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Nations are not built in days. It takes a lot of effort, sacrifices, and championing the tribulation. In the case of the US and the rest of the Americas, an explorer, Christopher Columbus, set sail from Europe to find shorter trade routes to the Far East. In return, he found the New World and became the discoverer of the Americas. Almost two centuries later, a nation was born from this continent called the US.
Since the early twentieth century, Columbus Day has been sanctioned as a national holiday. But, there are many groups, especially those who represent indigenous people, to abolish it as a national holiday. While the supporters call for the celebrations of the arrival of a hero, the opponents consider the arrival the beginning of the end for the natives.
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Why Columbus Day Should Be A National Holiday
In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed from Spain, founded America, and changed the history of the world forever. From his voyage, new sea routes were derived and soon Europeans followed suit. On the 300th anniversary of his historic discovery, the first “Columbus Day” was celebrated. Later, it gained momentum as in 1937, it became a central holiday to celebrate Columbus Day by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
In recent times, the Christopher Columbus holiday has faced too much controversy. In many states, it is being replaced by Indigenous People’s Day because of the persecution native Indians faced at the hands of European settlers.
Still, there is a lot of support for Christopher Columbus Day to still be celebrated as a national holiday.
Following are some of the reasons why should they celebrate Columbus Day:
- Beginning Of The New World
- Birth Of A Nation
- Celebration Of Italian Heritage
- Commemoration Of History
Now, let’s dive deeper into each section in detail.
Beginning of The New World
When Christopher Columbus set sail from Spain to the Americas, he did not expect to find the Americas there. Instead, he was hoping to find a shorter sea route to the far east, i.e. – to China and Japan. That’s why records show that when he saw Cuba, he thought it was China. Later on, when that error was rectified, Columbus along with his sailors cried “New World”. The notion stayed for centuries as it offered a haven for persecuted people from Europe.
What Christopher Columbus did was an impressive feat. He discovered a piece of land that was rightfully termed a new world. Soon, it changed the face of the world and became a center of attention for the rest of the world.
Centuries after Columbus’s ships docked at the Atlantic side of Haiti, adventurers and explorers kept on returning to these shores in search of fame, riches, and gold.
In that perspective, Christopher Columbus Day stands to revitalize a sense of adventure and dare in modern minds. It shows that with determination and steely conviction, a new world can be found.
Birth of A Nation
Soon after Columbus’ conquest over the natives, several European monarchies started contending for the piece of what was considered to be the richest part of the modern world. Spanish, Dutch, and English sent their navies for power and strongholds in the far west. In the North, only the British were able to make a colony until 1776.
In 1776, after a long and brutal war with the British, the European settlers of America declared independence from all alien powers and established self-rule for the first time.
This marked the change in the events that led to a colony for pillage and rape to become a nation.
In this way, Columbus Day is about the values of freedom and breaking the shackles of subordination and slavery.
Celebration of Italian Heritage
Even though the voyage of Christopher Columbus was sponsored by the King and Queen of Spain, he was an Italian, first and foremost. He never forgot that. Some historians even tried to tarnish this fact but his legacy endured.
From the start, there were thousands of Italians in America. But the influx of immigrants in the 18th and 19th centuries created Italian communities in the cities where they were abundant.
Italian Americans were always proud of their heritage and never shied away from showing respect and love to their countryman who found a new world.
Italian Americans played a vital role in the construction of modern America by working on the railways and the mills. They helped the country to become more industrialized and modern. For Italian Americans, Christopher Columbus Day is about celebrating their heritage by paying homage to the great man of the same ancestry. This explains why should Columbus Day be a national holiday.
Commemoration of History
History has not always been fair and just. Incidents that happened in the past often become a lesson for the later generations. Columbus Day is celebrated in the spirit of marking the voyage that changed the world for good. A nation was born out of it and it changed the world for the rest of history.
In modern times, people have become skeptical about what had happened in the past. They are questioning and redefining history and its narrative for the sake of progress and tolerance. In reality, people can still celebrate the history and learn from it.
In this light, Columbus Day is about learning from history and commemorating the heroic acts of wayfarers to do more than what others thought they could never do.
5 Reasons Why Columbus Day Should Not Be Celebrated
Since the declaration of Columbus Day as a national holiday, there was some resistance to the idea of celebrating rape, pillage, and genocide of indigenous people. From the 1970s onward, civil rights groups have come forth to highlight the mistreatment of European settlers by native Indians.
In this section, let us take a look at five reasons why Columbus Day should not be celebrated:
- Europeans’ Mistreatment of Natives
- Spread of Disease
- Destruction of Culture
- Introduction of Modern Slavery
- False Pride in History
- European’s Mistreatment of Natives
After gaining the first stronghold, the European colonization of America started raping and pillaging natives of their land and possession. They robbed the gold and other precious items and shipped them back to Europe. The hatred of settlers for natives translated into full-fledged genocide resulting in the complete annihilation of native tribes and bloodlines.
In this light, there is no point in celebrating Columbus Day that was based on bloodshed.
Spread of Disease
Native Americans were not exposed to many of the diseases that were rife in modern Europe. These include chickenpox, smallpox, and so many more. The settlers brought the germs, guns, and steel from Europe and used them as tools of war to strip natives of their freedom and lives.
The introduction of disease resulted in a complete wipeout of races which accelerated the hold of Europeans throughout the whole continent.
Destruction of Culture
Invaders from Europe did not shy away from the desecration of the worship places of natives. They destroyed their records of history and wiped out their palaces and cultural centers. Many social evils were non-existent in native tribes, such as lies, deceptions, etc. The settlers did everything to destroy the culture and left nothing behind.
Introduction of Modern Slavery
The discovery of the Americas sadly coincides with the introduction of modern slavery. Invaders destroyed their homes and stripped them of their possession. After that, they made them their slaves and loaded them up in their ships for slave labor. This trend plagued modern Europe until its complete abolition in the late 19th century.
False Pride In History
Both sides of a conflict abuse history for their benefit. In the case of Christopher Columbus Day, the arrival of Christopher Columbus in North America had rape, pillage, and genocide in its tow. On the other side, many believe him to be their hero for finding a new world and changing the world forever. Whereas reality sides with the victims of history.
FAQs
What Did Columbus Do?
Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer and adventurer. In 1492, he was the first person in history to discover America through the shortest sailing route. His adventurers were sponsored by the King and Queen of Spain. After discovering the Americas, Columbus and his successors did not shy away from raping and pillaging the natives of their lives, resources, and lands.
What Is The Big Deal With Columbus Day?
Columbus Day is celebrated to commemorate the adventures of Christopher Columbus who discovered North America. Even though it is a federal holiday, many states do not consider it a holiday. The opposition has come from civil rights groups who want to rebrand it as Indigenous People’s Day for the mistreatment of Native Americans. It is because of the mistreatment of natives at the hands of Europeans.