Howard Zinns A Peoples History of the United States includes horrific, detailed eyewitness accounts of how the Spanish explorers treated the Native Americans. He shows the effect of willpower and perseverance. Columbus Day: Why We Shouldn't Celebrate It - MSU Reporter Three other states New Mexico, Maine, Vermont followed suit this year. He led the way for future colonists to settle the United States. If instead of Columbus, a Chinese marine had arrived first and "colonized" America, would be blaming the Chinese for the destruction of American civilizations? Poll shows most Americans want to celebrate Columbus Day. 10 Reasons Why We Celebrate Columbus Day - TipTopTens.com Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) is generally considered to be a great explorer during the Age of Exploration . 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. Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+! There, the brothers should have been exposed to the adventures of another explorer: Leif Erickson. The tradition of observing Columbus Day dates back to the 18th century. In this 2014 piece, " Columbus Day, or 'Indigenous Peoples' Day'? It took tremendous bravery to sail off into the unknown. In our opinion, this is something to celebrate, not the arrival of Christopher Columbus who led the way for these indigenous populations to have their culture decimated and their population murdered, displaced or forced into slavery. (BTW, you can find a list of over 40 of his articles here.). So, there you have it; five reasons not to celebrate Columbus Day this year (or any other year). If we blame Columbus and the Spanish kings, we should also blame every other invader and conqueror in History. 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. - IPL.org; 7.Why We Should Not Celebrate Columbus Day - IPL.org; 8.Why Columbus Day Should Not Be Celebrated Essay . They have no iron. We dont know exactly where this is, but its most likely one of the islands that make up modern-day Bahamas. We may not like it, but its our shared heritage. Here Are Some Reasons Why. But what exactly does it mean to be civilized? In response to the rebellion, Columbus ordered a brutal crackdown in which many natives were killed, and their dismembered bodies paraded through the streets. Although many people have adopted Columbus day as "Indigenous People's Day," many people will not agree that we should also have a holiday . Harvard Graduate School of Education An angry mob decided to drag them. We should celebrate Indigenous People's Day instead. 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. On his second voyage, he landed at Hispaniola, Cuba, and Jamaica among others. If we have a holiday honoring somebody, the question on everyones mind should be, Why are we honoring them? Henry IV of Spain known as "The Impotent" for his weakness, both on the throne and (allegedly) in the marriage chamber died in 1474. 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. He thereby claimed the lifetime pension for himself, cheating the rightful claimant out of both glory and a significant amount of money. This was a sign of things to come. 2023 President and Fellows of Harvard College, Who do we celebrate, and why? Columbus went to live in Portugal. Americans, for all our faults, love adventure. He would cut off the hands of people living in what now is Haiti for not bringing him enough gold every three months. 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. What Columbus Day Really Means - The American Scholar It neednt be a battleground, but a chance to celebrate the best within us. Why as a nation we should celebrate Columbus Day October 11, 2021 5:00 am. 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. Very trying! sums it up for Daniel, creator of Stories Guaranteed to Make You Sick, Dr. Crankenfuss books, Moose Jokes, & now Practically News. Columbus day is a controversial holiday, but one that should be celebrated. Give us your paper requirements, choose a writer and well deliver the highest-quality essay! And Erickson was certainly as European as Columbus (at least in todays geographical terminology.) 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. After you read both, let us know what you think by posting a comment. Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert. Hoping to bring fresh perspectives to topics like race & politics, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0. 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. Bring them to the light, if you would. Why We Shouldn't Celebrate Columbus Day - ATTN: Two Reasons why Columbus Day should not be Celebrated, This example was written and submitted by a fellow student. 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. 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. Specifically, he is credited with being the first European explorer since the Vikings to explore the New World for Europeans. Why Should We Celebrate Columbus Day Essay - 1065 Words | Cram Columbus and his men raped and mistreated the slaves, especially young girls through ages nine and ten. 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. And Washington, D.C., this week renamed the holiday, pending congressional approval. And, sure he was directly responsible for the enslavement, torture, mutilation, and murder of tens of thousands of Native American people in the Caribbean islands during his quest for riches. It also became clear that there are many reasons not to celebrate Columbus Day. Furthermore, Columbus continued to enslave Natives and abuse their nation, damage their environment, and their rights as humans. A growing number of cities are no longer celebrating Columbus Day, swapping it for "Indigenous Peoples' Day.". History comes with an agenda. Market data provided by Factset. 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. Not if we cant celebrate Christopher Columbus. Who Destroyed the Great Library of Alexandria? This movement sees Columbus as a symbol of destruction, and thus not to be celebrated. 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. I believe thats the tact to take when looking at Chris. SHOULD CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS BE CELEBRATED? You can order an original essay written according to your instructions. 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. How could we look at this from a different perspective? Columbus was a brilliant man in his own right. Its 2020 people. Ahh, well, semantics. In his role, he writes about current political issues, U.S. history, political philosophy, and culture. Among the reasons cited for the Columbus Day federal holiday was that it was being observed in 40 states at the time. Get the recap of top opinion commentary and original content throughout the week. So, there you have it; five reasons not to celebrate Columbus Day this year (or any other year). We may not like it, but its our shared heritage. Equipping students to grapple with the complexities of the past and the controversies of today, By grappling with the question of who we celebrate, and why, history teachers can help students navigate the complexities of the past, Resurfacing the lessons of Ferguson, which continue to resonate today, From Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day, Theres definitely a trend toward questioning Columbus Day. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings. by sailing west. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Columbus Day is a national holiday in the United States that celebrates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492. Columbus went on forth with a lot of violence, such as cutting off a slaves nose/hands to signify power against them. Certain states and localities have moved away from celebrating Christopher Columbus, and now celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day. Top 5 Reasons NOT to Celebrate Columbus Day And 1 Reason To To begin, some people think Columbus is a hero because he found America, which is not true. The plan was to join up once theyd gotten the backing they needed. Of course, Christopher Columbus was Italian, and his day . History, in fact, is the story of conquest. Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/two-reasons-why-columbus-day-should-not-be-celebrated/. Pre-Columbian civilizations from Mexico to Peru were nearly all responsible for brutal violence on a large scale long before Columbus arrived on the shores of the New World including human sacrifices, even of children, sometimes by tearing out the victims still-beating heart.. 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. The first reason for why Christopher Columbus should not be celebrated is because he committed mass genocide against the Native Americans. Why Are We Still Celebrating Columbus Day? | Study.com Howell Public Schools Stance on Mask Mandate, In person school, more beneficial to kids. This conflict between reality and fiction is what makes Columbus Day one of the most controversial holidays in America. To realize this dream, they split up. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Why We Should Not Celebrate Columbus Day | ipl.org Columbus killed a tremendous amount of people (genocide), and got away with it because of better equipment, men and control. Well, the tough thing about labeling someone as good or bad is the definitions change with the times. While we are thankful for this land we call America, it . Why Do We Celebrate Columbus Day? Some Opt for National Indigenous Columbus set a precedent for exploration of the new world. Without him, the modern world would not be the way it is today. Many believe that they sailed even further south, maybe as far as New Brunswick. Teach Kids About Columbus Day vs Indigenous Peoples Day 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. Dominant narratives tend to speak about heroes in a simple sense; counternarratives can be much more critical. He was a man of faith for whom God provided, and his discovery led to the eventual establishment of the Western values we know and seek to preserve today. This new day was first adopted in Berkeley, California in 1992. Twelve Reasons NOT to Celebrate Columbus Day - Medium Columbus Day was a solution to a problem that most people didn't know existed. Columbus may have recorded that he "found" America, but he was a. mass murderer. . What Does Columbus Day Mean for Hispanics? Despite the time that has passed, Columbus Day still remains a subject that most people would rather not think about. Had he have given up, the world would be drastically different today. If Columbus had been an Englishman, or a Frenchman, would have they behaved in a different way? Many people believe that Columbus Day should not be a federal holiday because Christopher Columbus was a terrible person. I am sure you are familiar with his legend which states that he was born in a manger surrounded by shepherds, about Christopher Columbus: Master Double Agent and Portugals 007, about Roman Sword discovered off Oak Island radically suggests Ancient Mariners visited New World 1,000 years before Columbus, For Sale In Britain: A Small Ancient Man With A Colossal Penis, Sacred Marvels: 17 Cathedrals That Will Take Your Breath Away, In Pictures, Egyptologists Reveal a Lost Chamber in the Great Pyramid With Cosmic Rays, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Unleashing the End of the World. As I said in the beginning of this piece, Columbus did not discover what would become North America. Like Andrew Jackson, Christopher Columbus is a historical figure who is celebrated as a mythical hero. Other times they would go and massacre an entire village. As known by many, Columbus Day commemorates the discovery of the New World by none other than Christopher Columbus himself. Columbus Day, which is celebrated on the second Monday of October each year, has become a controversial subject for many people. This new day was first adopted in Berkeley, California in 1992. And Bart was left behind on the cutting room floor of history. -- Celebrate the spirit of exploration. I remember learning about Columbus as a young child and I was in awe learning about the explorer. Why We Should Celebrate Columbus Day? Free Essay Example 1. When confronted with evidence to the contrary, he simply could not conceive of the the idea that he might be wrong. The Columbus controversy can also help students see that history is still applicable today. Columbus didnt know shit about geography! This is also apparent when he was trying to get sponsorships for the trips. Columbus wanted to test this idea. Though it has its controversies, Columbus day should be celebrated. Why Should Columbus Day Be Celebrated | Hearinnh 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. Columbus Did Not Discover North America. I'm Amy, When he was only 23. he had the idea of going to India, China and Japan. Most Americans didn't even know much about Columbus until Washington Irving yes, that Washington Irving wrote. It is perhaps worth revisiting the two distinct reasons why we celebrate Columbus Day in the first place, and . Americans have the right to celebrate whatever they chose, but the history behind Columbus Day is not to be ignored. "Ignore the propaganda and instead remember Christopher Columbus with gratitude and a clear conscience. Legal Statement. Colorado did so on April 1, 1907. It is on public record, that Columbus rewarded his soldiers by giving them Native Americans to rape. 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. These books have fueled the trends I mentioned around Columbus Day. I discovered America. 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. Why We Shouldn't Celebrate Columbus Day - Her Campus 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. According to, Columbus believed that he was playing a part in a divine plan to Christianize the world. Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday of October. Please follow him or give him some claps please be sure thats in the plural if you enjoyed this. Norimitsu Odachi: Who Could Have Possibly Wielded This Enormous 15th Century Japanese Sword? 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. 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. Here are my main reasons why I refuse to celebrate Columbus Day: 1. Columbus Day celebrations date back to 1792, when New York City celebrated the 300th anniversary of Columbus' landfall. 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. St. Ursula and her eleven thousand virgins, native peoples lived in these places all along. 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. 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. your personal assistant! With as simple of a description as that, one would wonder why so much controversy arises from a legal American holiday. 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. And its fundamentally important that they do so. Should the United States continue to celebrate Columbus Day? 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. 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. In fact, there is proof that the Chinese, Greeks and Italians, all explored America before Columbus. 10+ why columbus day should not be celebrated essay most standard He is an inspiration to many young people. The opposition towards Christopher Columbus did not commence in todays society, or even the 21st century. And thats even if you discount the fact that native peoples lived in these places all along. First of all, Christopher Columbus isnt even his name. Make sure your essay is plagiarism-free or hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs. Both in an effort to secure funding for their expedition. These Natives are so nice, wed be crazy not to enslave them is one contentious quote by Christopher Columbus. What are some Facts about Christopher Columbus? We all own it. I want to make sure we do justice to indigenous folks. He first went to sea when he was only 14 years old. 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. But I think considering the fact that Columbus also enslaved a group of people who were otherwise peaceful to him should be noted. Unfortunately, many irksome doings lay deep under the surface. Land was first spotted by Rodrigo de Triana, a lookout on the Pinta, and thereafter by its captain Martin Alonso Pinzo, who notified Columbus. Right now, across the country, cities and schools are faced with the question, Should we celebrate Columbus? Were facing similar questions about how we commemorate the confederacy and the Civil War.