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. The next obvious question is: well, if thats not his name, what were the names of his famous ships? Exploring the story of Columbus postmortem voyages and the enduring mystery. 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. And in general, we want to students to engage with controversy. 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. So before waving the US flag in celebration of a criminal who did not discover America, spare a thought for the millions of Native Americans who were murdered as a result of Christopher Columbus arrival on American soil. Christopher Columbus may have been a daring adventurer but he is not someone we want our kids to think of as a hero or role model. Columbus Day vs Leif Erikson Day: Who 'Discovered' America? | Time 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). In recent years, the conversation has become more nuanced, as educators and people across the country have begun to explore the many reasons why celebrating Christopher Columbus is problematic: the violent abuse of indigenous peoples, the launch of the transatlantic slave trade, and the introduction of a swath of lethal diseases to an unprepared continent. Trends are really hard to detect in a country as divided as ours, but Ive noticed two developments in my work teaching high school and teaching at Harvard. And maybe only one reason to celebrate. 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. I want to make sure we do justice to indigenous folks. Harvard Graduate School of Education 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. Columbus Day is not a holiday the U.S. and Italian Americans should The holiday is typically observed on the second Monday in October. Why Should We Celebrate Columbus Day Essay - 1065 Words | Cram Nefer Say Nefer - Was Nefertiti Buried in the Valley of the Queens? On his third, he named Trinidad and landed in present-day Venezuela. Norimitsu Odachi: Who Could Have Possibly Wielded This Enormous 15th Century Japanese Sword? Those left were forced to work in mines and plantations. (BTW, you can find a list of over 40 of his articles here.). Large Increase in U.S. The opposition towards Christopher Columbus did not commence in todays society, or even the 21st century. 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. Cambridge, MA 02138, Challenges? And the D.C. City Council recently approved a measure to abolish Columbus Day and replace it with Indigenous Peoples Day. Now, I got nothing against thousands of virgins or a good story. Growing up in St. Croix, I had a fairly typical U.S. education with fairly typical U.S. textbooks as far as I can remember. Americans have the right to celebrate whatever they chose, but the history behind Columbus Day is not to be ignored. 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. This movement sees Columbus as a symbol of destruction, and thus not to be celebrated. Mother and Child Reunion Of Thetis And Achilles, Seductive Sirens of Greek Mythology and How Heroes Resisted Them, Celestial Goddess Selene: The Ancient Greek Goddess of the Moon, Pegasus of Greek Mythology: Majestic Winged Horse of Mount Olympus, Dreams of Human-Powered Flight: Daedalus and the Story of Icarus, The Warriors Who Shaped African History: The Horsemen of Oyo, Royal Mistress Jane Shore Walked Streets of London in her Underwear, Leonardo Da Vincis Notes Show He Understood Gravity Long Before Newton, Talks Begin on Repatriating Remains of Patrick Sarsfield, Irish War Hero, The Ramessid Dynasty: A Golden Era in Ancient Egypt, Unraveling the Mystery of the Carnac Stones: An Ancient Puzzle of Epic Proportions, Unraveling the Enigma of Aramu Muru, The Mysterious Gate of the Gods. Christopher Columbus, as it turned out, was responsible for widespread genocide; he permitted his men to rape, murder, mutilate and enslave indigenous people. This was due to the impression that Columbus was attempting to spread Catholic influence. So why Columbus Day? 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. Lately a lot of people have been putting down Western civilization, but its spread is one of the greatest things thats ever happened to humanity. Columbus Day is a national holiday in the United States that celebrates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492. The attack on Columbus Day is a major facet of the cultural . 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. We need students to understand that Columbus is important, even if he isnt someone to be celebrated. Don't know where to start? But as I grew older, it became clear that history is murky. And thanks for reading this. Why Columbus Day Continues to Be Celebrated in Parts of the U.S. Howell Public Schools Stance on Mask Mandate, In person school, more beneficial to kids. Archaeologists have been able to take a closer look at one of the United Kingdoms most famous shipwrecks. Though it was disputed for many years, there is conclusive evidence that Neanderthals bred with modern humans (Homo sapiens). 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. Certain states and localities have moved away from celebrating Christopher Columbus, and now celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day. (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. AtAncient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. Ancient Chinese Earthquake Detector Invented 2,000 Years Ago Really Worked! Why Should Columbus Day Be Renamed? - PartyShopMaine A growing number of cities are no longer celebrating Columbus Day, swapping it for "Indigenous Peoples' Day.". South Dakota was the first state to rename Columbus Day, in 1990, electing to go with Native Americans' Day. Chat with professional writers to choose the paper writer that suits you best. your personal assistant! 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. Columbus never stepped foot on North American soil. Should columbus day be celebrated. Should Christopher Columbus Be We still have to understand the time he was born but Christopher Columbus. Teach Kids About Columbus Day vs Indigenous Peoples Day Should the United States 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. (You may want to add this into the equation.). All rights reserved. CONTACT US: Most of us can remember the day when Americans still seemed to like Christopher Columbus. So, there you have it; five reasons not to celebrate Columbus Day this year (or any other year). Cathedrals are some of the most awe-inspiring structures in the world, with their grandeur and intricate details captivating visitors for centuries. Most people know of the great construction achievements of the dynastic Egyptians such as the pyramids and temples of the Giza Plateau area as well as the Sphinx. Here are five reasons we should still celebrate Columbus Day. 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. What is Indigenous Peoples' Day? Does it replace Columbus - USA TODAY Why Do We (Still) Celebrate Columbus Day? - Learning for Justice Columbus was a brutal and cruel man who . For a long time, Columbus discovery of America was an universally celebrated event, both in Europe and America. 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. 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. As Greek mythology goes, the universe was once a big soup of nothingness. 2023 PapersOwl.com - All rights reserved. "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. Mettler earned his Bachelors degree from William Jessup University and is an alumnus of the Young Leaders Program at The Heritage Foundation. This began with the spirit of Christopher Columbus. What were his actual contributions? Those are important questions we want to ask as citizens. This is also apparent when he was trying to get sponsorships for the trips. Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. This new day was first adopted in Berkeley, California in 1992. Truth of Discovery Normally, the notion of discovery means encountering a place or an idea for the very first time.. A recent Marist Poll shows why: Those campaigning against Columbus Day are in the minority. Why I Refuse To Celebrate Columbus Day - The Odyssey Online Here are three reasons we shouldn't celebrate Columbus Day, as a country. 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. 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. 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. SHOULD CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS BE CELEBRATED? Americans, for all our faults, love adventure. In any case, we know for a fact that Europeans traveled to America almost 500 years before Columbus. In 1927, Chicago's outer drive, connecting the city's North and South Sides, was renamed for Leif. (Only 23 states give their workers a paid day off to celebrate it, according to a 2013 Pew poll). In his free time, Mettler enjoys reading, running, hiking, backpacking, and walking his dog. That alone is worth celebrating.". Since August, eight cities have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day, including several in just the last week. It's also why it's crucial we learn facts about Native Americans and. Hoping to bring fresh perspectives to topics like race & politics, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0. What are some Facts about Christopher Columbus? Zachary Mettler works as a staff writer and communications liaison for The Daily Citizen at Focus on the Family. Many of those enslaved would die, and were then easily replaced by some brought from the Bahamas. Read more TOM GRALISH / Staff Photographer by Staff Reports This follows both Minneapolis and Seattle, which adopted the new. Jarrett Stepman also writes in his book The War on History, What is never explained is why so-called indigenous peoples are worthy of celebration if Columbus is not. A new intersectional publication, geared towards voices, values, and identities! Everything that he did sounded like it was so whimsical and as a young child yearning for an adventure I idolized him. Until the mid-1700s, Christopher Columbus was not widely known among most Americans. The United States and several Latin American countries celebrate Columbus Day to recognize Christopher Columbus striking land in the Americas and the mixing of European and Native American Cultures. We need to set the record straight early on. A Blazing Weapon: Unraveling the Mystery of Greek Fire. He even made his crew swear an oath that Cuba was not an island but indeed the mainland of Asia, and that China could be reached overland from there. Despite the time that has passed, Columbus Day still remains a subject that most people would rather not think about. So partly, out of spite, here are a few reasons why Columbus Day shouldnt be celebrated. Contrary to popular belief, Columbus Day is a celebration of diversity, not oppression. As part of this plan, Spaniards aimed to convert native peoples to Christianity. And if you can, take some time to learn more about all the diversity that makes the Caribbean great. In a racially equal world, Columbus shouldn't be celebrated. Why Schools Should Rethink How They Teach About Columbus Our writers can help you with any type of essay. All rights reserved. April Holloway is a Co-Owner, Editor and Writer of Ancient Origins. Columbus Day: Should it be considered a federal holiday? Growing up, I wasnt exposed to this truth. 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. 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. Why NOT to celebrate Columbus Day | Ancient Origins Why Should Columbus Day Be Celebrated | Hearinnh It was still his idea to sail west, rather than east to hit the East Indies, right? He and his crew were greeted with smiles, gifts and food. The Encyclopedia Britannica describes him as a master navigator and admiral. He sailed to numerous places beginning his career as a merchant marine. The Iliad can provide new insights on the role of motherhood among the ancient Greek gods, and by extension, amongst ancient mortal Greek women themselves.
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