Columbus Day: The Myth Continues

[rognvald]

In roughly 1000 AD, Leif Erickson established a base at L'Anse Aux Meadows in Newfoundland and probably traveled as far south as Chesapeake Bay. Prior to that, the Vikings had established colonies in Greenland and Iceland. In 1424, Portuguese cod fishermen had sailed the waters of the New World as revealed in a new map/chart www.americanheritage.com/.../was-america-discovered-columbus discovered recently by cartographers. Columbus sailed to the New World (Bahamas-probably Semana Cay) in 1492. Why does History teach that Columbus discovered the New World when, in fact, others had been there before him? Does it matter?

[terminalcitygrl]

And of course First Nations have been living here since time immemorial. We don't have Columbus Day up here but continuing the myth is ridiculous IMHO. Time to tink about renaming this holiday I think... Lots of incredible Americans and true history to be acknowledged/ celebrated.

[Triton318]

I've helped develop about eight history courses, from kindergarten to high school, and we never say Columbus discovered America. Or the New World. His arrival in the New World, however, IS an important event in history.

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by Triton318

I've helped develop about eight history courses, from kindergarten to high school, and we never say Columbus discovered America. Or the New World. His arrival in the New World, however, IS an important event in history.

Depends on what side of the Atlantic you are indigenious too!..

[Ziggy]

And why all this talk about the Vikings and Portuguese fishermen? People have migrated accross the Bering land bridge and established colonies in the Americas as early as 30,000 BC!

The significance of Columbus is that his voyages of discovery were well documented and publicized and opened the door for the European colonization of the Americas. Neither the Vikings nor the other pre-Columbian "discoverers" have accomplished this and so their historical impact was much less significant.

[perchance]

Originally Posted by Triton318

I've helped develop about eight history courses, from kindergarten to high school, and we never say Columbus discovered America. Or the New World. His arrival in the New World, however, IS an important event in history.

Especially if you happen to be Native American.

[Triton318]

Originally Posted by tropicalescape

Depends on what side of the Atlantic you are indigenious too!..

Not really. Regardless, it was an historically important event. True...if you were a Native American, the results were tragic.

[Blue Stocking]

Not bad recognition when you consider:
A. He couldn't get his own country to support him
B. He was "contracted" by a foreign power
C His basic exploratory concept was incorrect
D He didn't land in the country which is the only one that honors him

and E--its named after an Italian. Ciao!!

[barnakiel]

IMHO it is fair to say he did. Sort of like the modern history of Americas took off with his navigations.

b.

[svpattyd]

Columbus Day Holiday was created in 1937 as a way for Roosevelt to shore up the Italian American vote. There has been a suggestion to change the name to ' explorers day'.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Ziggy

And why all this talk about the Vikings and Portuguese fishermen? People have migrated accross the Bering land bridge and established colonies in the Americas as early as 30,000 BC!

The significance of Columbus is that his voyages of discovery were well documented and publicized and opened the door for the European colonization of the Americas. Neither the Vikings nor the other pre-Columbian "discoverers" have accomplished this and so their historical impact was much less significant.

It's "history by sound bytes."

[sarafina]

Originally Posted by svpattyd

Columbus Day Holiday was created in 1937 as a way for Roosevelt to shore up the Italian American vote. There has been a suggestion to change the name to ' explorers day'.

Around here it's Indigenous People's Day

Indigenous People's Day - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[zeehag]

columbus plundered in the name of spain and the church. as the church wrote the history books, there was praise for columbus who did his privateer job quite well for queen isabella and the catholic church. sad thing he did.

[robinco]

Columbus (or at least his reputation) seems to have been very lucky in how well history had treated him.

He was apparently a good sailor although not a very pleasant person to serve under. Probably James Cook was better in both respects.

There seem to have been the Irish Papars living in Iceland before the Norse arrived (nothing to do with the reputed Brendan the navigator).

There's also indications the Chinese may have found North America before Columbus.

Some evidence too that Polynesian navigators may have visited South America and possibly North America well before Columbus. They certainly colonized Easter Island, which looking at a map, must have been a pretty remarkable undertaking. Easter Island, or Rapanui, was for years said to have been "discovered" by the European Jacob Roggeveen, although more lately he's just acknowledged as the first European visitor. Columbus wasn't even that for North America, perhaps he was for the Caribbean Islands and a bit of the South American coast.

[delmarrey]

Here in Seattle it's just a day off for the post office and bankers.
But down in Ballard it a whole different story.
.