5 reasons why columbus day should not be celebrated 5 reasons why columbus day should not be celebrated

"To date, these are the oldest traces of human existence in the Americas," said archaeologist Niede Guidon who has headed a mission to carry out large-scale excavation of Piaui's interior since the 1970's. . So, no, Columbus did not discover the New World.. Columbus was a brutal and cruel man who . Many believe that they sailed even further south, maybe as far as New Brunswick. 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. 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. He was turned down from the Portuguese crown, Genoa crown, Venice crown, and English crown. If the world was round, this was possible, he thought. Columbus Personified the American Spirit. That alone is worth celebrating.". 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. 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 Columbus is Off Limits to Celebrate, so are Indigenous Peoples. Columbus couldn't be killed without angering the Italian court, so Queen Isabella sent him on a mission, hoping he wouldn't return. And most believe the idea came from their familys time in Iceland. Spanish conquistadors couldn't believe their eyes while exploring the rugged terrain of the Andes during their invasion of Peru. Here are my main reasons why I refuse to celebrate Columbus Day: 1. 1. 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. With three boats, the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria, he set out in search of a better trade route to India. Get the recap of top opinion commentary and original content throughout the week. 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. He thereby claimed the lifetime pension for himself, cheating the rightful claimant out of both glory and a significant amount of money. 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. 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. Congress also believed the holiday would mark the contribution of immigrants to the United States. On his 1492 voyage, Chris landed on a number of islands including some in the Bahamas very close to mainland Florida. Top 5 Reasons NOT to Celebrate Columbus Day And 1 Reason To History comes with an agenda. If it wasnt for Columbus, the motivation for exploration and expansion wouldnt have become a priority because nobody knew about the Americas. Columbus went to live in Portugal. All rights reserved. Dominant narratives tend to speak about heroes in a simple sense; counternarratives can be much more critical. Read more TOM GRALISH / Staff Photographer by Staff Reports You need to be able to deeply understand the profoundly problematic past of this great nation. It involves grappling with multiple perspectives, a fundamental skill for historians. Adults Especially Gen Z Identifying as LGBT. Though it has its controversies, Columbus day should be celebrated. St. Ursula and her eleven thousand virgins, native peoples lived in these places all along. This was due to the impression that Columbus was attempting to spread Catholic influence. uknow@gse.harvard.edu History, in fact, is the story of conquest. (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. Why is he important? 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. Columbus arrival is seen as the beginning of civilization in the Americas. Historical knowledge can help students create an argument to answer those questions. Columbus Personified the American Spirit Columbus was a brilliant man in his own right. 4. Its just that Columbus was the brave one to stake his claim to a land that did not belong to him. Columbus was wrong of course, and needless to say, he didnt actually discover anything the Americas had already been inhabited for thousands of years. Hence, the inducement cited above.). 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. 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 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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. This criticism had quickly faded over time, and was replaced by a more pressing issue; the improper treatment towards indigenous people. 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. Destiny is currently enrolled in Columbia University's MFA Writing program. We need students to understand that Columbus is important, even if he isnt someone to be celebrated. 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. Columbuss Native American slave trade morphed into the African slave trade by the mid-16th century. 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. 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. Thousands of the Taino, or Indians as Columbus had referred to them, were shipped out to be traded internationally. He never set foot on any part of the 50 United States. . 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. As part of this plan, Spaniards aimed to convert native peoples to Christianity. The opposition towards Christopher Columbus did not commence in todays society, or even the 21st century. Columbus Day means that finally, America was economically assimilated to Europe, in those times peopled by Western dominant civilizations. Yeah. And eventually hundreds of years of African slave trade but uhm, OK, fine, he was a monster. Within a few decades, only a few hundred of an original native population of 300,000 remained. By 1516, there were 12,000. Columbus Day was supposed to recognize the greatness of all of America's people, but especially Italians and Native Americans. There were already people living wherever he landed. 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. Below are five reasons why Columbus Day celebrants can hold their head high in 2019 rather than kowtow to guilt-based politics. Market data provided by Factset. She is a national writer at Her Campus and the former editor-in-chief of Her Campus Rowan. He would cut off the hands of people living in what now is Haiti for not bringing him enough gold every three months. 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. 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. It was President Franklin Delano Roosevelt that designated the second Monday of October (Columbus Day) as a national holiday in 1971. Columbus was from a middle class family. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/two-reasons-why-columbus-day-should-not-be-celebrated/. 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. Large Increase in U.S. However, it was his brother, the cartographers idea to sail West. 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. 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. There were terrible diseases that got communicated to the natives, but he cant be blamed for that., 5. We should celebrate Indigenous People's Day instead. Fine, fine But he did discover America right? Within the Italian community, Columbus Day symbolizes the legacy of their ancestors who immigrated to America, overcame poverty, language barriers, and above all, discrimination. Areas within Texas and California began celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day as a means of pointing the spotlight on the natives, rather than Columbus himself. Furthermore, Columbus continued to enslave Natives and abuse their nation, damage their environment, and their rights as humans. Ahh, well, brothers will be brothers. Once upon a time, teachers celebrated Columbus Day by leading children in choruses of song about the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. 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 is a United States federal holiday that celebrates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492. It is known by many as to what had happened after Americas discovery. Alaska was second, in 2017, enacting Indigenous Peoples Day. And hes credited for marking the establishment of institutionalized slavery in the West Indies. 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. And, while we celebrate Columbus Day, we can learn from history and also take time to honor Native Americans. As known by many, Columbus Day commemorates the discovery of the New World by none other than Christopher Columbus himself. Christopher Columbus, as it turned out, was responsible for widespread genocide; he permitted his men to rape, murder, mutilate and enslave indigenous people. There has been much debate over whether or not Columbus Day should be celebrated. Ancient Origins 2013 - 2023Disclaimer- Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy -Submissions - We Give Back - Contact us. or redistributed. Two Reasons why Columbus Day should not be Celebrated, This example was written and submitted by a fellow student. Sure, he was addicted to opium, but a lot of people were at the time. This is where many of the peaceful natives were met with brutal deaths onboard, whether it be from disease or mistreatment from the handlers. Make sure your essay is plagiarism-free or hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs. your personal assistant! 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. There are many good reasons as to why Columbus Day is such a controversial holiday. Columbus Day celebrations date back to 1792, when New York City celebrated the 300th anniversary of Columbus' landfall. And most of all, I was taught of his discovering America. 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. 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. Columbus Day Should Not Be Celebrated. Thats a lesson for later. Usable Knowledge This is also apparent when he was trying to get sponsorships for the trips. It's also why it's crucial we learn facts about Native Americans and. 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. There are also theories that the Irish arrived far before the Vikings, and that the Chinese and Polynesians may also have also visited the Americas before Columbus. If I sailed to Italy and said that I discovered this land in the name of Rowan University it wouldnt fly right? In his free time, Mettler enjoys reading, running, hiking, backpacking, and walking his dog. Yet, what is rarely discussed is the barbaric genocide perpetrated by Native American tribes from Mexico to Peru against other Native Americans before the arrival of Europeans. And its fundamentally important that they do so. But as I grew older, it became clear that history is murky. -- Celebrate the spirit of exploration. 20 University Rd., 6th Floor While we are thankful for this land we call America, it . Its the responsibility of our school system to talk about Columbus as part of our work to prepare students to be citizens. If we cannot honor anyone in human history that did not have flaws or imperfections, we cannot honor anyone at all. For example, a neighbor taking a stick and beating your child as some kind of punishment might have been perfectly fine at one time. In fact, the result of Columbuss voyages was mass, Columbus didnt do too well as a governor of these new lands. 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. It also became clear that there are many reasons not to celebrate Columbus Day. Columbus wanted to expand knowledge about the world and what more it consisted of by going across the ocean. Columbus inspired countless other explorers, both of his time and of modern time, to explore and make discoveries. Although many people have adopted Columbus day as "Indigenous People's Day," many people will not agree that we should also have a holiday . He first went to sea when he was only 14 years old. Once we do this, Columbus Day can be a truly inclusive holiday. When confronted with evidence to the contrary, he simply could not conceive of the the idea that he might be wrong. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. How many countries award holidays to non-natives? If the commemorations dealt at all with the impact of European exploration on the indigenous civilizations already flourishing in these discovered lands, it was often fleeting. Then they would sail away together to claim their riches. Many states celebrate both. It doesn't make sense for the United States to recognize this supposed Christian with ashow more content Indeed, the promise of the West has delivered freedom and bounty such as humanity has never known. I dont think its ever too young. But as far as I know, no U.S. landfall. Chris wasnt a bad guy right? Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday of October. - IPL.org; 7.Why We Should Not Celebrate Columbus Day - IPL.org; 8.Why Columbus Day Should Not Be Celebrated Essay . 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. It is perhaps worth revisiting the two distinct reasons why we celebrate Columbus Day in the first place, and . The idea that Christopher Columbus discovered "The New World" is one of the great fallacies of history. Columbus may have recorded that he "found" America, but he was a. mass murderer. For the first time this year some calendars don't mention Columbus Day but says October 11 is Indigenous Peoples' Day. The White House is pushing National Coming Out Day as a way of changing the subject. 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 next obvious question is: well, if thats not his name, what were the names of his famous ships? And now Ill claim it for us! The Vikings sailed to, and colonized parts of Newfoundland, Canada, around AD 1000. Market data provided by Factset. "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. 2023 President and Fellows of Harvard College, Who do we celebrate, and why? 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. 1. Based on my experience, I think its vitally essential that teachers engage kids as young as sixth grade in questions that really interrogate Columbus.