It is Columbus day ! ( observed) A strange holiday given what we know now. We took birthdays and combined them into Presidents day, but left Columbus standing alone. An Italian explorer who didn't really know where he was. Now we know he wasn't even the first to sail to this hemisphere. So just why do we celebrate it ? Schools are open, ( at least in Maryland they are ) but the federal government is closed. ( the current shutdown not withstanding ) I wonder why this is still taught in school anymore. Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492. Except he wasn't the first by a few hundred years or more.
It is also interesting to note that Columbus day was originally started as a celebration of Italian-American heritage. It was first celebrated in San Francisco in 1869. Today it is not a public holiday in California. In fact, it isn't a public holiday in Nevada or Hawaii either.
The day it is believed that Columbus made landfall was October the 12,1492. That is Columbus day. In 1971, in accordance with the holiday Uniform act, it was decided to celebrate it every second Monday in October. That provides for a three day weekend.
In a way I guess it is fitting that we celebrate this holiday complete with all the inaccuracies and contradictions. After all, Columbus himself was a bit confused. The indigenous people were not prepared for these people. In the big picture it wasn't long before things went really bad. Disease and outright aggression took a terrible toll and soon the Europeans dominated. We are still finding evidence of past civilizations hidden in the jungles of central america. It is Columbus that gave us the term Indians. That is where he thought he was. Now we teach that they are Native Americans. But why Americas ? Well that comes from the navigator, Americo Vespucio. He knew where he was and what he had discovered. In 1501 he wrote some letters to a friend and described the new continents of North and South America. He doesn't get much credit though and he was an Italian ! One more strange fact about the whole deal.
Happy Columbus Day ! Celebrate for whatever reason you choose. Even though he didn't know where he was, Columbus deserves some credit. He did cross unknown waters and provide a course for others to follow. He showed that you wouldn't fall off the edge. And he came back at least two other tines. He died in Spain feeling like he had been ripped off by King Ferdinand. Well, what are you gonna do ?
Oh and in death he became the property of Spain. At least his body did. It was moved around several times. At least it was thought that it was. In modern times we are now reasonably certain it was the body of his son Diego that was moved about. That is an interesting twist in itself. We are pretty sure we know where he is really buried but there are two tombs ! Fitting perhaps for someone who was lost, but found a new world.
It is also interesting to note that Columbus day was originally started as a celebration of Italian-American heritage. It was first celebrated in San Francisco in 1869. Today it is not a public holiday in California. In fact, it isn't a public holiday in Nevada or Hawaii either.
The day it is believed that Columbus made landfall was October the 12,1492. That is Columbus day. In 1971, in accordance with the holiday Uniform act, it was decided to celebrate it every second Monday in October. That provides for a three day weekend.
In a way I guess it is fitting that we celebrate this holiday complete with all the inaccuracies and contradictions. After all, Columbus himself was a bit confused. The indigenous people were not prepared for these people. In the big picture it wasn't long before things went really bad. Disease and outright aggression took a terrible toll and soon the Europeans dominated. We are still finding evidence of past civilizations hidden in the jungles of central america. It is Columbus that gave us the term Indians. That is where he thought he was. Now we teach that they are Native Americans. But why Americas ? Well that comes from the navigator, Americo Vespucio. He knew where he was and what he had discovered. In 1501 he wrote some letters to a friend and described the new continents of North and South America. He doesn't get much credit though and he was an Italian ! One more strange fact about the whole deal.
Happy Columbus Day ! Celebrate for whatever reason you choose. Even though he didn't know where he was, Columbus deserves some credit. He did cross unknown waters and provide a course for others to follow. He showed that you wouldn't fall off the edge. And he came back at least two other tines. He died in Spain feeling like he had been ripped off by King Ferdinand. Well, what are you gonna do ?
Oh and in death he became the property of Spain. At least his body did. It was moved around several times. At least it was thought that it was. In modern times we are now reasonably certain it was the body of his son Diego that was moved about. That is an interesting twist in itself. We are pretty sure we know where he is really buried but there are two tombs ! Fitting perhaps for someone who was lost, but found a new world.
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