Since then, it's spread across the. Columbus Personified the American Spirit. Why does learning about what Columbus did to Native Americans still matter today? He led the way for future colonists to settle the United States. 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. I'm Amy, Though it was disputed for many years, there is conclusive evidence that Neanderthals bred with modern humans (Homo sapiens). Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. And maybe only one reason to celebrate. Are the Misty Peaks of the Azores Remnants of the Legendary Atlantis? It doesn't make sense for the United States to recognize this supposed Christian with ashow more content Top 5 Reasons NOT to Celebrate Columbus Day And 1 Reason To History comes with an agenda. And Erickson was certainly as European as Columbus (at least in todays geographical terminology.) We all own it. The Columbus controversy can also help students see that history is still applicable today. I think history teachers have a responsibility to prepare students to comment critically and participate critically in the discourse about who we are honoring, who we are celebrating, and how we are doing it. Hi! If you want a unique paper, order it from our professional writers. So why Columbus Day? Unfortunately, many irksome doings lay deep under the surface. The holiday celebrates . Some committed suicide to avoid subjugation, others fled, but many rebelled. We still have to understand the time he was born but Christopher Columbus. Surprisingly, this holiday was first celebrated by Italians of New York in 1866 honoring Columbus's Italian Heritage, but the official celebration in Spain did not . Of course, I learned that everyone expected him to sail off the edge of a flat earth into space or sea monsters or something. But many would be killed if they did not accept Christ, even if they didnt understand what the Spanish were explaining to them. Columbus should not be celebrated, let alone given a day. Harvard Graduate School of Education Archaeologists have been able to take a closer look at one of the United Kingdoms most famous shipwrecks. Columbus wanted to test this idea. They would make fine servants. Usable Knowledge Many believe that they sailed even further south, maybe as far as New Brunswick. Christopher Columbus, as it turned out, was responsible for widespread genocide; he permitted his men to rape, murder, mutilate and enslave indigenous people. Now theres a deed worth celebrating every year! If it wasnt for Columbus, the motivation for exploration and expansion wouldnt have become a priority because nobody knew about the Americas. original papers. Since August, eight cities have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day, including several in just the last week. 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. And if you can, take some time to learn more about all the diversity that makes the Caribbean great. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, University Overrules Student Senate Activists; Recognizes Conservative Club, A Mansion, Yemen, and Stories of Gods Goodness, Tennessee and Mississippi Pass Bills to Protect Children from Harmful Sex Change Procedures. In an era where we are fighting for racial equality celebrating false heroes is detrimental to progress. It neednt be a battleground, but a chance to celebrate the best within us. Columbus set a precedent for exploration of the new world. Should the United States continue to celebrate Columbus Day? And now Ill claim it for us! 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. Contrary to popular belief, Columbus Day is a celebration of diversity, not oppression. Get the recap of top opinion commentary and original content throughout the week. Legal Statement. (He had plenty of different ships on subsequent voyages.). Its the responsibility of our school system to talk about Columbus as part of our work to prepare students to be citizens. The Encyclopedia Britannica describes him as a master navigator and admiral. He sailed to numerous places beginning his career as a merchant marine. (Remember, they werent well versed in Spanish. 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. Or maybe even plan to discover your own new-to-you islands! 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. 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. Nevertheless, the first official Columbus Day happened in 1892, when President Harrison issued a proclamation for Americans to commemorate the day. Growing up, I wasn't exposed to this truth. Columbus Did Not Discover North America. 97 students ordered this very topic and got Nefer Say Nefer - Was Nefertiti Buried in the Valley of the Queens? Yet, despite all the gruesome sacrifice and slavery, some still wish to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day. Here are three reasons we shouldn't celebrate Columbus Day, as a country. There are many good reasons as to why Columbus Day is such a controversial holiday. uknow@gse.harvard.edu Columbus stood to gain significant wealth and power from his voyage, terms he negotiated with King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. Chat with professional writers to choose the paper writer that suits you best. Those left were forced to work in mines and plantations. There has been much debate over whether or not Columbus Day should be celebrated. Columbus inspired countless other explorers, both of his time and of modern time, to explore and make discoveries. A main argument for the idealization of the 15th century explorer is the idea that he was the first European to discover the Americas. This new day was first adopted in Berkeley, California in 1992. This criticism had quickly faded over time, and was replaced by a more pressing issue; the improper treatment towards indigenous people. 1. Americans have the right to celebrate whatever they chose, but the history behind Columbus Day is not to be ignored. It is claimed by these people that the enjoyment and simplicity of Columbus day is almost a mask or distraction to divert the people from the many indigenous lives lost after the discovery of the New World. Yet, many continue to believe that America owes its discovery to Christopher Columbus. 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. Bring them to the light, if you would. Yes, this guy didnt commit genocide. We are a hopeful species. When he was only 23. he had the idea of going to India, China and Japan. 1. Norimitsu Odachi: Who Could Have Possibly Wielded This Enormous 15th Century Japanese Sword? I remember learning about Columbus as a young child and I was in awe learning about the explorer. This follows both Minneapolis and Seattle, which adopted the new. If we have a holiday honoring somebody, the question on everyones mind should be, Why are we honoring them? Then, two things happened: either Chaos or Gaia created the universe as we know it, or Ouranos and Tethys gave birth to the first beings. How could we look at this from a different perspective? When confronted with evidence to the contrary, he simply could not conceive of the the idea that he might be wrong. This was a sign of things to come. Why We Do Not Celebrate Columbus Day. Land was first spotted by Rodrigo de Triana, a lookout on the Pinta, and thereafter by its captain Martin Alonso Pinzo, who notified Columbus. For example, a neighbor taking a stick and beating your child as some kind of punishment might have been perfectly fine at one time. 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. Why is he important? Europe, Asia and Africa, of course, suffered through numerous plagues of their own.). Now, I got nothing against thousands of virgins or a good story. In his free time, Mettler enjoys reading, running, hiking, backpacking, and walking his dog. Columbus Day should be celebrated because Columbus had done a lot to get to the point of sailing. So yeah, Christopher Columbus, upon closer inspection, is a terrible fellow to honor. First of all, Christopher Columbus isnt even his name. 2. Thousands of the Taino, or Indians as Columbus had referred to them, were shipped out to be traded internationally. What are some Facts about Christopher Columbus? 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. Of course, Christopher Columbus was Italian, and his day . Historical knowledge can help students create an argument to answer those questions. The White House is pushing National Coming Out Day as a way of changing the subject. Like Andrew Jackson, Christopher Columbus is a historical figure who is celebrated as a mythical hero. He brought with him a letter from King Ferdinand to the Taino-Arawak Indians. Turning points are powerful lenses through which students need to view our past. Chris wasnt a bad guy right? Christopher Columbus was a murderer, rapist, and thief who did not actually find America, but indeed only visited a land where Native Americans have already been living. He first went to sea when he was only 14 years old. Mettler earned his Bachelors degree from William Jessup University and is an alumnus of the Young Leaders Program at The Heritage Foundation. And hes credited for marking the establishment of institutionalized slavery in the West Indies. But our work was to exasperate, ravage, kill, mangle and destroy; small wonder," -Bartolome Las Casas, 1527. Columbus was a brilliant man in his own right. On his 1492 voyage, Chris landed on a number of islands including some in the Bahamas very close to mainland Florida. -- Celebrate the spirit of exploration. To realize this dream, they split up. 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. On his second voyage, he landed at Hispaniola, Cuba, and Jamaica among others. As known by many, Columbus Day commemorates the discovery of the New World by none other than Christopher Columbus himself. We shouldn't be wasting our time on holidays that won't even. Below are five reasons why Columbus Day celebrants can hold their head high in 2019 rather than kowtow to guilt-based politics. Columbus Is Innocent of Most of the Charges Against Him, Christopher Columbus was not perfect, but he is innocent of most of his alleged crimes. He read books, studied the ocean, and made a name for himself. Thats a lesson for later. Which, of course, led to a demand for more slaves. Ironically, the District of Columbia is named after, you guessed it, Christopher Columbus. There are many examples in his writings where he gave instructions to this effect. A recent Marist Poll shows why: Those campaigning against Columbus Day are in the minority. Now that the truth is becoming more widely known, people are pressuring their communities to stop celebrating Columbus Day. The population of the Taino decreased by over two hundred thousand within sixty years. 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. While there is plenty to criticize about Columbus, and what followed his arrival, I think this movement is missing the point. Washington, D.C., has joined hundreds of U.S. cities in seven states in replacing Columbus Day with a day to celebrate Native Americans. But that, for better or worse, is how history worked pretty much everywhere for thousands of years. The attack on Columbus Day is a major facet of the cultural . The point is not to excuse the worst that happened, but to understand it. To get a custom and plagiarism-free essay. And most believe the idea came from their familys time in Iceland. 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. The initial recorded Columbus Day celebration in the United States was on October 12, 1792. Here Are Some Reasons Why. Here are five reasons we should still celebrate 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. Columbus is often portrayed as a heroic figure who bravely discovered America, but this narrative ignores the fact that the Americas were already inhabited by millions of people before Columbus arrived. However, it was his brother, the cartographers idea to sail West. Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment. But by then he was hardly the first European. 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. It was first celebrated on October 12, 1792, when the New York Society of Tammany honored Columbus on the 300th anniversary of his first voyage. Columbuss men also killed off slaves whenever needed. Itd be ludicrous to say that Columbuswasnt guilty by association. Columbus was a brutal and cruel man who . 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. Americans, for all our faults, love adventure. Columbus Day Should Not Be Celebrated. Be careful, this sample is accessible to everyone. (Not that the West solely had these ideas, but it put them in a package that wasnt generally available elsewhere.).