Why does learning about what Columbus did to Native Americans still matter today? Columbus Day is a national holiday in the United States that celebrates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492. Growing up, I wasn't exposed to this truth. We all own it. He led the way for future colonists to settle the United States. 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. According to a census taken by Columbus' men, in 1496 there were more than 1 million natives on the island of Haiti. But the fact of the matter is that he started the colonialism within North America, enslaved groups of people, and laid out the groundwork for others to do the same is damning. Were theonlyPop Archaeology site combining scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives. 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. This follows both Minneapolis and Seattle, which adopted the new. So yeah, Christopher Columbus, upon closer inspection, is a terrible fellow to honor. The Vikings sailed to, and colonized parts of Newfoundland, Canada, around AD 1000. It is true that the conquest of the Americas by Europeans, which starts with Columbus, was very ugly, and involved a lot of violence. Why would an academic system praise someone who was so blatantly evil? 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. He thereby claimed the lifetime pension for himself, cheating the rightful claimant out of both glory and a significant amount of money. But as I grew older, it became clear that history is murky. 2. 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. For example, a neighbor taking a stick and beating your child as some kind of punishment might have been perfectly fine at one time. Nevertheless, Italians claim him today and Columbus Day is a good chance to recognize what Italians have contributed to America, and the world. If we cannot honor anyone in human history that did not have flaws or imperfections, we cannot honor anyone at all. What Columbus Day Really Means - The American Scholar Washington, D.C., has joined hundreds of U.S. cities in seven states in replacing Columbus Day with a day to celebrate Native Americans. The act moved Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day and the new Columbus Day holiday to Mondays. But heres the kicker. Most of us can remember the day when Americans still seemed to like Christopher Columbus. Exploring the story of Columbus postmortem voyages and the enduring mystery. Mettler earned his Bachelors degree from William Jessup University and is an alumnus of the Young Leaders Program at The Heritage Foundation. - IPL.org; 7.Why We Should Not Celebrate Columbus Day - IPL.org; 8.Why Columbus Day Should Not Be Celebrated Essay . Yeah. They have no iron. 5 Things to Know About Indigenous Peoples' Day and Columbus Day The con for Columbus Day written by Elliot Lassitter. Columbus Day as a federal holiday: Time to end it? | Pro/Con - Inquirer.com If we have a holiday honoring somebody, the question on everyones mind should be, Why are we honoring them? 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). Market data provided by Factset. 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. 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. The Knights of Columbus lobbied state legislatures to legalize the holiday. Hoping to bring fresh perspectives to topics like race & politics, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0. Columbus never even came to this country! As a citizen, you need to be able to critically engage and reflect in a discourse around the public celebration and honoring of historical events and figures. The idea that Christopher Columbus discovered "The New World" is one of the great fallacies of history. "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. Stupid but hopeful. Curious, politically homeless, always hopeful. Their spears are made of cane. Its the responsibility of our school system to talk about Columbus as part of our work to prepare students to be citizens. It neednt be a battleground, but a chance to celebrate the best within us. 5 Reasons to Celebrate Columbus Day as a Symbol of Diversity 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. Legal Statement. -- Celebrate the spirit of exploration. With all that, there are reasons to celebrate Columbus Day. He never set foot on any part of the 50 United States. The statue of Christopher Columbus remains encased in a wooden box on Marconi Plaza Aug. 12, 2020, as the sun sets on the day the Philadelphia Art Commission voted to remove it and store it while the city deliberates on a new permanent home for the controversial monument. Along and through History, conquerors have had violent behaviour. 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. 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. uknow@gse.harvard.edu It is on public record, that Columbus rewarded his soldiers by giving them Native Americans to rape. Another reason why Columbus Day should not be celebrated is because it promotes a distorted view of history. Indeed, the promise of the West has delivered freedom and bounty such as humanity has never known. 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. History comes with an agenda. 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. By 1555, there were zero full-blooded natives left on the island. Wrong, it was his younger brother Bartholomews. If Columbus had been an Englishman, or a Frenchman, would have they behaved in a different way? Usable Knowledge Specifically, he is credited with being the first European explorer since the Vikings to explore the New World for Europeans. The Encyclopedia Britannica describes him as a master navigator and admiral. He sailed to numerous places beginning his career as a merchant marine. Why Columbus Day is worth defending and celebrating Ancient Chinese Earthquake Detector Invented 2,000 Years Ago Really Worked! Why I proudly celebrate Columbus Day | Washington Examiner The White House is pushing National Coming Out Day as a way of changing the subject. ," Jake Flanagin explains why many are arguing it . In his role, he writes about current political issues, U.S. history, political philosophy, and culture. Columbuss men used native girls as young as nine or ten as their sex slaves. Columbus Day: Why We Shouldn't Celebrate It - MSU Reporter (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! Not just Europeans, but everyone. Indigenous Peoples Day: Why it's replacing Columbus Day in many places Despite not finding any of the places that his favorite books described (places in China, India and Japan), he convinced himself that they were just around the corner. But many would be killed if they did not accept Christ, even if they didnt understand what the Spanish were explaining to them. Sure, he was addicted to opium, but a lot of people were at the time. He would have peoples ears and noses cut off as punishments. Nefer Say Nefer - Was Nefertiti Buried in the Valley of the Queens? And eventually hundreds of years of African slave trade but uhm, OK, fine, he was a monster. Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment. The main reason Columbus Day draws opposition is because of how the explorer's arrival to the New World affected Indigenous people. It not only invalidates the legitimacy of the natives people claim to their land but also projects the notion that the natives arent people at all. "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. Columbus Did Not Discover North America. In fact, there is proof that the Chinese, Greeks and Italians, all explored America before Columbus. You need to be able to deeply understand the profoundly problematic past of this great nation. Thankfully, Columbus Day has morphed into Indigenous Peoples Day. Why Should We Celebrate Columbus Day Essay - 1065 Words | Cram Columbus Day is not a holiday the U.S. and Italian Americans should 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? original papers. Should columbus day be celebrated. Should Christopher Columbus Be Chat with professional writers to choose the paper writer that suits you best. Understanding the Mysterious Kingdom of Shambhala, Alleged Sighting of the Mythical Manananggal in the Philippines Causes Public Anxiety, The Truth Behind the Christ Myth: Ancient Origins of the Often Used Legend Part I, The Evidence is Cut in Stone: A Compelling Argument for Lost High Technology in Ancient Egypt, Caesars Savage Human Skewers Unearthed In German Fort. 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. "It's difficult to think there exists a site anywhere with a higher concentration of cave art.". Despite the time that has passed, Columbus Day still remains a subject that most people would rather not think about. However, it was his brother, the cartographers idea to sail West. Here Are Some Reasons Why. 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. Hire a verified expert to write you a 100% Plagiarism-Free paper. Always trying. (Sarcasm intended.) Why Columbus Day isn't really a national holiday Turning points are powerful lenses through which students need to view our past. More States Say Goodbye to Columbus Day | The Pew Charitable Trusts 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. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The population of the Taino decreased by over two hundred thousand within sixty years. And, while we celebrate Columbus Day, we can learn from history and also take time to honor Native Americans. They would make fine servants. (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. If you still think Columbus Day is something worth celebrating, here are five other reasons why it isnt: After studying a handful of his favorite books, including the journals of Marco Polo, Columbus became convinced that it was possible to sail directly west to reach the Indies, as China, Japan and India were then known as in Europe. He sailed to Iceland and Ireland in 1477, and to Madeira in 1478. Every Columbus Day I am forcibly reminded of my hatred for Christopher Columbus. He decided at an early age that this was not the life for him. What is Indigenous Peoples' Day? Does it replace Columbus - USA TODAY 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. Italian heritage. Based on my experience, I think its vitally essential that teachers engage kids as young as sixth grade in questions that really interrogate Columbus. There were already people living wherever he landed. 8 Reasons to Hate Columbus Day - The Daily Dot Herman Lindquist, Christopher Columbus var han riktigt klok, Fischer, 1992, Captivating History, Christopher Columbus: A Captivating Guide to the Life of an Italian Explorer and His Voyages to the Americas, Captivating History, 2020, Encyclopdia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Christopher-Columbus. Listen I know almost everyone celebrated in history enslaved people. But, again, no mainland United States. Archaeologists have been able to take a closer look at one of the United Kingdoms most famous shipwrecks. Many believe that they sailed even further south, maybe as far as New Brunswick. Why are we celebrating him? Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Turning points are powerful lenses through which students need to view our past. Dominant narratives tend to speak about heroes in a simple sense; counternarratives can be much more critical. 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. Indigenous Peoples' Day now replaces Columbus Day in 14 states, the District of Columbia and more than 130 communities. Columbus arrival is seen as the beginning of civilization in the Americas. One of the best parts of our humanity is that sense of discovery. Columbus is also well known as a great explorer, and not the man he truly is, who hurt people in order for things to go his way and for him to get what he wants, which was power., Two Reasons Why Columbus Day Should Not be Celebrated. 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. They were the original immigrants to the New World, and deserve their remembrance. 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. Columbuss Native American slave trade morphed into the African slave trade by the mid-16th century. Very trying! sums it up for Daniel, creator of Stories Guaranteed to Make You Sick, Dr. Crankenfuss books, Moose Jokes, & now Practically News. When confronted with evidence to the contrary, he simply could not conceive of the the idea that he might be wrong. All rights reserved. Which, of course, led to a demand for more slaves. 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. However, because Columbus brought disasters to the Native Americans, many people opposed the Columbus celebrations. We may not like it, but its our shared heritage. Here are three reasons we shouldn't celebrate Columbus Day, as a country. These books have fueled the trends I mentioned around Columbus Day. On his third, he named Trinidad and landed in present-day Venezuela. Columbus tried to build and has transformed the America we have today. Without Columbus, the age of exploration wouldnt have been inspired in the way that it was, and has a vital place in American history. Make sure your essay is plagiarism-free or hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs. As known by many, Columbus Day commemorates the discovery of the New World by none other than Christopher Columbus himself. Why We Shouldn't Celebrate Columbus Day - ATTN: But its hard for children to understand that someone who they were taught to idolize is a bad guy. We should honor George Washington, the Indispensable man, for his military bravado and skilled leadership as our first president, even though he owned slaves. Pay the writer only for a finished, plagiarism-free essay that meets all your requirements. This has started to cause a change, and many cities within America have taken on a remuneration for the controversial holiday. And #5 gets worse. Some committed suicide to avoid subjugation, others fled, but many rebelled. October 11, 2021 5:00 am. Here are five reasons we should still celebrate Columbus Day. Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert. Columbus set a precedent for exploration of the new world. Howard Zinns A Peoples History of the United States includes horrific, detailed eyewitness accounts of how the Spanish explorers treated the Native Americans. Published: October 7, 2021 8.23am EDT Updated: October 7, 2021 9.53am EDT. And in general, we want to students to engage with controversy. For instance, they lay out what specific textbooks omitted about Columbuss involvement with the slave trade and genocide. The natives were removed from their villages to work in gold mines and colonial plantations. 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. He and his crew were greeted with smiles, gifts and food. Get the recap of top opinion commentary and original content throughout the week. It took tremendous bravery to sail off into the unknown. Columbus Day was invented by the Knights of Columbus in the 1930s when they were looking for a role model for school age children.