years old. Then they would sail away together to claim their riches. Nevertheless, the same could be said of Julius Caesar, but I dont know of many European countries who celebrate Julius Caesar Day. 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. Why is Columbus Day being renamed? The opposition towards Christopher Columbus did not commence in todays society, or even the 21st century. 2023 PapersOwl.com - All rights reserved. 97 students ordered this very topic and got Ironically, the District of Columbia is named after, you guessed it, Christopher Columbus. Based on my experience, I think its vitally essential that teachers engage kids as young as sixth grade in questions that really interrogate Columbus. Columbus was a brilliant man in his own right. And thanks for reading this. Indeed, the promise of the West has delivered freedom and bounty such as humanity has never known. (Not that the West solely had these ideas, but it put them in a package that wasnt generally available elsewhere.). This kept them from planting crops, leading to widespread starvation. Other times they would go and massacre an entire village. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Here are five reasons we should still celebrate Columbus Day. Despite the time that has passed, Columbus Day still remains a subject that most people would rather not think about. Their spears are made of cane. If I sailed to Italy and said that I discovered this land in the name of Rowan University it wouldnt fly right? Examine Columbuss "discovery" of America. To begin, some people think Columbus is a hero because he found America, which is not true. 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. Personally, I dont think we should celebrate Columbus Day. Captivating History, Christopher Columbus: A Captivating Guide to the Life of an Italian Explorer and His Voyages to the Americas, Captivating History, 2020 What were his actual contributions? Those are important questions we want to ask as citizens. Columbus couldn't be killed without angering the Italian court, so Queen Isabella sent him on a mission, hoping he wouldn't return. South Dakota was the first state to rename Columbus Day, in 1990, electing to go with Native Americans' Day. Howard Zinns A Peoples History of the United States includes horrific, detailed eyewitness accounts of how the Spanish explorers treated the Native Americans. He read books, studied the ocean, and made a name for himself. 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. This follows both Minneapolis and Seattle, which adopted the new. The war against the Western heritage. 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 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. (Sarcasm intended.) Ancient Origins 2013 - 2023Disclaimer- Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy -Submissions - We Give Back - Contact us. Back in 1492, Columbus sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, where he. Fine, fine But he did discover America right? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Because of his voyages to America, other great explorers ventured across the Atlantic and in under one hundred years, settled the new world. 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. According to, Columbus believed that he was playing a part in a divine plan to Christianize the world. (BTW, you can find a list of over 40 of his articles here.). Thats a lesson for later. The next obvious question is: well, if thats not his name, what were the names of his famous ships? Chris wasnt a bad guy right? We all own it. As known by many, Columbus Day commemorates the discovery of the New World by none other than Christopher Columbus himself. Italian heritage. Columbus didnt know shit about geography! Columbus never stepped foot on North American soil. It took tremendous bravery to sail off into the unknown. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Without Columbus, the age of exploration wouldnt have been inspired in the way that it was, and has a vital place in American history. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Not just Europeans, but everyone. We may not like it, but its our shared heritage. 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. Nevertheless, Italians claim him today and Columbus Day is a good chance to recognize what Italians have contributed to America, and 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. But its not recognized in Los Angeles, where I live. Marist shows that even with all of the attacks on Columbus, 57 percent of Americans believe it's. Land was first spotted by Rodrigo de Triana, a lookout on the Pinta, and thereafter by its captain Martin Alonso Pinzo, who notified Columbus. The New York Society of Tammany also honored Columbus of his first voyage with the marking of his 300th anniversary. 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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. 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 tradition of observing Columbus Day dates back to the 18th century. 'Green Card Warrior' Nick Adams weighs in on 'Fox & Friends First.'. Here are three reasons we shouldn't celebrate Columbus Day, as a country. And hes credited for marking the establishment of institutionalized slavery in the West Indies. Columbus stood to gain significant wealth and power from his voyage, terms he negotiated with King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. Historical Figures Should Be Viewed in Light of Their Greatest Achievements, Not Their Worst Mistakes. Among the reasons cited for the Columbus Day federal holiday was that it was being observed in 40 states at the time. Columbus was definitely a brave and courageous (and lucky) captain, but his navigational skills left a lot to be desired. But as far as I know, no U.S. landfall. Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+! 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. It is true that the conquest of the Americas by Europeans, which starts with Columbus, was very ugly, and involved a lot of violence. Poll shows most Americans want to celebrate Columbus Day. Columbus Undertook Adventure for God and Country, After Columbus returned to Spain from his first voyage to the Americas in 1493, he wrote this in his letter to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella: They manifest the greatest affection towards all of us, exchanging valuable things for trifles, content with the very least thing or nothing at all. 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. And if you can, take some time to learn more about all the diversity that makes the Caribbean great. 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. Columbus should not be celebrated, let alone given a day. He was the catalyst that brought more explorers across the Atlantic, who would eventually begin to explore North America, but it is . Even the Iroquoian peoples, located in present Northeast United States, often took slaves of other tribes. Mettler earned his Bachelors degree from William Jessup University and is an alumnus of the Young Leaders Program at The Heritage Foundation. This was a sign of things to come. 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). 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. Nevertheless, the first official Columbus Day happened in 1892, when President Harrison issued a proclamation for Americans to commemorate the day. The holiday is typically observed on the second Monday in October. 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. Like Andrew Jackson, Christopher Columbus is a historical figure who is celebrated as a mythical hero.