Today, Americans celebrate Columbus Day, a holiday that is celebrated because of Christopher Columbus’ ‘discovery’ of America. Currently, many people raise questions as to whether or not it should be celebrated.

Many students learn, especially in elementary school, that Columbus was the first man to ever step foot on America. However, in middle school, the same students are taught that he was not the first man to spot America. Students are taught that Columbus was a brave explorer who sailed the ocean blue and discovered a new world. That statement completely overlooks the fact that there were indigenous people that arrived here and had thriving civilizations for centuries before Columbus stepped foot in the New World.

Columbus was not even looking for land. He set sail to look for gold.  Columbus did not land in American, but n islands in the Caribbean.  He was terrible to the natives where he landed, treating them horribly. Columbus invaded their land and demanded gold. When told no, he would cut off their ears and noses so they could back to their people and warn them of what was to come. Columbus and his crew were a horrible men who began a genocide of native Americans and should not be given credit for finding America.

Staff and students have varying opinion about celebrating Columbus Day:

Mrs. Virtue: “I look forward to celebrating it every year.”

Senior Jacob Gash: “No because he’s not the actual person who discovered America.”

Junior Melissa Homme: “Yes because I want the day off from school.”

Mr. Cheney: “Absolutely not. Columbus started a genocide, which killed a lot of people, and he was ignorant.”

Columbus, born in Italy, sailed to the West for King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, and history books connect him more with Spain than with his homeland. According to The Local, a Spanish newspaper in English, some cities in Spain, such as Barcelona, Cadiz, and Badalona, have cancelled Columbus Day because of the “connotations of imperialism and oppression” it has, and that it celebrates genocide.