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Contributor: Elephango Editors. Lesson ID: 11635
Should we keep celebrating Columbus Day—or is it time for a change? Explore both sides and decide what you think!
Let’s Set Sail!
Imagine this: You’re on a wooden ship with huge sails flapping in the wind. The ocean stretches in every direction. You’ve never been this far from home.
You don’t have GPS. You don’t even know for sure what you’ll find. You’re on a mission that could change history.
That’s exactly what Christopher Columbus felt when he sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492.
People once threw parades, waved flags, and even got the day off from school to celebrate him.
Some people still celebrate Columbus Day—others choose not to.
Dive in and discover what Columbus did, what really happened, and why this holiday gets people talking. You might be surprised by what you learn!
Who Was Columbus?
A Risky Plan
Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer who had a big idea: he wanted to find a new way to Asia by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean.
At the time, trade with Asia was super important—spices, silk, and gold could make a person rich! But the land routes were blocked, and sea routes around Africa took forever.
Columbus asked King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain to help pay for his trip. They said yes, and in August 1492, Columbus set off with three ships: the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa María.
A Surprise Landing
Columbus thought he’d land in Asia. Instead, on October 12, 1492, he arrived in the Bahamas, a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. He believed he had found part of India, however, so he called the people he met “Indians.”
What Columbus didn’t know was that he had just made contact with a land full of diverse peoples and cultures who had lived there for thousands of years.
A Famous—and Complicated—Legacy
Columbus made four trips across the Atlantic. He brought back gold, new foods, and stories of strange lands. His trips led to more European exploration—and eventually, colonization.
But there’s another side to the story.
Columbus also took people from the islands back to Europe as prisoners. He forced others to work for him, treated many of them harshly, and left behind new diseases that caused many deaths. His actions harmed many of the native people he met.
Today, historians agree that while he was a skilled navigator, he also caused great suffering.
What’s the Holiday About?
Columbus Day became a national holiday in 1937. It’s celebrated on the second Monday in October.
Some people still honor Columbus for his daring journey and how it changed the world. Others believe it’s more important to honor the people who were already living in the Americas long before he arrived.
Some states now celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead. This day focuses on the cultures and contributions of Native American communities.
You’ve now seen both sides of Columbus’s story—his bravery and the harm he caused.
Test your memory and thinking skills in the Got It? section.
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