The Zinn Education Project also includes a bunch of primary sources related to Columbus, such as writings by Bartolom de La Casas. Were theonlyPop Archaeology site combining scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives. In fact, the result of Columbuss voyages was mass, Columbus didnt do too well as a governor of these new lands. 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. President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Columbus Day a. Howard Zinns A Peoples History of the United States includes horrific, detailed eyewitness accounts of how the Spanish explorers treated the Native Americans. These Natives are so nice, wed be crazy not to enslave them is one contentious quote by Christopher Columbus. However, it was his brother, the cartographers idea to sail West. With all that, there are reasons to celebrate Columbus Day. The Encyclopedia Britannica describes him as a "master navigator and admiral." He sailed to numerous places beginning his career as a merchant marine. And those multiple viewpoints may help engage students who might feel otherwise unrepresented in a history class, such as females and students of color. Large Increase in U.S. 1. -- Celebrate Italians (though there is some question as to whether Columbus would have considered himself an Italian -- he was long thought to have been born in Genoa, then an independent city-state in what is now Italy, though everyone from Greece to Portugal to Poland have claimed him as their own). ). (2020, Aug 20). The New York Society of Tammany also honored Columbus of his first voyage with the marking of his 300th anniversary. The war against the Western heritage. Top 5 Reasons NOT to Celebrate Columbus Day And 1 Reason To History comes with an agenda. Or Napoleon Bonaparte Day, for that matter. On October 12,1792was when it was first celebrated. To get a custom and plagiarism-free essay. Hi! Columbus Day celebrations date back to 1792, when New York City celebrated the 300th anniversary of Columbus' landfall. History, in fact, is the story of conquest. Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/two-reasons-why-columbus-day-should-not-be-celebrated/. Truth of Discovery Normally, the notion of discovery means encountering a place or an idea for the very first time.. Its important to learn about what Columbus did to Native Americans because not everyone knows the truth about him and his treatment of the Natives. 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. A genocide happened in "the Americas," and it began with Columbus. It is known by many as to what had happened after Americas discovery. We should celebrate Indigenous People's Day instead. Ancient Origins 2013 - 2023Disclaimer- Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy -Submissions - We Give Back - Contact us. Reference list: Herman Lindquist, Christopher Columbus var han riktigt klok, Fischer, 1992. Diseases were spread and were not able to be resisted by the sick slaves. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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The first reason for why Christopher Columbus should not be celebrated is because he committed mass genocide against the Native Americans. Yeah. Columbus Day is a United States federal holiday that celebrates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492. The con for Columbus Day written by Elliot Lassitter. [email protected] The act moved Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day and the new Columbus Day holiday to Mondays. How many countries award holidays to non-natives? 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. While there is only limited knowledge of what pre-Columbus America was like, it did feature war, slavery, torture and plenty of brutality. Except, once Chris had succeeded in Spain, he didnt wait for his brother. There are many examples in his writings where he gave instructions to this effect. This was a sign of things to come. Architecture of the Floating (Or Sinking) City: How Was Venice Built? 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. Columbus Day's only silver lining may be found at historically significant sites throughout the Caribbean that connect us to history. 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. 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. He wrote in his log: They brought us parrots and balls of cotton and spears and many other things they willingly traded everything they owned 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. They would make fine servants With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want.. And the D.C. City Council recently approved a measure to abolish Columbus Day and replace it with Indigenous Peoples Day. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The opposition towards Christopher Columbus did not commence in todays society, or even the 21st century. Thats a lesson for later. The initial recorded Columbus Day celebration in the United States was on October 12, 1792. But you didnt discover a place that was already inhabited by a peaceful group of people. And hes credited for marking the establishment of institutionalized slavery in the West Indies. Read More For a long time, Columbus discovery of America was an universally celebrated event, both in Europe and America. "It's difficult to think there exists a site anywhere with a higher concentration of cave art.". All rights reserved. So, there you have it; five reasons not to celebrate Columbus Day this year (or any other year). Columbus was from a middle class family. And now Ill claim it for us! After a few weeks sailing, he landed in the present day Bahamas. Why We Do Not Celebrate Columbus Day. Elliott Lassitter and John WirtOctober 26, 2017. Columbus Day, which is celebrated on the second Monday of October each year, has become a controversial subject for many people. 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. And eventually hundreds of years of African slave trade but uhm, OK, fine, he was a monster. A Blazing Weapon: Unraveling the Mystery of Greek Fire. The reason Columbus set sail on his epic journey in the first place was because he raped the 13-year-old daughter of a Spanish Duchess. Here Are Some Reasons Why. Since August, eight cities have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day, including several in just the last week. He was the catalyst that brought more explorers across the Atlantic, who would eventually begin to explore North America, but it is . I remember learning about Columbus as a young child and I was in awe learning about the explorer. Dating back around 200 years, the nonreligious had been adverse to this celebration. For any subject. Destiny is currently enrolled in Columbia University's MFA Writing program. 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. This criticism had quickly faded over time, and was replaced by a more pressing issue; the improper treatment towards indigenous people. 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. Columbus Day, the second Monday in October, is a nationally recognized holiday. Get in touch! Why should we celebrate a man who promoted and distributed so much violence when we can celebrate and honor the history of Indigenous people? 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. 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. It doesn't make sense for the United States to recognize this supposed Christian with ashow more content After you read both, let us know what you think by posting a comment. Its 2020 people. On his second voyage, he landed at Hispaniola, Cuba, and Jamaica among others. In any case, we know for a fact that Europeans traveled to America almost 500 years before Columbus. It also became clear that there are many reasons not to celebrate Columbus Day. The attack on Columbus Day is a major facet of the cultural . But heres the kicker. Indeed, the promise of the West has delivered freedom and bounty such as humanity has never known. Yet, many continue to believe that America owes its discovery to Christopher Columbus. This movement sees Columbus as a symbol of destruction, and thus not to be celebrated. We need students to understand that Columbus is important, even if he isnt someone to be celebrated. Many states celebrate both. So the discovery of the Western Hemisphere should go to Erickson, no? He finally ended up getting a sponsorship with the Spanish crown, and was off to explore the world. To realize this dream, they split up. 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. Specifically, he is credited with being the first European explorer since the Vikings to explore the New World for Europeans. Columbus went on forth with a lot of violence, such as cutting off a slaves nose/hands to signify power against them. The natives were removed from their villages to work in gold mines and colonial plantations. The Knights of Columbus lobbied state legislatures to legalize the holiday. Even though Eratosthenes (Greek mathematician living in Alexandria, Egypt, Columbus never discovered anything. I dont think its ever too young. Be careful, this sample is accessible to everyone. . (BTW, you can find a list of over 40 of his articles here.). And if you can, take some time to learn more about all the diversity that makes the Caribbean great. Columbus Day was invented by the Knights of Columbus in the 1930s when they were looking for a role model for school age children. Sure, he was addicted to opium, but a lot of people were at the time. 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. Here are my main reasons why I refuse to celebrate Columbus Day: 1. (Not that the West solely had these ideas, but it put them in a package that wasnt generally available elsewhere.). Captivating History, Christopher Columbus: A Captivating Guide to the Life of an Italian Explorer and His Voyages to the Americas, Captivating History, 2020 Religion was heavily forced upon the Native American tribes, and the Europeans means of dealing with their obstacles run much more inhumane. With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want.. He read books, studied the ocean, and made a name for himself. If we blame Columbus and the Spanish kings, we should also blame every other invader and conqueror in History. 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. Most of the time when injustices occurred, Columbus wasnt even there. And thats even if you discount the fact that native peoples lived in these places all along. Without him, the modern world would not be the way it is today. Everything that he did sounded like it was so whimsical and as a young child yearning for an adventure I idolized him. We need students to understand that Columbus is important, even if he isnt someone to be celebrated. And, while we celebrate Columbus Day, we can learn from history and also take time to honor Native Americans. 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. - IPL.org; 7.Why We Should Not Celebrate Columbus Day - IPL.org; 8.Why Columbus Day Should Not Be Celebrated Essay . What is the origin of the legend of the Christed Son who was born of a virgin on December 25th? Like Andrew Jackson, Christopher Columbus is a historical figure who is celebrated as a mythical hero. 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.. Nefer Say Nefer - Was Nefertiti Buried in the Valley of the Queens? In the early morning hours of the third day on October 12, the lookout . Specify your topic, deadline, number of pages and other requirements. Indeed, Columbus was mostly benign in his interaction with native populations. Christopher Columbus is just one of those English adaptations someone felt was preferable to pronouncing a foreign sounding name. Indigenous Peoples Day: Why it's replacing Columbus Day in many places. So, yes, in 1498 and 1502, he did reach the continental Americas. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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? Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide. But that, for better or worse, is how history worked pretty much everywhere for thousands of years. Once upon a time, teachers celebrated Columbus Day by leading children in choruses of song about the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. "Ignore the propaganda and instead remember Christopher Columbus with gratitude and a clear conscience. They have no iron. 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. 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. 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. Columbus and St. Croix Alaska is said not to celebrate the day because it falls too close to Alaska Day (Oct . With three boats, the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria, he set out in search of a better trade route to India. Now, I got nothing against thousands of virgins or a good story. So partly, out of spite, here are a few reasons why Columbus Day shouldnt be celebrated. Columbus Day is a patriotic holiday. Europe, Asia and Africa, of course, suffered through numerous plagues of their own.). Why would an academic system praise someone who was so blatantly evil? 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. First of all, Christopher Columbus isnt even his name. Zachary Mettler works as a staff writer and communications liaison for The Daily Citizen at Focus on the Family. Columbus was taking advantage of opportunities to find goods by getting the help of slaves. He was turned down from the Portuguese crown, Genoa crown, Venice crown, and English crown. 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. Columbus couldn't be killed without angering the Italian court, so Queen Isabella sent him on a mission, hoping he wouldn't return.