Columbus Day is an interesting thing in America mostly because we seem to be celebrating an elaborate myth. As a kid, I learned about this cool dude Christopher Columbus and his friends that discovered our country. We even had these adorable rhymes to help us remember him. Columbus and his buddies hopped on three ships the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria. They all had a pleasant, healthy voyage to this promising new America. Here he and his buddies met these Indian people who have seemed to be living here before Columbus. They were so excited to see Columbus and his ships he even shared his knowledge with them. They also shared an incredible feast because everyone was so happy to meet each other. Or at least I’m pretty sure that’s how most kids grew up learning about good old Christopher Columbus.
Fast forward to my high school years where one teacher explained to me these were all lies! Columbus didn’t discover America there were people here all along! He wasn’t even aiming for America he was aiming for the East Indies and Southeast Asia he proposed he could do it by sailing westward. He was very much mistaken. In 1492 he thought he was going to arrive in Japan, sorry Chris wrong again. He landed in the Bahamas which is pretty sweet but not wasn’t his planned destination. The best part is that people have been to the “New World” for thousands of years! Chinese explorers, Vikings, people who came across the Bering Strait.
Oh and for that awesome feast and those Native Americans he and his men helped out. He basically ended up sparking a mass genocide against the Natives. He was so lost he just called them Indians because he thought he was in India! So we’re basically celebrating some guy who got lost stumbled upon some land and sparked the genocide of an entire race. A little different than I remember learning as a kid. So why do we give this guy all the credit?