Christopher Columbus is an Italian navigator who sailed west from Spain in 1492. He was in search for the Indies(India, China and Japan) through the waters due to hostile armies and long distances on land. Columbus thought he landed in the Indies when he actually landed in the Bahamas, welcomed in by the Taino(Native Americans). However, Columbus did not go there to spread Christianity, he forced the Taino into slavery, looting them,spreading deadly diseases that killed many Natives, and taking their land (causing other people to come to the Americas). However, Columbus day is celebrated by Americans thanking Columbus for finding America, but should we celebrate a man for terrorizing Native Americans? In addition, to all of this chaos, there is a huge debate going on if Confederate monuments should be allowed to stand or be taken down. These monuments come from the American Civil War, the North(Union) versus the South(Confederates). The South relied heavily on agriculture, using slaves to harvest their cotton. Some historians say that the South wanted to keep slavery, while others say that the South fought mostly for the right to decide their own affairs. Even though the North won, the South made monuments to make Confederate soldiers be portrayed as selfless heroes(no monuments have anything about pro- slavery). Columbus day should be celebrated and the Confederate monuments should stay because people cannot forget their history, people respect these things for different reasons, and people do not know the real reason to why Columbus day and Confederate monuments are really celebrated for. The Civil War and Columbus finding the Americas will always be in our history and can never be changed even if we try. Professor Leo Killsback of Arizona State University talked of how “Columbus Day is not a time of celebration but a reminder of “historic crimes” against Native Americans”; while Laura Anastasia; the author of the article “ Monumental Battle”, she gives an insight in how “We haven’t really dealt with the legacy of the Civil War and slavery”. How us, Americans supposed to learn from our mistakes and grow as a country if we take away the foundations that built the country where we live today? Columbus
In the United States, there are many holidays that are celebrated by its citizens. Some of these holidays consist of individuals taking the day off from work and school, such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s Day. During these days off, individuals have the chance to reflect on the day itself, and rejoice on the purpose of the holiday. Every holiday has a distinct and positive meaning towards the United States and its people, but there is one holiday in particular that is controversial in this aspect- the celebration of Christopher Columbus- Columbus Day. This controversy is JJJJJJ because even though Christopher Columbus had a big role in discovering America, he also was a terrible human being who tortured many. In my opinion, I believe that the celebration of discovering America should continue to be celebrated. Although, the holiday should be shifted from honoring Columbus, to instead celebrating the discovery of the United States of America by the indigenous people who were already settled in our land.
Columbus Day is to honor people but, not a lot of people want to honor him because he was not very kind and nice. Columbus didn’t care about trade routes or getting to know different cultures. When he saw some of the natives wearing gold jewelry he made it his mission to kill or make as many slaves he can. He’s mission was also to steal as much gold as he could. According to Ban Columbus Day? There shouldn’t be a Debate “After landing October 12, 1492, by November Columbus kidnapped ten Tainos Indians.” He wasn’t really nice. His goal was to get as much money as he could.
Previously, Columbus was the “person who found the Americas,” but that is historically incorrect. We celebrate Columbus day as if he was a hero who saved mankind but he did the exact opposite. Zinn explains how much the Native Americans suffered and their perspective during Columbus's “discovery” of the Bahamas. We learn that because of his discovery, everyone was able to benefit from it but we never learn specifically how his actions affected the Arawaks.
Columbus is a very controversial historical figure that today revolves around a Euro-centric perspective, White supremacy, and a part of the founding in today’s nation we live in. Multiple accounts have been taken during his time of his cruel legacy. Horrible descriptions of him raping women, mutilating Native bodies, enslaving who he considered his inferiors and many other atrocities are still looked over today. Not to mention the fact that he also helped to claim a nation that rightfully did not belong to the Europeans. Christopher Columbus left his dark past with us, from killing Natives, taking away the chastity of women, and enslaving the true ancient residents of this nation, all leading to him justly being
When you think of Columbus what comes to mind? A hero? A villain? Most people think he is a hero, but many do not think of the things he did to people such as slavery, beatings, raping, etc. He is most known for discovering America, but he only got to the Bahamas. Columbus was an Italian explorer that sailed the ocean blue in 1492. Columbus Day should not be celebrated because of the awful things that don’t make up for the discoveries that Christopher Columbus did.
Throughout recorded human history, authors, leaders, and researchers, have documented the past from many different perspectives, and viewpoints. Not every historian has the same stance on a certain issue, therefore, differences in point of view occur in almost every writing. In the textbook The American Pageant, A People’s History of the United States by Larry Schweikart, and Michael Allen, and Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States, the reader can see many different perspectives throughout each reading. The infamous explorer known as Christopher Columbus, has been documented in many different ways. Depending on the reading, Columbus has be called everything from a “[...]symbol of the new age of hope”, to an inhuman tyrant who captured Indians and turned them into slaves.
Columbus Day is a holiday that celebrates Christopher Columbus an Italian explorer who sailed over 500 years ago with three ships from Spain across the Atlantic Ocean in a daring attempt to expand our knowledge of the known world in hopes of discovering new lands (Obama). He is credited with discovering the New World in 1492. Though this sounds honorable and inspiring, it was basically a search to find new lands in order to claim and take control of them, plunder their wealth, enslave their occupants and murder any who tried to stop him (Zinn). Since the United States is built on the beliefs of freedom, equality, peace, and humanity, I don’t feel that we should continue to honor and celebrate
“In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue”, these words are taught all around the states and are meant to help teach and remember the year that the now notorious Christopher Columbus went on his renowned exploration. Columbus was an Italian that was sent by the Queen and King of Spain to find riches in other lands, and during this voyage he stumbled onto the Americas. During his time in the Americas he enslaved the Native Americans, forced Christianity onto them and brought over diseases that would result in the eventual deaths of Native American. For a long period of time though, Columbus was known as the “man who discovered America”, nothing more. Now he is thought of as a murderer and a thief for stealing the land and lives of many Native Americans.
Some say that Columbus Day shouldn't be a holiday or that the name should be changed, I believe that we should get rid of the holiday. When you are little, you are taught Christopher Columbus discovered America and he's a good person; however, in reality, none of that is true. Columbus didn't discover America, he found some islands in the Caribbean like Haiti and Cuba. In addition, he treated the Natives there with harsh cruelties. Columbus also brought over diseases that lead to the death of many natives because they weren't exposed to measles, influenza, small pox. “Christopher Columbus introduced two phenomena that revolutionized race relations and
The national holiday of Columbus Day should never have become a recognized Federal holiday. Christopher Columbus did not actually discover the Americas. There were millions of indigenous people already living in the location that he was exploring. It is true he was an explorer trying to find his way to the riches of the Indies and mapping his way for Spain and Europe however, how is it a discovery when people are already living on the land? He didn't even make it to the location he was originally trying to reach. He was also a brutal man that enslaved the people living on the land he "discovered".
In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean and discovered what we now know as the Americas… or so it’s been taught. In all actuality, there were already Native people who had been living in the continents for thousands of years. Since 1937, the US has used this “discovery” as a holiday known as Columbus Day to celebrate a man who established the beginning of colonization of the New World. While Columbus did begin the colonization of the Americas, he was not the one who discovered them. History tends to be told from the privileged perspective which is why it’s taught that Columbus discovered these lands. The celebration of Columbus Day promotes the idea of colonization and the marginalization of Native Americans; people also believe it
Christopher Columbus is a famous explorer that is celebrated yearly in America, with his national holiday, Columbus day. However, many people do not know all the negative things he did. America should not celebrate Columbus Day because of his negative legacy, his actions, and his lack of accomplishments. Slavery, death, and rape were all part of Columbus’ negative legacy. He had negative actions such as he brought dogs to attack people, caused Native Americans to end their lives, and cut Natives hands off.
There has been a heated discussion about changing columbus day to native peoples day. This argument for getting rid of columbus day is flawed and quite hypocritical. This group Is claiming we should get rid of columbus day due to the fact he killed and enslaved the native people of the nations he visited. Christopher columbus and his men did kill and enslave the native people but, that was normal for that time period. Also how could Christopher columbus kill so many with less than 200 men? The answer is simple, he joined the ongoing tribal warfare that was taking place at the time. The tribes there already had mass graves, slaughtered and enslaved each other. This didn’t just start when columbus came around, the aztecs were
The United States should not celebrate Columbus Day because it celebrates the mistreatment of Native Americans. One quote from the article that demonstrates this is, “a holiday called Indigenous Peoples Day will instead recognize the contributions, and suffering of Native Americans, people who lived in the Americas before Columbus arrived.” This quote demonstrates that Columbus may have improved some lives, but he destroyed others. Every year on Columbus Day, Native Americans are forced to celebrate the murder and theft of their people, lands, and homes. They should not be subject to this cruelty. Another quote that shows the mistreatment of Native Americans throughout history is, “in the 1850s, California’s leaders wanted to destroy the
Already throughout our American history there have been some efforts to get this federal-holiday status revoked, and although yet it is not, many just simply ignore the holiday entirely. As this being as it is, some people may argue still that Columbus Day should indeed still be celebrated because Columbus Day recognizes the achievements of a great explorer who founded the first permanent European settlement in the New World, but was he the first? Some may also say that the arrival of Columbus in 1492 marks the beginning of recorded history in America making Columbus Day a patriotic holiday. Or others may say that that the