Thegoal of Ancient Origins is to highlight recent archaeological discoveries, peer-reviewed academic research and evidence, as well as offering alternative viewpoints and explanations of science, archaeology, mythology, religion and history around the globe. Both in an effort to secure funding for their expedition. As these texts have become popular, and more history teachers have read them, more students have learned a more accurate account of Columbus from a younger age. However, a circumspect understanding of history offers numerous reasons why Columbus should not only be celebrated, but . Just as the country grapples with the meaning and problems of Confederate monuments, so too are schools, towns, and even whole states grappling with Columbus Day. Many are deciding to rename and refocus the holiday, choosing to call it Indigenous Peoples' Day to honor the people whose lives and cultures were irreparably damaged by the colonial conquest that the age of exploration ushered into being. "It's difficult to think there exists a site anywhere with a higher concentration of cave art.". Is Columbus' tomb in the Dominican Republic or Seville? Here are my main reasons why I refuse to celebrate Columbus Day: 1. He initiated a turning point in our history. The opposition towards Christopher Columbus did not commence in todays society, or even the 21st century. When he was only 23. he had the idea of going to India, China and Japan. Dominant narratives tend to speak about heroes in a simple sense; counternarratives can be much more critical. "Ignore the propaganda and instead remember Christopher Columbus with gratitude and a clear conscience. Specify your topic, deadline, number of pages and other requirements. Historical knowledge can help students create an argument to answer those questions. by sailing west. But Columbus couldnt deliver on the gold claim. We still have to understand the time he was born but Christopher Columbus. 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 Vikings sailed to, and colonized parts of Newfoundland, Canada, around AD 1000. A recent Marist Poll shows why: Those campaigning against Columbus Day are in the minority. The holiday is typically observed on the second Monday in October. . Based on my experience, I think its vitally essential that teachers engage kids as young as sixth grade in questions that really interrogate Columbus. 1. 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. Adults Especially Gen Z Identifying as LGBT. For example, a neighbor taking a stick and beating your child as some kind of punishment might have been perfectly fine at one time. Even the Iroquoian peoples, located in present Northeast United States, often took slaves of other tribes. Though he didnt discover America, he was the person to show the rest of the developed world that there was more far away lands. A genocide happened in "the Americas," and it began with Columbus. It's also why it's crucial we learn facts about Native Americans and. For instance, they lay out what specific textbooks omitted about Columbuss involvement with the slave trade and genocide. There has been much debate over whether or not Columbus Day should be celebrated. Historical Figures Should Be Viewed in Light of Their Greatest Achievements, Not Their Worst Mistakes. Now, I got nothing against thousands of virgins or a good story. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Cal Poly State University - San Luis Obispo, California State University - Los Angeles, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, California State University, Channel Islands, Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi, Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, Federal University Of Agriculture Abeokuta, University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign, Interamerican University of Puerto Rico San German campus, Keiser University - Latin American Campus, London School of Economics and Political Science, California State University of Sacramento, Savannah College of Art and Design Atlanta, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, The University of Texas of the Permian Basin, University of North Carolina - Wilmington, University of South Florida - St. Petersburg, William Paterson University of New Jersey. Or maybe even plan to discover your own new-to-you islands! Columbus tried to build and has transformed the America we have today. Which, of course, led to a demand for more slaves. The statue of Christopher Columbus remains encased in a wooden box on Marconi Plaza Aug. 12, 2020, as the sun sets on the day the Philadelphia Art Commission voted to remove it and store it while the city deliberates on a new permanent home for the controversial monument. While we are thankful for this land we call America, it . Of course, I learned that everyone expected him to sail off the edge of a flat earth into space or sea monsters or something. An angry mob decided to drag them. Spanish conquistadors couldn't believe their eyes while exploring the rugged terrain of the Andes during their invasion of Peru. 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. This was due to the impression that Columbus was attempting to spread Catholic influence. But heres the kicker. 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. Congress also believed the holiday would mark the contribution of immigrants to the United States. She likes thrifting, romance novels, cooking shows, and can often be found binging documentaries. In response to the rebellion, Columbus ordered a brutal crackdown in which many natives were killed, and their dismembered bodies paraded through the streets. To get a custom and plagiarism-free essay. Zachary Mettler works as a staff writer and communications liaison for The Daily Citizen at Focus on the Family. 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. The king wrote, We in his name will receive you with love and charity, respecting your freedom and that of your wives and sons and your rights of possession and we shall not compel you to baptism unless you, informed of the truth, wish to convert to our holy Catholic faith., Columbuss drive for exploration was religious. If the world was round, this was possible, he thought. The Zinn Education Project also includes a bunch of primary sources related to Columbus, such as writings by Bartolom de La Casas. This essay is available online and might have been used by another student. And #5 gets worse. For a long time, Columbus discovery of America was an universally celebrated event, both in Europe and America. Archaeologists have been able to take a closer look at one of the United Kingdoms most famous shipwrecks. If we cannot honor anyone in human history that did not have flaws or imperfections, we cannot honor anyone at all. Colorado did so on April 1, 1907. Columbus killed a tremendous amount of people (genocide), and got away with it because of better equipment, men and control. In the early morning hours of the third day on October 12, the lookout . 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. On his first voyage, Columbus promised the crew on his three ships (Santa Maria, Pinta and Santa Clara) that the first person who spotted land would receive a lifetime pension. 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. Columbus may have recorded that he "found" America, but he was a. mass murderer. Yet in the past few decades, something has changed. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The main reason Columbus Day draws opposition is because of how the explorer's arrival to the New World affected Indigenous people. (You may want to add this into the equation.). There were already people living wherever he landed. And, while we celebrate Columbus Day, we can learn from history and also take time to honor Native Americans. Should the United States continue to celebrate Columbus Day? But that, for better or worse, is how history worked pretty much everywhere for thousands of years. Ahh, well, brothers will be brothers. Because thats public history. 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. On his third, he named Trinidad and landed in present-day Venezuela. Chris wasnt a bad guy right? Just bear in mind that the verb "colonize" and the terms "colony", and "colonial" derive from Columbus ("Colon", in Spanish spelling). 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. Since then, it's spread across the. Here Are Some Reasons Why. And he was a talented astronomer and navigator. Dating back around 200 years, the nonreligious had been adverse to this celebration. President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Columbus Day a. Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/two-reasons-why-columbus-day-should-not-be-celebrated/. This is where many of the peaceful natives were met with brutal deaths onboard, whether it be from disease or mistreatment from the handlers. A main argument for the idealization of the 15th century explorer is the idea that he was the first European to discover the Americas. Get the recap of top opinion commentary and original content throughout the week. 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. He asked for 3 more days, and if land was not sighted, the crew could do with him as they wished. Another reason why Columbus Day should not be celebrated is because it promotes a distorted view of history. 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. Howell Public Schools Stance on Mask Mandate, In person school, more beneficial to kids. 2023 President and Fellows of Harvard College, Who do we celebrate, and why? 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. There are still people who believe Christopher Columbus found America and that what he did was harmless because he was being a man of his time. I remember learning about Columbus as a young child and I was in awe learning about the explorer. How many countries award holidays to non-natives? (Sarcasm intended.) And Bart was left behind on the cutting room floor of history. Diseases were spread and were not able to be resisted by the sick slaves. In his role, he writes about current political issues, U.S. history, political philosophy, and culture. 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. 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. For if we celebrate Columbus, we are celebrating a racist genocide, massive land robbery, barbaric slavery, serial rape and systemic torture. Make sure your essay is plagiarism-free or hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs. "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. 1. By REAGAN ESCUD SCOTT / Monday, October 10, 2022. 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. Indeed, the promise of the West has delivered freedom and bounty such as humanity has never known. I dont think its ever too young. 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. To realize this dream, they split up. As Greek mythology goes, the universe was once a big soup of nothingness. Unfortunately, many irksome doings lay deep under the surface. So yeah, Christopher Columbus, upon closer inspection, is a terrible fellow to honor. And its fundamentally important that they do so. Even though Eratosthenes (Greek mathematician living in Alexandria, Egypt, Columbus never discovered anything. 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. Most Americans didn't even know much about Columbus until Washington Irving yes, that Washington Irving wrote. 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. Surprisingly, this holiday was first celebrated by Italians of New York in 1866 honoring Columbus's Italian Heritage, but the official celebration in Spain did not . They were the original immigrants to the New World, and deserve their remembrance. 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? He led the way for future colonists to settle the United States. Yet, many continue to believe that America owes its discovery to Christopher Columbus. 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. In fact, the result of Columbuss voyages was mass, Columbus didnt do too well as a governor of these new lands. 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. Give us your paper requirements, choose a writer and well deliver the highest-quality essay! The pro for Columbus Day written by John Wirt. Ironically, the District of Columbia is named after, you guessed it, Christopher Columbus. Although it has been a tradition in the United States to recognize this day as a federal holiday for many years, whether Christopher Columbus' actions merit celebration is now being questioned, and rightly so . Well, the Pinta was indeed, the Pinta. His first impression of the Arawaks, one of the first peoples he encountered, was . In an era where we are fighting for racial equality celebrating false heroes is detrimental to progress. This movement sees Columbus as a symbol of destruction, and thus not to be celebrated. Even if we ignore that, this one still depends on your definition of America. If we need a national holiday for the second Monday in October, lets at least honor an AMERICAN who hasnt been shown to be the prime mover in the torture/death/destruction of so many people. These Natives are so nice, wed be crazy not to enslave them is one contentious quote by Christopher Columbus. Columbus went on forth with a lot of violence, such as cutting off a slaves nose/hands to signify power against them. This was a sign of things to come. Land was first spotted by Rodrigo de Triana, a lookout on the Pinta, and thereafter by its captain Martin Alonso Pinzo, who notified Columbus. Cathedrals are some of the most awe-inspiring structures in the world, with their grandeur and intricate details captivating visitors for centuries. Many of those enslaved would die, and were then easily replaced by some brought from the Bahamas. Why is Columbus Day being renamed? Throughout the history of civilization, the concept of the apocalypse has been ever present, in one way or another. You need to be able to deeply understand the profoundly problematic past of this great nation. 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. @uknowhgse. We should honor George Washington, the Indispensable man, for his military bravado and skilled leadership as our first president, even though he owned slaves. Lets stop idolizing people in history who dont deserve it. Columbus and St. Croix ), Christopher Columbus initiated the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Her Campus may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. What Columbus did next was nothing less than shameful. And eventually hundreds of years of African slave trade but uhm, OK, fine, he was a monster. Columbuss actions arent taken into consideration as much as they should be. A new intersectional publication, geared towards voices, values, and identities! Turning points are powerful lenses through which students need to view our past. Their spears are made of cane. We may not like it, but its our shared heritage. It doesn't make sense for the United States to recognize this supposed Christian with ashow more content Italian heritage. Columbus went to live in Portugal. Columbus set a precedent for exploration of the new world. Thousands of the Taino, or Indians as Columbus had referred to them, were shipped out to be traded internationally. Columbus Day is a United States federal holiday that celebrates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492. By bringing together top experts and authors, this archaeology website explores lost civilizations, examines sacred writings, tours ancient places, investigates ancient discoveries and questions mysterious happenings. Though it has its controversies, Columbus day should be celebrated. Columbus didnt know shit about geography! With three boats, the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria, he set out in search of a better trade route to India. It involves really unpacking the past, looking for complications, and making a deep exploration into the people that made history happen, rather than just looking for a glossy overview. He never set foot on any part of the 50 United States. When Columbus first landed on American soil he was met by the Arawak native Americans. But as I grew older, it became clear that history is murky. 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. 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. There are many examples in his writings where he gave instructions to this effect.
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