Is It Never Done Learning?

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.

Although Columbus Day is used as the celebration between two sides of the world merging and creating an entire empire, it is also widely looked down upon for the way the merge was completed. “Upon arriving in the Bahamas, the explorer and his men forced the native peoples they found there into slavery.” This not only started the transatlantic slave trade, but also started a genocide that lead to the death of millions. Europeans also brought with them new diseases that they had no idea they were carrying, these diseases are but are not limited to smallpox and influenza. The natives feel the need for a new holiday knows as Indigenous Peoples Day. For the Native Americans, “‘Indigenous Peoples Day’ reimagines Columbus Day and changes a celebration of colonialism into an opportunity to reveal

The celebration of Columbus “discovering” the Americas is a lie as the land was already inhabited by the Natives. He thought he had landed upon India, not the Americas. The politically correct name is “Native Americans” for a reason, because they were here first. Even though their existence went undocumented, the Indians were still a vital part of American history and present day culture as well. As

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

If there is one reason for a student to attend a history class, it is that he can learn from the mistakes

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

Columbus Day is being contested by Native American groups, stating that the indigenous tribes were inhabiting the land long before Columbus. Activist are opposed to the celebration, honoring a man who has cause oppression, disease, slavery and death among the Natives. In article hero of villain page 7, historian Alfred Cosby wrote of the havoc produced by diseases the Europeans brought to Native American. James Loewen book The Truth about Columbus later adding in Lies My Teacher Told Me wrote how Columbus was linked with the despoiling of ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬natural environment.

Some people in the United States believe that Christopher Columbus was an evil man who just waltzed into the “Indies” and took advantage of its indigenous people. In fact, Los Angeles, California just officially changed Columbus Day in the city calendar to “Indigenous Peoples Day.” They were not the first to change it however, Denver, Albuquerque, and Seattle have all changed the holiday to Indigenous People’s Day.

Many argue that Christopher Columbus doesn't deserve to be celebrated because he was a murderer and rapist, but because of Columbus we get to call America our home. Although he wasn't the first person to discover America he did take action and bring our men here, he began trading, and bridged the gap between the Old and New World. If it weren’t for Columbus, America wouldn’t be what it is today, and would have taken a different turn. Columbus should continue to be celebrated this day for his

The majority of school districts in the U.S. call of school for Columbus Day to honor the “discoverer of our country”. Not only do we falsely idolize this man, but many do not know the horrors that were done unto the Native

Columbus Day is a day on the second Monday of October that recognizes the exploration of America. Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer who worked in the Spanish government who came to the island of Hispaniola in pursuit of finding a shorter route to India. This controversial holiday sparks many argument about why we shouldn’t have the holiday and others defending the holiday. The good does not make for a good argument against all the bad that the day represents, including: taking a land that was not his, the brutal genocide of Natives, and the enslavement of Natives for illogical reasons.

Since the early 1600s when the pilgrims came to the United States, there was mistreatment of the natives as they were non- white and they seen as savages by the Englishmen because the natives did not believe in God as stated in chapter one of A People’s History of the United States.

Ever since we were children we were taught the story of Christopher Columbus, of how he valiantly ventured into the unknown, discovered new lands, enhanced trade, and inspired many other explorers. He seemed a hero back then, a man of great accomplishments. Our country wouldn’t be here without him, after all. However, we are rarely taught about the other side of the story, about the abuse of the native people of the lands Columbus “discovered” and about the greed and violence tied in with his voyages. Christopher Columbus was not a man that should be celebrated, despite his success in inspiring an age of exploration and expansion.

The culture in America is more polarizing than ever. People debate complex ideas and issues every day, yet few and fewer people are sitting on the fence or in middle ground. Most people find themselves on one end of the spectrum or another. One such debate that more recently exists in the United States of America resolves around Columbus Day. This day used to be just any ordinary day; however, it has now become a highly contested day that some have even banned from being celebrated. Furthermore, the debate of Columbus Day, orientates itself around some confusion. Is it a day to celebrate Columbus and all that he did – the good and the bad or is it something to celebrate something else? And can people separate the bad from the good? Therefore, in an effort to clear up the confusion about Columbus Day, William J. Connell writes an excellent article summarizing why Americans need a holiday like Columbus Day and the real reason to celebrate.

The colonization by Europeans created a bloodbath. Children are taught that Columbus was a great man; A man who lead to the creation of society as we know it. In school we celebrate the day and learn a false history seen through rose-colored glasses. Even in high school the true history of the invasion is “toned down”. There is little mention of what native culture and society was like before his ship touched the shore. Even stereotypes, disproven by history, remain in the books. There are statues and parades to worship a man who lead to the decimation of an entire way of life. Columbus Day should not be about the man, but about the tragic events that occurred and the people affected. The Spanish are often viewed as “helping” the First Peoples. True history is never taught in public schools. It probably never will be. The curriculum is chosen by the same government who aided in the tragedies. Even basic American History is embellished. While Abraham Lincoln was a slave owner and only freed the slaves at the forcing of his hand, his is idolized as a statement of equality and race relations. You will never see the rebelling colonies portrayed as the “bad guys” in a history book written in America. This editing of history needs to stop. Although we tell ourselves we are “protecting the innocence” of our children, we are really shaping how they will later see their country. They will believe that the United States has and will never do wrong. The