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. Poll shows most Americans want to celebrate Columbus Day. Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492. 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. Its Cristoforo Colombo. History, in fact, is the story of conquest. 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.
Why Should We Celebrate Columbus Day Essay - 1065 Words | Cram In recent years, the conversation has become more nuanced, as educators and people across the country have begun to explore the many reasons why celebrating Christopher Columbus is problematic: the violent abuse of indigenous peoples, the launch of the transatlantic slave trade, and the introduction of a swath of lethal diseases to an unprepared continent.
Should the United States Celebrate Columbus Day? Its 2020 people. In an era where we are fighting for racial equality celebrating false heroes is detrimental to progress. Although many people have adopted Columbus day as "Indigenous People's Day," many people will not agree that we should also have a holiday . And thats even if you discount the fact that native peoples lived in these places all along. 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. When Columbus landed on the island of Guanahani in 1492, North and South America were . Despite the time that has passed, Columbus Day still remains a subject that most people would rather not think about. 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. 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. 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. This new day was first adopted in Berkeley, California in 1992. Columbus was a brilliant man in his own right. Columbuss men also killed off slaves whenever needed. It also became clear that there are many reasons not to celebrate Columbus Day.
Should columbus day be celebrated. Should Christopher Columbus Be Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment. They were the original immigrants to the New World, and deserve their remembrance. Columbus was from a middle class family.
8 Reasons to Hate Columbus Day - The Daily Dot Pondering putting an end to Columbus Day, and a look at what could Alaska was second, in 2017, enacting Indigenous Peoples Day. 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. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Hoping to bring fresh perspectives to topics like race & politics, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0. 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. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings. Market data provided by Factset. Yet in the past few decades, something has changed. Even though Eratosthenes (Greek mathematician living in Alexandria, Egypt, Columbus never discovered anything. And most believe the idea came from their familys time in Iceland. According to a recent poll, 79% of college students support such a change. This essay is available online and might have been used by another student. History, in fact, is the story of conquest. Architecture of the Floating (Or Sinking) City: How Was Venice Built? Columbus couldn't be killed without angering the Italian court, so Queen Isabella sent him on a mission, hoping he wouldn't return. Though it was disputed for many years, there is conclusive evidence that Neanderthals bred with modern humans (Homo sapiens). Historical Figures Should Be Viewed in Light of Their Greatest Achievements, Not Their Worst Mistakes. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, What are some Facts about Christopher Columbus? Chris went to Spain and Bart to France. Columbuss men used native girls as young as nine or ten as their sex slaves. 2023 President and Fellows of Harvard College, Who do we celebrate, and why? South Dakota was the first state to rename Columbus Day, in 1990, electing to go with Native Americans' Day. 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. America is celebrating. Yes, this guy didnt commit genocide. 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. 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. However, because Columbus brought disasters to the Native Americans, many people opposed the Columbus celebrations. For if we celebrate Columbus, we are celebrating a racist genocide, massive land robbery, barbaric slavery, serial rape and systemic torture. Columbus Personified the American Spirit. The Columbus controversy can also help students see that history is still applicable today. Of course, Christopher Columbus was Italian, and his day . 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. 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. Monday marks Columbus Day, in honor of Christopher Columbus but not all will be celebrating the Italian explorer. Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert. In fact, the result of Columbuss voyages was mass, Columbus didnt do too well as a governor of these new lands. Other times they would go and massacre an entire village. The main reason Columbus Day draws opposition is because of how the explorer's arrival to the New World affected Indigenous people. . "Reason: he may have discovered America before Columbus; Columbus is now commonplace as . Yet, many continue to believe that America owes its discovery to Christopher Columbus. Top 5 Reasons NOT to Celebrate Columbus Day And 1 Reason To History comes with an agenda. In addition to The Daily Citizen, his written pieces have appeared in The Daily Signal, Life News, The Colorado Independent, and The Millennial Review. This is where many of the peaceful natives were met with brutal deaths onboard, whether it be from disease or mistreatment from the handlers. And yes, I know Columbus was at least in part a product of his brutish times and any nation who landed on Hispaniola in 1492 might have done similar things. In fact, there is proof that the Chinese, Greeks and Italians, all explored America before Columbus. These books have fueled the trends I mentioned around Columbus Day.
Columbus Day Should Not Be Celebrated - StudyMode Lets look at Columbus himself, to see if he meets the definition. 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. 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. I dont think that we should start childrens education by saying that the country is built on the genocide of a group and the enslavement of another. Columbuss Native American slave trade morphed into the African slave trade by the mid-16th century. Columbus was wrong of course, and needless to say, he didnt actually discover anything the Americas had already been inhabited for thousands of years. Columbus Day Should Not Be Celebrated. If Columbus is Off Limits to Celebrate, so are Indigenous Peoples. ," Jake Flanagin explains why many are arguing it . 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. An angry mob decided to drag them. 2. I doubt it.
Why You Can (And Should) Still Celebrate Columbus Day Of course, I learned that everyone expected him to sail off the edge of a flat earth into space or sea monsters or something. by sailing west. 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. But in reality, Christopher Columbus is an American hero, and he should remain as such. ), Christopher Columbus initiated the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Should the United States continue to celebrate Columbus Day? When Columbus arrived in 1492, he enslaved the Natives, and took control over their way of life, and also made his way into the Caribbean Island. 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. As known by many, Columbus Day commemorates the discovery of the New World by none other than Christopher Columbus himself. In fact, that might have been a good neighbor, whereas today That neighbor would find themselves in jail. For a long time, Columbus discovery of America was an universally celebrated event, both in Europe and America. (He had plenty of different ships on subsequent voyages.). A Blazing Weapon: Unraveling the Mystery of Greek Fire. Hence, the inducement cited above.). Which, of course, led to a demand for more slaves. He shows the effect of willpower and perseverance. Columbus day represents an exploration that lead to many discoveries and examples of leadership and control. Historical knowledge can help students create an argument to answer those questions. Or Napoleon Bonaparte Day, for that matter. (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. Howard Zinns A Peoples History of the United States includes horrific, detailed eyewitness accounts of how the Spanish explorers treated the Native Americans. 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. Elliott Lassitter and John WirtOctober 26, 2017. Columbus Day should be celebrated because Columbus had done a lot to get to the point of sailing. While there is plenty to criticize about Columbus, and what followed his arrival, I think this movement is missing the point. He initiated a turning point in our history. And most of all, I was taught of his discovering America. Legal Statement. Sorry, Mr. 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. But you didnt discover a place that was already inhabited by a peaceful group of people. The West has its good and bad points, but its best ideasequal rights, freedom of religion, free speech, due process, open scientific inquiry, property rights and so onhave helped all people who adopt them. 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. There, the brothers should have been exposed to the adventures of another explorer: Leif Erickson. Columbus Day commemorates the landing of Columbus in the "New World" (on a small island off Florida) on October 12, 1492. 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. Read More Columbus was a brutal and cruel man who .
Why Should Columbus Day Be Celebrated | Hearinnh 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. The holiday celebrates . Usable Knowledge Be careful, this sample is accessible to everyone. He brought with him a letter from King Ferdinand to the Taino-Arawak Indians. If we blame Columbus and the Spanish kings, we should also blame every other invader and conqueror in History. 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. Yet, despite all the gruesome sacrifice and slavery, some still wish to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day.
Teach Kids About Columbus Day vs Indigenous Peoples Day Here are three reasons we shouldn't celebrate Columbus Day, as a country. And the D.C. City Council recently approved a measure to abolish Columbus Day and replace it with Indigenous Peoples Day. There are many good reasons as to why Columbus Day is such a controversial holiday. Their spears are made of cane. And to see that it is not the essence of Columbus, but rather part of the times. Why are we celebrating him? For any subject. 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. 1. Read more TOM GRALISH / Staff Photographer by Staff Reports Christopher Columbus is just one of those English adaptations someone felt was preferable to pronouncing a foreign sounding name. In the early morning hours of the third day on October 12, the lookout . In 1927, Chicago's outer drive, connecting the city's North and South Sides, was renamed for Leif. He decimated the native population. When Columbus first landed on American soil he was met by the Arawak native Americans. We need students to understand that Columbus is important, even if he isnt someone to be celebrated. 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. If we cannot honor anyone in human history that did not have flaws or imperfections, we cannot honor anyone at all.
The pros and cons of Columbus Day - THE MAIN FOUR Columbus Day: Should it be considered a federal holiday? Should Christopher Columbus Be Celebrated? - HISTORY CRUNCH Why more people are celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day It doesn't make sense for the United States to recognize this supposed Christian with ashow more content Columbus never stepped foot on North American soil. I believe thats the tact to take when looking at Chris. 1. He should be remembered as the cruel and incompetent man he was who let his sailors rape and pillage the islands they landed on as they pleased. -- Celebrate the spread of Western civilization. After a few weeks sailing, he landed in the present day Bahamas. Stupid but hopeful. Curious, politically homeless, always hopeful. Some committed suicide to avoid subjugation, others fled, but many rebelled. It took tremendous bravery to sail off into the unknown. The population of the Taino decreased by over two hundred thousand within sixty years. He finally ended up getting a sponsorship with the Spanish crown, and was off to explore the world. Its the responsibility of our school system to talk about Columbus as part of our work to prepare students to be citizens. It is true that the conquest of the Americas by Europeans, which starts with Columbus, was very ugly, and involved a lot of violence. If we have a holiday honoring somebody, the question on everyones mind should be, Why are we honoring them? Listen I know almost everyone celebrated in history enslaved people. It requires looking at dominant narratives and counternarratives. Though it has its controversies, Columbus day should be celebrated.
Why Are We Still Celebrating Columbus Day? | Study.com Ahh, well, brothers will be brothers. Here Are Some Reasons Why. 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. If I sailed to Italy and said that I discovered this land in the name of Rowan University it wouldnt fly right?
We should stop celebrating Columbus - The Bona Venture Throughout the history of civilization, the concept of the apocalypse has been ever present, in one way or another. 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.
This began with the spirit of Christopher Columbus. By 1555, there were zero full-blooded natives left on the island. Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/two-reasons-why-columbus-day-should-not-be-celebrated/. your personal assistant!
Columbus Day is one of America s oldest holidays. Now theres a deed worth celebrating every year! Nevertheless, the first official Columbus Day happened in 1892, when President Harrison issued a proclamation for Americans to commemorate the day. Until his dying day Columbus maintained that the land he had discovered was Asia and not a new continent. Just bear in mind that the verb "colonize" and the terms "colony", and "colonial" derive from Columbus ("Colon", in Spanish spelling). 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 . There are several reasons why Columbus Day has become controversial. And eventually hundreds of years of African slave trade but uhm, OK, fine, he was a monster. Columbus set a precedent for exploration of the new world. Diseases were spread and were not able to be resisted by the sick slaves. Columbus Day was a solution to a problem that most people didn't know existed. @uknowhgse. Aside from the despicable acts that Columbus and his people committed, there is plenty of evidence to show that Columbus was not the first foreigner to arrive on the continent anyway. The tradition of observing Columbus Day dates back to the 18th century.
What Does Columbus Day Mean for Hispanics? (You may want to add this into the equation.). For the first time this year some calendars don't mention Columbus Day but says October 11 is Indigenous Peoples' Day. 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. Archaeologists have been able to take a closer look at one of the United Kingdoms most famous shipwrecks. Lastly, I would contend that historical figures should be honored by their great achievements, and not their mistakes or weaknesses. 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. And he was a talented astronomer and navigator. This criticism had quickly faded over time, and was replaced by a more pressing issue; the improper treatment towards indigenous people. Ancient Origins 2013 - 2023Disclaimer- Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy -Submissions - We Give Back - Contact us. 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. Why We Do Not Celebrate Columbus Day. One of the best parts of our humanity is that sense of discovery. Christopher Columbus, as it turned out, was responsible for widespread genocide; he permitted his men to rape, murder, mutilate and enslave indigenous people. Columbus Day was invented by the Knights of Columbus in the 1930s when they were looking for a role model for school age children. This follows both Minneapolis and Seattle, which adopted the new. Pay the writer only for a finished, plagiarism-free essay that meets all your requirements. First of all, Christopher Columbus isnt even his name. Why would an academic system praise someone who was so blatantly evil? That's my nephew, Trinidad, reveling in the joys of Caribbean sailing somewhere between St. Croix and Buck Island aboard Teroro II. We dont know exactly where this is, but its most likely one of the islands that make up modern-day Bahamas. 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. In his role, he writes about current political issues, U.S. history, political philosophy, and culture. Some schools, cities, and institutions, such as the. They have no iron. Who Destroyed the Great Library of Alexandria? When confronted with evidence to the contrary, he simply could not conceive of the the idea that he might be wrong. Congress also believed the holiday would mark the contribution of immigrants to the United States. However, his other two ships on his first voyage were the Santa Clara and the Gallega. In a racially equal world, Columbus shouldn't be celebrated. Americans have the right to celebrate whatever they chose, but the history behind Columbus Day is not to be ignored.