It also became clear that there are many reasons not to celebrate Columbus Day. It is on public record, that Columbus rewarded his soldiers by giving them Native Americans to rape. . Those left were forced to work in mines and plantations. So, no, Columbus did not discover the New World.. While there is plenty to criticize about Columbus, and what followed his arrival, I think this movement is missing the point. We shouldn't be wasting our time on holidays that won't even. These Natives are so nice, wed be crazy not to enslave them is one contentious quote by Christopher Columbus. Give us your paper requirements, choose a writer and well deliver the highest-quality essay! All islands I would love to visit on a single trip. If we have a holiday honoring somebody, the question on everyones mind should be, Why are we honoring them? Columbus Day is one of America s oldest holidays. It involves grappling with multiple perspectives, a fundamental skill for historians. However, because Columbus brought disasters to the Native Americans, many people opposed the Columbus celebrations. But heres the kicker. Ahh, well, brothers will be brothers. Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/two-reasons-why-columbus-day-should-not-be-celebrated/. Lastly, I would contend that historical figures should be honored by their great achievements, and not their mistakes or weaknesses. Columbus arrival is seen as the beginning of civilization in the Americas. Here are three reasons we shouldn't celebrate Columbus Day, as a country. History, in fact, is the story of conquest. However, a circumspect understanding of history offers numerous reasons why Columbus should not only be celebrated, but . 1. And yet he is given an American holiday for discovering AmericaYeah Ill wait for that to make sense. See how Columbus Day actually become a holiday and find out who celebrates it. For instance, they lay out what specific textbooks omitted about Columbuss involvement with the slave trade and genocide. 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. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! The holiday is typically observed on the second Monday in October. 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. 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. The next obvious question is: well, if thats not his name, what were the names of his famous ships? Indigenous Peoples' Day now replaces Columbus Day in 14 states, the District of Columbia and more than 130 communities. Usable Knowledge In another case, some people think Columbus was a hero because he represents a leader who went far and beyond to find America. According to a recent poll, 79% of college students support such a change. Make sure your essay is plagiarism-free or hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs. 4. Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+! By 1555, there were zero full-blooded natives left on the island. 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. "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. Elliott Lassitter and John WirtOctober 26, 2017. Its the responsibility of our school system to talk about Columbus as part of our work to prepare students to be citizens. 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 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. Columbus Day commemorates the landing of Columbus in the "New World" (on a small island off Florida) on October 12, 1492. 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. Their spears are made of cane. Its just that Columbus was the brave one to stake his claim to a land that did not belong to him. When he was only 23. he had the idea of going to India, China and Japan. As part of this plan, Spaniards aimed to convert native peoples to Christianity. The Zinn Education Project also includes a bunch of primary sources related to Columbus, such as writings by Bartolom de La Casas. 1. Monday marks Columbus Day, in honor of Christopher Columbus but not all will be celebrating the Italian explorer. Berkeley originally replaced Columbus Day with show more content. What Columbus did next was nothing less than shameful. Now, I got nothing against thousands of virgins or a good story. James Loewens Lies My Teacher Told Me, and his shorter Lies My Teacher Told Me about Christopher Columbus, critique how textbooks have covered Columbus. Columbus was definitely a brave and courageous (and lucky) captain, but his navigational skills left a lot to be desired. He was turned down from the Portuguese crown, Genoa crown, Venice crown, and English crown. original papers. Hence, the inducement cited above.). Americans have the right to celebrate whatever they chose, but the history behind Columbus Day is not to be ignored. 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. A Blazing Weapon: Unraveling the Mystery of Greek Fire. The plan was to join up once theyd gotten the backing they needed. Throughout the history of civilization, the concept of the apocalypse has been ever present, in one way or another. Yes, we have a federal holiday on Christmas, but Ill put that in a special category (which well call religious.). 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. For a long time, Columbus discovery of America was an universally celebrated event, both in Europe and America. This criticism had quickly faded over time, and was replaced by a more pressing issue; the improper treatment towards indigenous people. So yeah, Christopher Columbus, upon closer inspection, is a terrible fellow to honor. Who Destroyed the Great Library of Alexandria? Is Columbus' tomb in the Dominican Republic or Seville? (Sarcasm intended.) Why We Do Not Celebrate Columbus Day. A main argument for the idealization of the 15th century explorer is the idea that he was the first European to discover the Americas. Turning points are powerful lenses through which students need to view our past. April Holloway is a Co-Owner, Editor and Writer of Ancient Origins. 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. An angry mob decided to drag them. So the discovery of the Western Hemisphere should go to Erickson, no? Even if we ignore that, this one still depends on your definition of America. 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. Indigenous Peoples Day: Why it's replacing Columbus Day in many places. Unfortunately, many irksome doings lay deep under the surface. Columbus Day should be celebrated because Columbus had done a lot to get to the point of sailing. The New World was discovered within the same timeframe as when slave trade had begun to arise. (And yes, I also know many other discoverers have been posited through the ages. In any case, we know for a fact that Europeans traveled to America almost 500 years before Columbus. Top 5 Reasons NOT to Celebrate Columbus Day And 1 Reason To History comes with an agenda. 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. Itd be ludicrous to say that Columbuswasnt guilty by association. If you want a unique paper, order it from our professional writers. Furthermore, Columbus continued to enslave Natives and abuse their nation, damage their environment, and their rights as humans. Alaska was second, in 2017, enacting Indigenous Peoples Day. Congress also believed the holiday would mark the contribution of immigrants to the United States. Not just Europeans, but everyone. Although many people have adopted Columbus day as "Indigenous People's Day," many people will not agree that we should also have a holiday . There were terrible diseases that got communicated to the natives, but he cant be blamed for that., 5. But by then he was hardly the first European. 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.. But I think considering the fact that Columbus also enslaved a group of people who were otherwise peaceful to him should be noted. I'm not the only Italian American on board with ditching the holiday. Chris wasnt a bad guy right? He would have peoples ears and noses cut off as punishments. The Encyclopedia Britannica describes him as a "master navigator and admiral." He sailed to numerous places beginning his career as a merchant marine. 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. Even perpetually leftward NPR admitted today . We seek to retell the story of our beginnings. 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. Well, the Pinta was indeed, the Pinta. Lets stop idolizing people in history who dont deserve it. Then they would sail away together to claim their riches. Both in an effort to secure funding for their expedition. Legal Statement. Many people believe that Columbus Day should not be a federal holiday because Christopher Columbus was a terrible person. Within a few decades, only a few hundred of an original native population of 300,000 remained. Now theres a deed worth celebrating every year! Yet in the past few decades, something has changed. AtAncient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. 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. 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). St. Ursula and her eleven thousand virgins, native peoples lived in these places all along. 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. 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. He is an inspiration to many young people. All rights reserved. Read More Of course, Christopher Columbus was Italian, and his day . If it wasn't for Columbus, the motivation for exploration and expansion wouldn't have become a priority because nobody knew about the Americas. ," Jake Flanagin explains why many are arguing it . The Encyclopedia Britannica describes him as a master navigator and admiral. He sailed to numerous places beginning his career as a merchant marine. Nevertheless, the first official Columbus Day happened in 1892, when President Harrison issued a proclamation for Americans to commemorate the day. 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. 'Green Card Warrior' Nick Adams weighs in on 'Fox & Friends First.'. They would make fine servants. 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. His first impression of the Arawaks, one of the first peoples he encountered, was . 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. Market data provided by Factset. They have no iron. So, there you have it; five reasons not to celebrate Columbus Day this year (or any other year). He decimated the native population. Because thats public history. And Washington, D.C., this week renamed the holiday, pending congressional approval. It's also why it's crucial we learn facts about Native Americans and. Destiny is currently enrolled in Columbia University's MFA Writing program. And, while we celebrate Columbus Day, we can learn from history and also take time to honor Native Americans. Here are five reasons we should still celebrate Columbus Day. 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 . Don't know where to start? He thereby claimed the lifetime pension for himself, cheating the rightful claimant out of both glory and a significant amount of money. With three boats, the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria, he set out in search of a better trade route to India. Columbus Day, which is celebrated today in the USA and honours the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the New World, is an example of outdated and misguided history. Columbus was taking advantage of opportunities to find goods by getting the help of slaves. Henry IV of Spain known as "The Impotent" for his weakness, both on the throne and (allegedly) in the marriage chamber died in 1474. 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? 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. The City Council recently voted to get rid of Columbus Day and replace it with Indigenous Peoples Day, commemorating indigenous, aboriginal and native people.. First, lets just put aside the paradox of discovering a land that already had a population of indigenous people. However, his other two ships on his first voyage were the Santa Clara and the Gallega. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. In addition to The Daily Citizen, his written pieces have appeared in The Daily Signal, Life News, The Colorado Independent, and The Millennial Review. 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. Columbus couldn't be killed without angering the Italian court, so Queen Isabella sent him on a mission, hoping he wouldn't return. Cambridge, MA 02138, Challenges? One of the best parts of our humanity is that sense of discovery. 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. Most Americans didn't even know much about Columbus until Washington Irving yes, that Washington Irving wrote. Its 2020 people. If Columbus had been an Englishman, or a Frenchman, would have they behaved in a different way? And Erickson was certainly as European as Columbus (at least in todays geographical terminology.) 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Despite the time that has passed, Columbus Day still remains a subject that most people would rather not think about. Hoping to bring fresh perspectives to topics like race & politics, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0. Archaeologists have been able to take a closer look at one of the United Kingdoms most famous shipwrecks. Why are we celebrating him? 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. "Reason: he may have discovered America before Columbus; Columbus is now commonplace as . There has been much debate over whether or not Columbus Day should be celebrated. History, in fact, is the story of conquest. 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.

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