Turning points are powerful lenses through which students need to view our past. That's my nephew, Trinidad, reveling in the joys of Caribbean sailing somewhere between St. Croix and Buck Island aboard Teroro II. If we cannot honor anyone in human history that did not have flaws or imperfections, we cannot honor anyone at all. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Indigenous Peoples' Day now replaces Columbus Day in 14 states, the District of Columbia and more than 130 communities. The war against the Western heritage. 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. From early colonial exploration, to our push westward with manifest destiny, to our more modern quest to outer space and landing on the moon, Americans seem to have an innate desire to push the boundaries and discover new places. Likewise, Thomas Jefferson, also a slave owner, should be remembered for writing one of the most brilliant documents in the history of mankind, the Declaration of Independence, which contributed greatly to the ending of slavery and segregation in the United States. Why Columbus Day is worth defending and celebrating Columbus wanted to test this idea. Most of us can remember the day when Americans still seemed to like Christopher Columbus. 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. Why We Shouldn't Celebrate Columbus Day - ATTN: So why Columbus Day? If you dont like it, well kill you.) Besides that, there is ample evidence of Leif Erickson and his fellow Vikings landing in Newfoundland/Labrador around five centuries earlier. 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 . Columbuss men also killed off slaves whenever needed. He was the catalyst that brought more explorers across the Atlantic, who would eventually begin to explore North America, but it is . They were the original immigrants to the New World, and deserve their remembrance. In fact, that might have been a good neighbor, whereas today That neighbor would find themselves in jail. Columbus day represents an exploration that lead to many discoveries and examples of leadership and control. Sorry, Mr. 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. He decimated the native population. Indeed, Columbus was mostly benign in his interaction with native populations. Columbus Day is a United States federal holiday that celebrates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492. In an era where we are fighting for racial equality celebrating false heroes is detrimental to progress. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/two-reasons-why-columbus-day-should-not-be-celebrated/. Columbus killed a tremendous amount of people (genocide), and got away with it because of better equipment, men and control. 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. Contrary to popular belief, Columbus Day is a celebration of diversity, not oppression. While we are thankful for this land we call America, it . . 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. Not just Europeans, but everyone. One of the (many) perks of growing up on an island in the Caribbean was that we could actually take a field trip to Columbus Landing a spot fairly close to my school where Columbus and his crew set foot in 1493 among islands he called Las Islas Virgenes, after St. Ursula and her eleven thousand virgins. Here Are Some Reasons Why. Except, once Chris had succeeded in Spain, he didnt wait for his brother. In 1927, Chicago's outer drive, connecting the city's North and South Sides, was renamed for Leif. (BTW, you can find a list of over 40 of his articles here.). 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. 4 Reasons Why Columbus Day Is the Worst Holiday Berkeley originally replaced Columbus Day with show more content. 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. This movement sees Columbus as a symbol of destruction, and thus not to be celebrated. Many states celebrate both. Columbus went to live in Portugal. . 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 . The truth about Columbus Day, explained | Salon.com President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Columbus Day a. Columbus was definitely a brave and courageous (and lucky) captain, but his navigational skills left a lot to be desired. Lastly, I would contend that historical figures should be honored by their great achievements, and not their mistakes or weaknesses. Without him, the modern world would not be the way it is today. 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. Why We Shouldn't Celebrate Columbus Day - Her Campus 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. As a direct result of Columbus discovery, indigenous Americans were enslaved, killed and oppressed to such a degree that a population of around 60 million in 1492, fell by 8090% in less than 150 years. Columbus Day as a federal holiday: Time to end it? | Pro/Con - Inquirer.com When confronted with evidence to the contrary, he simply could not conceive of the the idea that he might be wrong. 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. 1. -- Celebrate the spread of Western civilization. Columbus Day should be celebrated because Columbus had done a lot to get to the point of sailing. Columbus was a brutal and cruel man who . The opposition towards Christopher Columbus did not commence in todays society, or even the 21st 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 is a controversial holiday, but one that should be celebrated. Columbus couldn't be killed without angering the Italian court, so Queen Isabella sent him on a mission, hoping he wouldn't return. April Holloway is a Co-Owner, Editor and Writer of Ancient Origins. ," Jake Flanagin explains why many are arguing it . Why We Celebrate Columbus Day | National Review 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. Who Destroyed the Great Library of Alexandria? (Only 23 states give their workers a paid day off to celebrate it, according to a 2013 Pew poll). Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert. Land was first spotted by Rodrigo de Triana, a lookout on the Pinta, and thereafter by its captain Martin Alonso Pinzo, who notified Columbus. What is Indigenous Peoples Day? Is it offensive to celebrate Columbus This conflict between reality and fiction is what makes Columbus Day one of the most controversial holidays in America. Here are three reasons we shouldn't celebrate Columbus Day, as a country. Furthermore, Columbus continued to enslave Natives and abuse their nation, damage their environment, and their rights as humans. A new intersectional publication, geared towards voices, values, and identities! 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. Colorado did so on April 1, 1907. His father was a wool weaver, and cheese stand owner. That alone is worth celebrating.". Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. In a letter that has been preserved among his personal historical records, Columbus wrote that God inspired him to make a deal with his Spanish crew and stake his life on it. Are the Misty Peaks of the Azores Remnants of the Legendary Atlantis? "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. However, it was his brother, the cartographers idea to sail West. Thats a lesson for later. Why Columbus Day isn't really a national holiday "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. "Reason: he may have discovered America before Columbus; Columbus is now commonplace as . However, a circumspect understanding of history offers numerous reasons why Columbus should not only be celebrated, but . Cambridge, MA 02138, Challenges? What are some Facts about Christopher Columbus? Were theonlyPop Archaeology site combining scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives. Why We Do Not Celebrate Columbus Day - Red Letter Christians 1. Had he have given up, the world would be drastically different today. The Columbus Day Problem | Harvard Graduate School of Education Alaska is said not to celebrate the day because it falls too close to Alaska Day (Oct . Interests? The pro for Columbus Day written by John Wirt. Columbus Day: Here's Why We Celebrate It | Time Columbus couldnt be killed without angering the Italian court, so Queen Isabella sent him on a mission, hoping he wouldnt return. Columbus Day is one of the oldest holidays in the USA Observing Columbus Day started back in the 18th century. Why is he important? 97 students ordered this very topic and got And now Ill claim it for us! This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Columbus tried to build and has transformed the America we have today. 10 Reasons Why We Celebrate Columbus Day - TipTopTens.com 2023 President and Fellows of Harvard College, Who do we celebrate, and why? While there is only limited knowledge of what pre-Columbus America was like, it did feature war, slavery, torture and plenty of brutality. 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. 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. 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. And thats even if you discount the fact that native peoples lived in these places all along. Students need to grapple with these multiple perspectives in history and the not-so-pleasant aspects of our past. If we have a holiday honoring somebody, the question on everyones mind should be, Why are we honoring them? 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. 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. (Sarcasm intended.) Here are my main reasons why I refuse to celebrate Columbus Day: 1. We dont know exactly where this is, but its most likely one of the islands that make up modern-day Bahamas. 5 Reasons Not to Celebrate Columbus Day | by Dave | An Injustice! - Medium Certain states and localities have moved away from celebrating Christopher Columbus, and now celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day. Turning points are powerful lenses through which students need to view our past. Columbus Day: Should it be considered a federal holiday? Columbus Day was invented by the Knights of Columbus in the 1930s when they were looking for a role model for school age children. 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. This claim has been proven recently as Viking Leif Ericksson was the first European to discover the New World, about 500 years prior to Columbus' famous journey. Ancient Chinese Earthquake Detector Invented 2,000 Years Ago Really Worked! All islands I would love to visit on a single trip. With as simple of a description as that, one would wonder why so much controversy arises from a legal American holiday. Among the reasons cited for the Columbus Day federal holiday was that it was being observed in 40 states at the time. He brought with him a letter from King Ferdinand to the Taino-Arawak Indians.