History, in fact, is the story of conquest. The New World was discovered within the same timeframe as when slave trade had begun to arise. One of the best parts of our humanity is that sense of discovery. (You may want to add this into the equation.). For if we celebrate Columbus, we are celebrating a racist genocide, massive land robbery, barbaric slavery, serial rape and systemic torture. 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. Herman Lindquist, Christopher Columbus var han riktigt klok, Fischer, 1992, Captivating History, Christopher Columbus: A Captivating Guide to the Life of an Italian Explorer and His Voyages to the Americas, Captivating History, 2020, Encyclopdia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Christopher-Columbus. There are many examples in his writings where he gave instructions to this effect. "It's difficult to think there exists a site anywhere with a higher concentration of cave art.". 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. Specifically, he is credited with being the first European explorer since the Vikings to explore the New World for Europeans. On his third, he named Trinidad and landed in present-day Venezuela. At times, they would make an example of a Native by cutting his hands off and tying them around his neck, then telling him to go and 'share the message' with the rest of his tribe. Our writers can help you with any type of essay. Historical Figures Should Be Viewed in Light of Their Greatest Achievements, Not Their Worst Mistakes. Here are my main reasons why I refuse to celebrate Columbus Day: 1. Other times they would go and massacre an entire village. Columbus tortured and murdered many thousands of native peoples. And while some people may seem content with the story as it stands, our view is that there existcountless mysteries, scientific anomalies and surprising artifacts thathave yet to be discovered and explained. Two Reasons why Columbus Day should not be Celebrated, This example was written and submitted by a fellow student. Yes, this guy didnt commit genocide. Columbus Day commemorates the landing of Columbus in the "New World" (on a small island off Florida) on October 12, 1492. It is true that the conquest of the Americas by Europeans, which starts with Columbus, was very ugly, and involved a lot of violence. It doesn't make sense for the United States to recognize this supposed Christian with ashow more content They also show evidence that at least 12 other groups of people entered the Americas before Columbus. As Greek mythology goes, the universe was once a big soup of nothingness. An angry mob decided to drag them. Christopher Columbus, as it turned out, was responsible for widespread genocide; he permitted his men to rape, murder, mutilate and enslave indigenous people. We dont know exactly where this is, but its most likely one of the islands that make up modern-day Bahamas. Columbus inspired countless other explorers, both of his time and of modern time, to explore and make discoveries. 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. Nevertheless, the first official Columbus Day happened in 1892, when President Harrison issued a proclamation for Americans to commemorate the day. And he was a talented astronomer and navigator. This began with the spirit of Christopher Columbus. 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. Because thats public history. With as simple of a description as that, one would wonder why so much controversy arises from a legal American holiday. Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492. That alone is worth celebrating.". Turning points are powerful lenses through which students need to view our past. Well, the tough thing about labeling someone as good or bad is the definitions change with the times. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. But, again, no mainland United States. And Bart was left behind on the cutting room floor of history. A main argument for the idealization of the 15th century explorer is the idea that he was the first European to discover the Americas. He initiated a turning point in our history. Or maybe even plan to discover your own new-to-you islands! Why is he important? Alaska is said not to celebrate the day because it falls too close to Alaska Day (Oct . 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. If we have a holiday honoring somebody, the question on everyones mind should be, Why are we honoring them? To get a custom and plagiarism-free essay. Furthermore, Columbus continued to enslave Natives and abuse their nation, damage their environment, and their rights as humans. I'm not the only Italian American on board with ditching the holiday. But by then he was hardly the first European. 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 Day, which is celebrated on the second Monday of October each year, has become a controversial subject for many people. Be careful, this sample is accessible to everyone. (Remember, they werent well versed in Spanish. Or Napoleon Bonaparte Day, for that matter. 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. Why would an academic system praise someone who was so blatantly evil? Columbus Day means that finally, America was economically assimilated to Europe, in those times peopled by Western dominant civilizations. - IPL.org; 7.Why We Should Not Celebrate Columbus Day - IPL.org; 8.Why Columbus Day Should Not Be Celebrated Essay . If Columbus is Off Limits to Celebrate, so are Indigenous Peoples. But as I grew older, it became clear that history is murky. And, while we celebrate Columbus Day, we can learn from history and also take time to honor Native Americans. You can order an original essay written according to your instructions. His contract with the monarchs, called The Capitulations. After a few weeks sailing, he landed in the present day Bahamas. He asked for 3 more days, and if land was not sighted, the crew could do with him as they wished. Everything that he did sounded like it was so whimsical and as a young child yearning for an adventure I idolized him. We dont want to expose young kids to graphic accounts of brutal treatment of Native Americans, but I think you want them to begin to question: What did this person do? "Ignore the propaganda and instead remember Christopher Columbus with gratitude and a clear conscience. There, the brothers should have been exposed to the adventures of another explorer: Leif Erickson. While there is plenty to criticize about Columbus, and what followed his arrival, I think this movement is missing the point. Thats when learning happens. Nevertheless, Italians claim him today and Columbus Day is a good chance to recognize what Italians have contributed to America, and the world. Many states celebrate both. 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. 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. Columbus wanted to expand knowledge about the world and what more it consisted of by going across the ocean. Columbus Day is a national holiday in the United States that celebrates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492. Columbus Day's only silver lining may be found at historically significant sites throughout the Caribbean that connect us to history. Until his dying day Columbus maintained that the land he had discovered was Asia and not a new continent. 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. There were terrible diseases that got communicated to the natives, but he cant be blamed for that., 5. Poll shows most Americans want to celebrate Columbus Day. 1. Columbus Personified the American Spirit Columbus was a brilliant man in his own right. That's my nephew, Trinidad, reveling in the joys of Caribbean sailing somewhere between St. Croix and Buck Island aboard Teroro II. 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. Certain states and localities have moved away from celebrating Christopher Columbus, and now celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day. 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. Columbus Day is a United States federal holiday that celebrates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492. We all own it. If the commemorations dealt at all with the impact of European exploration on the indigenous civilizations already flourishing in these discovered lands, it was often fleeting. 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. In fact, that might have been a good neighbor, whereas today That neighbor would find themselves in jail. 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. 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. 1. How could we look at this from a different perspective? 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.. While Columbus Day is not a widely celebrated holiday, the question of whether or not to celebrate it are definitely up for discussion. Many people believe that Columbus Day should not be a federal holiday because Christopher Columbus was a terrible person. He shows the effect of willpower and perseverance. St. Ursula and her eleven thousand virgins, native peoples lived in these places all along. "Endless testimonies.prove the mild and pacific temperament of the natives. 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. . 20 University Rd., 6th Floor For instance, they lay out what specific textbooks omitted about Columbuss involvement with the slave trade and genocide. 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. Yet in the past few decades, something has changed. Based on my experience, I think its vitally essential that teachers engage kids as young as sixth grade in questions that really interrogate Columbus. Although Christopher Columbus is credited with discovering America, people had been inhabiting both North and South America for thousands of years before the 15 th century criminal explorer actually first set foot there. After you read both, let us know what you think by posting a comment. When I got to high school and learned the truth about Columbus I felt betrayed. He is an inspiration to many young people. Columbus may have recorded that he "found" America, but he was a. mass murderer. To begin, some people think Columbus is a hero because he found America, which is not true. Though it has its controversies, Columbus day should be celebrated. A recent Marist Poll shows why: Those campaigning against Columbus Day are in the minority. The White House is pushing National Coming Out Day as a way of changing the subject. All rights reserved. Most Americans didn't even know much about Columbus until Washington Irving yes, that Washington Irving wrote. We think of Columbus Day as a heroic and triumphant day ever since 1970, when the holiday was legally made a national holiday. It's also why it's crucial we learn facts about Native Americans and. Destiny is currently enrolled in Columbia University's MFA Writing program. Lets stop idolizing people in history who dont deserve it. 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. Specify your topic, deadline, number of pages and other requirements. For this nation's over 5 million American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian citizens, Columbus' voyages to the so-called New World inaugurated a long history of exploitation, enslavement, eradication, and erasure (and he himself initiated and sanctioned such actions). April Holloway is a Co-Owner, Editor and Writer of Ancient Origins. Who Destroyed the Great Library of Alexandria? Its 2020 people. This movement sees Columbus as a symbol of destruction, and thus not to be celebrated. We may not like it, but its our shared heritage. The point is not to excuse the worst that happened, but to understand it. The Knights of Columbus lobbied state legislatures to legalize the holiday. European settlers not only introduced new diseases to the Americas that wiped out scores of Indigenous people, but also warfare, colonization, enslavement, and torture. . 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 . In his role, he writes about current political issues, U.S. history, political philosophy, and culture. 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. He decided at an early age that this was not the life for him. This movement sees Columbus as a symbol of destruction, and thus not to be celebrated. In addition to The Daily Citizen, his written pieces have appeared in The Daily Signal, Life News, The Colorado Independent, and The Millennial Review. 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. Since then, it's spread across the. Columbus didnt know shit about geography! And Erickson was certainly as European as Columbus (at least in todays geographical terminology.)

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