Don't know where to start? 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. Columbus Day is one of America s oldest holidays. The opposition towards Christopher Columbus did not commence in todays society, or even the 21st century. . The main reason some Leftists dont want to celebrate Christopher Columbus is because his actions supposedly led to the genocide of Native American peoples. Columbus may have recorded that he "found" America, but he was a. mass murderer. With as simple of a description as that, one would wonder why so much controversy arises from a legal American holiday. On his third, he named Trinidad and landed in present-day Venezuela. 1. 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. I dont think that we should start childrens education by saying that the country is built on the genocide of a group and the enslavement of another. 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 population of the Taino decreased by over two hundred thousand within sixty years. European settlers not only introduced new diseases to the Americas that wiped out scores of Indigenous people, but also warfare, colonization, enslavement, and torture. So, there you have it; five reasons not to celebrate Columbus Day this year (or any other year). Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide. There has been much debate over whether or not Columbus Day should be celebrated. Columbus and his men raped and mistreated the slaves, especially young girls through ages nine and ten. 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 . "Ignore the propaganda and instead remember Christopher Columbus with gratitude and a clear conscience. Even perpetually leftward NPR admitted today . 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. And Erickson was certainly as European as Columbus (at least in todays geographical terminology.) Listen I know almost everyone celebrated in history enslaved people. 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. Well, the tough thing about labeling someone as good or bad is the definitions change with the times. On his 1492 voyage, Chris landed on a number of islands including some in the Bahamas very close to mainland Florida. Many states celebrate both. Without him, the modern world would not be the way it is today. 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. Published: October 7, 2021 8.23am EDT Updated: October 7, 2021 9.53am EDT. What were his actual contributions? Those are important questions we want to ask as citizens. As part of this plan, Spaniards aimed to convert native peoples to Christianity. Legal Statement. Understanding controversies what Columbus did, how he did it, whether we should be commemorating him builds skills that are fundamental for understanding history and social studies. Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) is generally considered to be a great explorer during the Age of Exploration . Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert. The Encyclopedia Britannica describes him as a "master navigator and admiral." He sailed to numerous places beginning his career as a merchant marine. The idea that Christopher Columbus discovered "The New World" is one of the great fallacies of history. 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. I believe thats the tact to take when looking at Chris. And Im not one to turn down a national holiday for a day off work! Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. Hence, the inducement cited above.). What is the origin of the legend of the Christed Son who was born of a virgin on December 25th? But I think considering the fact that Columbus also enslaved a group of people who were otherwise peaceful to him should be noted. Columbus was taking advantage of opportunities to find goods by getting the help of slaves. Congress also believed the holiday would mark the contribution of immigrants to the United States. Now theres a deed worth celebrating every year! 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. To realize this dream, they split up. A genocide happened in "the Americas," and it began with Columbus. However, his other two ships on his first voyage were the Santa Clara and the Gallega. (2020, Aug 20). They were the original immigrants to the New World, and deserve their remembrance. It doesn't make sense for the United States to recognize this supposed Christian with ashow more content The Knights of Columbus lobbied state legislatures to legalize the holiday. 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. There are several reasons why Columbus Day has become controversial. The next obvious question is: well, if thats not his name, what were the names of his famous ships? Washington, D.C., has joined hundreds of U.S. cities in seven states in replacing Columbus Day with a day to celebrate Native Americans. Columbus Day. It is on public record, that Columbus rewarded his soldiers by giving them Native Americans to rape. So, no, Columbus did not discover the New World.. . Certain states and localities have moved away from celebrating Christopher Columbus, and now celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day. 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. . In 1892, a joint congressional resolution prompted President Benjamin Harrison to mark the "discovery of America by Columbus," in part because of "the devout faith of the discoverer and for the. Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday of October. Some schools, cities, and institutions, such as the. Diseases were spread and were not able to be resisted by the sick slaves. 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. And #5 gets worse. This kept them from planting crops, leading to widespread starvation. 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. Columbus Day commemorates the landing of Columbus in the "New World" (on a small island off Florida) on October 12, 1492. Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/two-reasons-why-columbus-day-should-not-be-celebrated/. This movement sees Columbus as a symbol of destruction, and thus not to be celebrated. One of the best parts of our humanity is that sense of discovery. Chris went to Spain and Bart to France. 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. She likes thrifting, romance novels, cooking shows, and can often be found binging documentaries. 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. The act moved Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day and the new Columbus Day holiday to Mondays. They also show evidence that at least 12 other groups of people entered the Americas before Columbus. Nevertheless, the first official Columbus Day happened in 1892, when President Harrison issued a proclamation for Americans to commemorate the day. If instead of Columbus, a Chinese marine had arrived first and "colonized" America, would be blaming the Chinese for the destruction of American civilizations? 4. In his role, he writes about current political issues, U.S. history, political philosophy, and culture. There are many good reasons as to why Columbus Day is such a controversial holiday. Sure, Chris had been sailing since age 14. @uknowhgse. 1. Columbus didnt know shit about geography! Cambridge, MA 02138, Challenges? We asked Eric Shed, a veteran history teacher who now directs the Harvard Teacher Fellows Program, to share perspectives on the changing currents around Columbus Day and the challenges of learning and teaching history, as distinct from celebrating it. Why is he important? ," Jake Flanagin explains why many are arguing it . According to, Columbus believed that he was playing a part in a divine plan to Christianize the world. 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. Pay the writer only for a finished, plagiarism-free essay that meets all your requirements. If the world was round, this was possible, he thought. But as I grew older, it became clear that history is murky. Mettler earned his Bachelors degree from William Jessup University and is an alumnus of the Young Leaders Program at The Heritage Foundation. Some committed suicide to avoid subjugation, others fled, but many rebelled. We need students to understand that Columbus is important, even if he isnt someone to be celebrated. We should celebrate Indigenous People's Day instead. We dont know exactly where this is, but its most likely one of the islands that make up modern-day Bahamas. There, the brothers should have been exposed to the adventures of another explorer: Leif Erickson. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The holiday is typically observed on the second Monday in October. 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. Specifically, he is credited with being the first European explorer since the Vikings to explore the New World for Europeans. Contrary to popular belief, Columbus Day is a celebration of diversity, not oppression. 3.Two Reasons Why Columbus Day Should Not be Celebrated; 4.Should Christopher Columbus Day Be Celebrated Essay Example; 5.Columbus Day Is Not Worth Celebrating - GradesFixer; 6.Why Columbus Day Should Not Be Celebrated? We should honor George Washington, the Indispensable man, for his military bravado and skilled leadership as our first president, even though he owned slaves. 2. But as far as I know, no U.S. landfall. A growing number of cities are no longer celebrating Columbus Day, swapping it for "Indigenous Peoples' Day.". On his second voyage, he landed at Hispaniola, Cuba, and Jamaica among others. 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. Christopher Columbus wasnt American! Who Destroyed the Great Library of Alexandria? A main argument for the idealization of the 15th century explorer is the idea that he was the first European to discover the Americas. Market data provided by Factset. Columbus Day celebrations date back to 1792, when New York City celebrated the 300th anniversary of Columbus' landfall. And most of all, I was taught of his discovering America. This is where many of the peaceful natives were met with brutal deaths onboard, whether it be from disease or mistreatment from the handlers. The pro for Columbus Day written by John Wirt. In another case, some people think Columbus was a hero because he represents a leader who went far and beyond to find America. Between 1482 and 1485 Columbus traded along the Guinea and Gold coasts of tropical West Africa and made at least one voyage to Elmina, Ghana. After all of this, he made four transatlantic voyages to the new world beginning with his first famed voyage in 1492. How could we look at this from a different perspective? For a long time, Columbus discovery of America was an universally celebrated event, both in Europe and America. 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. The holiday celebrates . Here are my main reasons why I refuse to celebrate Columbus Day: 1. Below are five reasons why Columbus Day celebrants can hold their head high in 2019 rather than kowtow to guilt-based politics. One of the few facts Americans remember from history is "Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492 The White House is pushing National Coming Out Day as a way of changing the subject. "Reason: he may have discovered America before Columbus; Columbus is now commonplace as . Then they would sail away together to claim their riches. The first reason for why Christopher Columbus should not be celebrated is because he committed mass genocide against the Native Americans. In the early morning hours of the third day on October 12, the lookout . October 11, 2021 5:00 am. Christopher Columbus is just one of those English adaptations someone felt was preferable to pronouncing a foreign sounding name. Howell Public Schools Stance on Mask Mandate, In person school, more beneficial to kids. He would cut off the hands of people living in what now is Haiti for not bringing him enough gold every three months. This new day was first adopted in Berkeley, California in 1992. So, yes, in 1498 and 1502, he did reach the continental Americas. How many countries award holidays to non-natives? He decimated the native population. Medieval Sea Monster Was Likely a Whale, New Research Reveals, What is Shambhala? Norimitsu Odachi: Who Could Have Possibly Wielded This Enormous 15th Century Japanese Sword? Alaska is said not to celebrate the day because it falls too close to Alaska Day (Oct . 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.