Examine Columbuss "discovery" of America. Furthermore, Columbus continued to enslave Natives and abuse their nation, damage their environment, and their rights as humans. While deprivations did occur, Columbus was quick to punish those under his command who committed unjust acts against local populations Columbus did not engage in the savage acts that have been pinned on him., In addition, Columbus strictly told the crew not to do things like maraud, or rape, and instead to treat the native people with respect. If we cannot honor anyone in human history that did not have flaws or imperfections, we cannot honor anyone at all. And those multiple viewpoints may help engage students who might feel otherwise unrepresented in a history class, such as females and students of color. Now, I got nothing against thousands of virgins or a good story. This began with the spirit of Christopher Columbus. Our writers can help you with any type of essay. Two Reasons why Columbus Day should not be Celebrated, This example was written and submitted by a fellow student. Legal Statement. For a long time, Columbus discovery of America was an universally celebrated event, both in Europe and America. So, there you have it; five reasons not to celebrate Columbus Day this year (or any other year). Hoping to bring fresh perspectives to topics like race & politics, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0. Yet, despite all the gruesome sacrifice and slavery, some still wish to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day. Once we do this, Columbus Day can be a truly inclusive holiday. The Columbus controversy can also help students see that history is still applicable today. Thousands of the Taino, or Indians as Columbus had referred to them, were shipped out to be traded internationally. Diseases were spread and were not able to be resisted by the sick slaves. This kept them from planting crops, leading to widespread starvation. Columbus set a precedent for exploration of 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. We dont want to expose young kids to graphic accounts of brutal treatment of Native Americans, but I think you want them to begin to question: What did this person do? Thats when learning happens. The attack on Columbus Day is a major facet of the cultural . Columbus went to live in Portugal. 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. 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). She likes thrifting, romance novels, cooking shows, and can often be found binging documentaries. Cambridge, MA 02138, Challenges? Without Columbus, the age of exploration wouldnt have been inspired in the way that it was, and has a vital place in American history. 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. In his free time, Mettler enjoys reading, running, hiking, backpacking, and walking his dog. We need students to understand that Columbus is important, even if he isnt someone to be celebrated. When it comes to celebrating Indigenous Peoples' Day, I want to make sure we do justice to indigenous folks. Not just Europeans, but everyone. We are a hopeful species. 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. The holiday celebrates . hen, on his fourth, final voyage, he landed at present-day Panama. Berkeley originally replaced Columbus Day with show more content. Columbus Day is one of America s oldest holidays. 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. Though it has its controversies, Columbus day should be celebrated. Columbus Day was invented by the Knights of Columbus in the 1930s when they were looking for a role model for school age children. Then they would sail away together to claim their riches. Not just Europeans, but everyone. This follows both Minneapolis and Seattle, which adopted the new. ), Christopher Columbus initiated the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The White House is pushing National Coming Out Day as a way of changing the subject. The New York Society of Tammany also honored Columbus of his first voyage with the marking of his 300th anniversary. Columbus stood to gain significant wealth and power from his voyage, terms he negotiated with King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. In addition to The Daily Citizen, his written pieces have appeared in The Daily Signal, Life News, The Colorado Independent, and The Millennial Review. 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. Mudlarker Finds Bronze Age Shoe on a UK Riverbank Dated 2,800 Years Old! So, enjoy the day off and celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day. And #5 gets worse. Here are three reasons we shouldn't celebrate Columbus Day, as a country. While we are thankful for this land we call America, it . 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. They were the original immigrants to the New World, and deserve their remembrance. 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. (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! Hire a verified expert to write you a 100% Plagiarism-Free paper. As part of this plan, Spaniards aimed to convert native peoples to Christianity. On his 1492 voyage, Chris landed on a number of islands including some in the Bahamas very close to mainland Florida. How could we look at this from a different perspective? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert. And to see that it is not the essence of Columbus, but rather part of the times. 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. Monday marks Columbus Day, in honor of Christopher Columbus but not all will be celebrating the Italian explorer. Or better yet, follow him. Surprisingly, this holiday was first celebrated by Italians of New York in 1866 honoring Columbus's Italian Heritage, but the official celebration in Spain did not . However, a circumspect understanding of history offers numerous reasons why Columbus should not only be celebrated, but . Because thats public history. Columbus tortured and murdered many thousands of native peoples. 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. 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? Columbus day represents an exploration that lead to many discoveries and examples of leadership and control. To begin, some people think Columbus is a hero because he found America, which is not true. He never set foot on any part of the 50 United States. And most believe the idea came from their familys time in Iceland. Reference list: Herman Lindquist, Christopher Columbus var han riktigt klok, Fischer, 1992. A main argument for the idealization of the 15th century explorer is the idea that he was the first European to discover the Americas. Market data provided by Factset. We may not like it, but its our shared heritage. Please follow him or give him some claps please be sure thats in the plural if you enjoyed this. 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. Ironically, the District of Columbia is named after, you guessed it, Christopher Columbus. Columbus was definitely a brave and courageous (and lucky) captain, but his navigational skills left a lot to be desired. 4. 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. Columbus never stepped foot on North American soil. And the D.C. City Council recently approved a measure to abolish Columbus Day and replace it with Indigenous Peoples Day. 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. Most of the time when injustices occurred, Columbus wasnt even there. On his third, he named Trinidad and landed in present-day Venezuela. Most Americans didn't even know much about Columbus until Washington Irving yes, that Washington Irving wrote. . 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. 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. Three other states New Mexico, Maine, Vermont followed suit this year. Today's woke perspective condemns Columbus Day as an unworthy holiday. Columbuss Native American slave trade morphed into the African slave trade by the mid-16th century. Religion was heavily forced upon the Native American tribes, and the Europeans means of dealing with their obstacles run much more inhumane. I believe thats the tact to take when looking at Chris. A Blazing Weapon: Unraveling the Mystery of Greek Fire. Columbus and his men raped and mistreated the slaves, especially young girls through ages nine and ten. Though it was disputed for many years, there is conclusive evidence that Neanderthals bred with modern humans (Homo sapiens). 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. Columbus Day was supposed to recognize the greatness of all of America's people, but especially Italians and Native Americans. 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. 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. 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. SHOULD CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS BE CELEBRATED? In response to the rebellion, Columbus ordered a brutal crackdown in which many natives were killed, and their dismembered bodies paraded through the streets. The main reason Columbus Day draws opposition is because of how the explorer's arrival to the New World affected Indigenous people. By REAGAN ESCUD SCOTT / Monday, October 10, 2022. . 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. Lets look at Columbus himself, to see if he meets the definition. 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. In fact, that might have been a good neighbor, whereas today That neighbor would find themselves in jail. The main reason some Leftists dont want to celebrate Christopher Columbus is because his actions supposedly led to the genocide of Native American peoples. Indigenous Peoples' Day now replaces Columbus Day in 14 states, the District of Columbia and more than 130 communities. If instead of Columbus, a Chinese marine had arrived first and "colonized" America, would be blaming the Chinese for the destruction of American civilizations? He was the catalyst that brought more explorers across the Atlantic, who would eventually begin to explore North America, but it is . They also show evidence that at least 12 other groups of people entered the Americas before Columbus. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. Dating back around 200 years, the nonreligious had been adverse to this celebration. The opposition towards Christopher Columbus did not commence in todays society, or even the 21st century. But as I grew older, it became clear that history is murky. Columbus and St. Croix Mettler earned his Bachelors degree from William Jessup University and is an alumnus of the Young Leaders Program at The Heritage Foundation. Washington, D.C., has joined hundreds of U.S. cities in seven states in replacing Columbus Day with a day to celebrate Native Americans. And most of all, I was taught of his discovering America. America is celebrating. Columbus couldnt be killed without angering the Italian court, so Queen Isabella sent him on a mission, hoping he wouldnt return. Columbus day is a controversial holiday, but one that should be celebrated. 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. The act moved Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day and the new Columbus Day holiday to Mondays. However, his other two ships on his first voyage were the Santa Clara and the Gallega. Zachary Mettler works as a staff writer and communications liaison for The Daily Citizen at Focus on the Family. A genocide happened in "the Americas," and it began with Columbus. So why Columbus Day? Ancient Origins 2013 - 2023Disclaimer- Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy -Submissions - We Give Back - Contact us. Throughout the history of civilization, the concept of the apocalypse has been ever present, in one way or another. Why is Columbus Day being renamed? Fine, fine But he did discover America right? Then, two things happened: either Chaos or Gaia created the universe as we know it, or Ouranos and Tethys gave birth to the first beings. It consisted mostly of about 12,000 public school students grouped into 20 regiments, each commanded by a principal. (He had plenty of different ships on subsequent voyages.). And Washington, D.C., this week renamed the holiday, pending congressional approval. And its fundamentally important that they do so. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Columbus Day, the second Monday in October, is a nationally recognized holiday. According to documents 6 " Christopher Columbus was the greatest, because he accomplished the most against the highest odds before Columbus ' time all European voyages had followed coastlines, or cross open seas to land previously known or at . In any case, we know for a fact that Europeans traveled to America almost 500 years before Columbus. Some schools, cities, and institutions, such as the. There are several reasons why Columbus Day has become controversial. What were his actual contributions? Those are important questions we want to ask as citizens. 1. Legal Statement. Here are my main reasons why I refuse to celebrate Columbus Day: 1. 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. We dont know exactly where this is, but its most likely one of the islands that make up modern-day Bahamas. This was a sign of things to come. Why does learning about what Columbus did to Native Americans still matter today? With three boats, the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria, he set out in search of a better trade route to India. Every Columbus Day I am forcibly reminded of my hatred for Christopher Columbus. Columbus may have recorded that he "found" America, but he was a. mass murderer. As Greek mythology goes, the universe was once a big soup of nothingness. 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. 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.. What are some Facts about Christopher Columbus? But you didnt discover a place that was already inhabited by a peaceful group of people. 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. Indigenous Peoples Day: Why it's replacing Columbus Day in many places. I doubt it. October 11, 2021 5:00 am. Yeah. Had he have given up, the world would be drastically different today. But heres the kicker. The evil deeds of Columbus far outweigh the few accomplishments he achieved. 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. Columbus Day. But many would be killed if they did not accept Christ, even if they didnt understand what the Spanish were explaining to them. 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. He was turned down from the Portuguese crown, Genoa crown, Venice crown, and English crown. This conflict between reality and fiction is what makes Columbus Day one of the most controversial holidays in America. Students need to grapple with these multiple perspectives in history and the not-so-pleasant aspects of our past. Why is he important? Since August, eight cities have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day, including several in just the last week. This essay is available online and might have been used by another student. Now that the truth is becoming more widely known, people are pressuring their communities to stop celebrating Columbus Day. 1. Everything that he did sounded like it was so whimsical and as a young child yearning for an adventure I idolized him. While Columbus Day is not a widely celebrated holiday, the question of whether or not to celebrate it are definitely up for discussion. Its 2020 people. 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. 97 students ordered this very topic and got Within the Italian community, Columbus Day symbolizes the legacy of their ancestors who immigrated to America, overcame poverty, language barriers, and above all, discrimination. 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. For if we celebrate Columbus, we are celebrating a racist genocide, massive land robbery, barbaric slavery, serial rape and systemic torture. Why We Do Not Celebrate Columbus Day. It took tremendous bravery to sail off into the unknown. (Remember, they werent well versed in Spanish. Those left were forced to work in mines and plantations. Columbus Day Should Not Be Celebrated. Alaska was second, in 2017, enacting Indigenous Peoples Day. 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. For example, a neighbor taking a stick and beating your child as some kind of punishment might have been perfectly fine at one time. Trends are really hard to detect in a country as divided as ours, but Ive noticed two developments in my work teaching high school and teaching at Harvard. And now Ill claim it for us! The pro for Columbus Day written by John Wirt. This was due to the impression that Columbus was attempting to spread Catholic influence. The Chilling Mystery of the Octavius Ghost Ship, Film Footage Provides Intimate View of HMS Gloucester Shipwreck, Top 8 Legendary Parties - Iconic Celebrations in Ancient History, The Spanish Inquisition: The Truth Behind the Black Legend (Part II), The Spanish Inquisition: The Truth behind the Dark Legend (Part I), Bloodthirsty Buddhists: The Sohei Warrior Monks of Feudal Japan, Dizzying Inca Rope Bridges Were Grass-Made Marvels of Engineering, Two Centuries Of Naval Espionage In Europe, Research Confirms That 20% of the Neanderthal Genome Can Be Found In Modern Humans, The Curious Apparitions of Pagan Goddesses to the German Knights Templar, The origins of human beings according to ancient Sumerian texts, Evidence that Noahs Ark Landed on a Mountain 17 Miles South of Ararat, Library in Stone: The Ica Stones of Professor Cabrera Part I, Two Sides to Every Story: The North American Martyrs Shrines and Indigenous/ Roman Catholic Relations, The Origins of the Faeries: Encoded in our Cultures Part I, Curse of the Buried Pearl: The Hunt for Ancient Treasures Part I, The Enigma of the Shugborough Inscription, Christopher Columbus: Master Double Agent and Portugals 007, Roman Sword discovered off Oak Island radically suggests Ancient Mariners visited New World 1,000 years before Columbus. After a few weeks sailing, he landed in the present day Bahamas. Columbus Day is a United States federal holiday that celebrates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492. And eventually hundreds of years of African slave trade but uhm, OK, fine, he was a monster. Itd be ludicrous to say that Columbuswasnt guilty by association. 'Green Card Warrior' Nick Adams weighs in on 'Fox & Friends First.'. In an era where we are fighting for racial equality celebrating false heroes is detrimental to progress. So, yes, in 1498 and 1502, he did reach the continental Americas. When Columbus first landed on American soil he was met by the Arawak native Americans. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. Its Cristoforo Colombo. To realize this dream, they split up. 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 Day was a solution to a problem that most people didn't know existed. Thankfully, Columbus Day has morphed into Indigenous Peoples Day. 1. And if you can, take some time to learn more about all the diversity that makes the Caribbean great. 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. Based on my experience, I think its vitally essential that teachers engage kids as young as sixth grade in questions that really interrogate Columbus. The war against the Western heritage. Upon arriving in the New World, one of the first observations Columbus made with regards to the indigenous people was the following: 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. Harvard Graduate School of Education So, no, Columbus did not discover the New World.. This new day was first adopted in Berkeley, California in 1992. This movement sees Columbus as a symbol of destruction, and thus not to be celebrated. After you read both, let us know what you think by posting a comment. Now theres a deed worth celebrating every year! Their spears are made of cane. Give us your paper requirements, choose a writer and well deliver the highest-quality essay! 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. If it wasnt for Columbus, the motivation for exploration and expansion wouldnt have become a priority because nobody knew about the Americas. And yet he is given an American holiday for discovering AmericaYeah Ill wait for that to make sense. Because of his voyages to America, other great explorers ventured across the Atlantic and in under one hundred years, settled the new world. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. But by then he was hardly the first European. 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. Chris wasnt a bad guy right? St. Ursula and her eleven thousand virgins, native peoples lived in these places all along. 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). I'm not the only Italian American on board with ditching the holiday. 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. One of the best parts of our humanity is that sense of discovery. Its the responsibility of our school system to talk about Columbus as part of our work to prepare students to be citizens. Dominant narratives tend to speak about heroes in a simple sense; counternarratives can be much more critical. We should honor George Washington, the Indispensable man, for his military bravado and skilled leadership as our first president, even though he owned slaves. (BTW, you can find a list of over 40 of his articles here.). We need to own it. Large Increase in U.S. I dont think its ever too young. 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. 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. In fact, there is proof that the Chinese, Greeks and Italians, all explored America before Columbus. It neednt be a battleground, but a chance to celebrate the best within us. Columbuss men used native girls as young as nine or ten as their sex slaves. Alaska is said not to celebrate the day because it falls too close to Alaska Day (Oct . Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment. The natives were removed from their villages to work in gold mines and colonial plantations. 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. Since then, its spread across the nation with increasing speed, as more than 60 cities from Maine to Washington have supported the idea. The point is not to excuse the worst that happened, but to understand it. A recent Marist Poll shows why: Those campaigning against Columbus Day are in the minority. Archaeologists have been able to take a closer look at one of the United Kingdoms most famous shipwrecks. You need to be able to deeply understand the profoundly problematic past of this great nation. It was President Franklin Delano Roosevelt that designated the second Monday of October (Columbus Day) as a national holiday in 1971. But as I grew older, it became clear that history is murky. If the world was round, this was possible, he thought. Should the United States continue to celebrate Columbus Day? Specifically, he is credited with being the first European explorer since the Vikings to explore the New World for Europeans.