COLUMBUS DAY ORIGINS AND FACTS!

   Columbus day is celebrated amongst great fanfare and enthusiasm on the date of every year. It is also a national holiday now, dedicated to the man who presented America to the civilized Europe and hence rest of the world. Though there is a controversy on whether this day should be celebrated or boycotted, it seems that the weight of celebrations is more at this point.

History

   Columbus Day is a holiday in Colorado since 1906 and it became the federal holiday in 1937. Americans celebrate the Columbus Day dedicatedly. Soon the Columbus Day became a ritual to spread the patriotism all over US. Teachers, preachers, poets and politicians were determined to outline the patriotic rituals around the themes like support for war, faithfulness and devotion to the nation, restrictions that each and every citizen of the nation should follow. Overall, the objective was to make the nation successful and progressive.
   In the mid-19th century, immigration became a problem. A number of immigrant communities were coming up. Catholics had also decided to develop an immigrant community to fight nepotism and providing support to the catholic immigrants. Catholics developed the organization called "the Knights of Columbus" which involved the name of Christopher Columbus because of the acceptability of Columbus to the Catholics as he discovered America. He was one of the fellow Catholics as well.

One of the many parades on this day

   Columbus Day is now a part of the heritage. The grand celebration of the particular day had first started on 12th October, 1866 in New York City. The first Columbus Day was celebrated in New York in 1792 to commemorate and honor the 300th anniversary of Columbus’s momentous influx. The Columbus Day became a popular holiday in United States through the lobbying of Angelo Noce who was an Italian. The Columbus Day became a constitutional holiday in 1907 because of the proclamation by the Colorado Governor Jesse F. McDonald in 1905. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt decided to make 12th October a federal holiday due to the lobbying of the community "The Knights of Columbus".
   The holiday was on the second Monday in October since 1971. Coincidentally the same day is celebrated as Thanksgiving in the neighboring Canada since 1959. The particular day is observed by all the banks, bond markets, U.S postal services, Government offices and federal agencies. Very few offices and business entities remain open on that day.


Origins of Columbus Day

   Columbus Day originated from his first visit to the new world in October 12, 1492. His trip was backed by the Spanish royalty. His aim was to discover a western route to the countries of India and China, the fabled land of Unicorns and gold, but landed in the Bahamas instead. Initially he did not realize he was in a previously undiscovered land, and thought to be in the Indian, Chinese and Japanese region, but later realized that he has found a new continent.

Sailing the ocean blue

   Columbus Day have been declared a national holiday since 1937. However some states and organization do not celebrate the holiday, owing to the Columbus controversy.


About Columbus Day


   Before we step in Columbus Day, let’s throw some light on who this Christopher Columbus was, and how did he become famous.
   Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy, in 1451, in a middle class family.    Taking birth in such a society means one has to learn his living at a very early age.      Well, Columbus first went to sea at an early age of 10!
   In 1470,Columbus had a ship wreck in the coasts of Portugal. Thereafter, he resided in that country itself, and undertook different voyages, extending as far as Iceland. But his deep internal desires had far greater boundary. He believed that the world is round, and hence, he would be able to find a shorter route to countries like India and China, than the one found by the great Marco Polo 200 years before him. He wanted to find the route by sailing west, opposite to what known to people at that time.
   Columbus put forward his proposal to King John II of Portugal, sometime in 1485. He asked funding for his venture of finding new route and land. He required three good ships, and provision for about 5 weeks. However, the advisors thought that the journey would take much longer and dismissed his plea.

Christopher Columbus

   Three years down the line, Columbus approached the throne of Spain. King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I was at the helm of affairs then. By that time Portugal had lost all interest in exploration of the west, as Bartholomew had successfully sailed around the top of Africa. Again his proposal was put to the advisory board, and the feedback from the board was similar to the one he received from Portugal. However, the board or the king did not want Columbus to approach any other country, so he was given an annual salary and free food anywhere in the country.
   But such trivial compensation would not satisfy Columbus. He tried frantically and managed to privately fund half of the expenses. For the other half, he approached the court again, with some conditions. Finding new land meant the title ‘Admiral of the Ocean Sea’ should be bestowed on him. He would also be the Governor of the newly found lands, and be entitled of 10% of the proceeds of those lands. Finally, Ferdinand agreed, and Columbus set sails on the 3rd of August, 1492. His three ships were the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria. It was a daring journey to unknown seas.
Two months passed by and yet there was no sight of land. His estimate had already overshot by great margins. His crew began to revolt against his decisions. But he urged on, trying to pacify his crew with his confidence. Finally, on October 12th, 1492, he spotted land, which he christened San Salvador. He thought he had reached India, and prom

   Before we step in Columbus Day, let’s throw some light on who this Christopher Columbus was, and how did he become famous.
   Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy, in 1451, in a middle class family. Taking birth in such a society means one has to learn his living at a very early age. Well, Columbus first went to sea at an early age of 10!
   In 1470,Columbus had a ship wreck in the coasts of Portugal. Thereafter, he resided in that country itself, and undertook different voyages, extending as far as Iceland. But his deep internal desires had far greater boundary. He believed that the world is round, and hence, he would be able to find a shorter route to countries like India and China, than the one found by the great Marco Polo 200 years before him. He wanted to find the route by sailing west, opposite to what known to people at that time.
   Columbus put forward his proposal to King John II of Portugal, sometime in 1485. He asked funding for his venture of finding new route and land. He required three good ships, and provision for about 5 weeks. However, the advisors thought that the journey would take much longer and dismissed his plea.

   Three years down the line, Columbus approached the throne of Spain. King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I was at the helm of affairs then. By that time Portugal had lost all interest in exploration of the west, as Bartholomew had successfully sailed around the top of Africa. Again his proposal was put to the advisory board, and the feedback from the board was similar to the one he received from Portugal. However, the board or the king did not want Columbus to approach any other country, so he was given an annual salary and free food anywhere in the country.
   But such trivial compensation would not satisfy Columbus. He tried frantically and managed to privately fund half of the expenses. For the other half, he approached the court again, with some conditions. Finding new land meant the title ‘Admiral of the Ocean Sea’ should be bestowed on him. He would also be the Governor of the newly found lands, and be entitled of 10% of the proceeds of those lands. Finally, Ferdinand agreed, and Columbus set sails on the 3rd of August, 1492. His three ships were the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria. It was a daring journey to unknown seas.
   Two months passed by and yet there was no sight of land. His estimate had already overshot by great margins. His crew began to revolt against his decisions. But he urged on, trying to pacify his crew with his confidence. Finally, on October 12th, 1492, he spotted land, which he christened San Salvador. He thought he had reached India, and promptly called the natives ‘Indians’ there. But actually, he had reached America. Thus, America was discovered.ptly called the natives ‘Indians’ there. But actually, he had reached America. Thus, America was discovered.

Why Is Columbus Day Celebrated?

   Columbus sailed the ocean in fourteen hundred ninety two. Along with the arrival of the European sailor, the culture, religion and various goods also came into the territory. Even though he was not the first person to step in but the way he publicized his discoveries and thoughts through out the United Kingdom, People of Europe and    America started to believe his exploration. But it is a fact that before Columbus a number of sailors from Europe and Asia visited the land of America but they could not even think of publicizing this or letting people know about their discoveries.
Basically he never thought of discovering any new region. He left Iberia with financial aid of the king Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain and wanted to land up in Indies, a chain of south East Asian islands. This was a business destination of Spain. The way to Indies from Spain was very long and costly. The intention of Columbus was to ascertain a short and inexpensive route to Indies.
   Columbus didn’t know the existence of North and South America. In the process of discovering a shorter way to Indies Columbus discovered a land. He named the land "San Salvador". Columbus had committed a mistake of thinking the natives of San Salvador as Indians. This is truly a misnomer. Columbus came to the land of America thrice in 12 years. But until then he didn’t know that the land is unexplored and uncultivated.

Tomb of Columbus

How Is Columbus Day Observed?

   The whole America, irrespective of the regions, celebrates the Columbus Day as a Holiday but the reasons of celebrations vary extensively in different parts of United States. Government offices, District schools, US portal service and most of the Stock markets are closed on that particular occasion.
   Hawaii celebrates the day as an auspicious day when Christopher Columbus along with Captain James Cook discovered the uncharted and unexplored land of Hawaii Islands. They had also celebrated the customs and cultures of the native people of Hawaii. In most of the states of America, people celebrate the day with processions and they salute Italian American Culture with due respect.
  People of Canada celebrate the Columbus Day along with Thanksgiving. On the other hand Latin America celebrates the Día de la Raza ("Day of the Race") as the first battle between endemic people and Europeans. At present the day is recognized and renowned as "Día de la Resistencia Indígena" ("Day of Indigenous Resistance") in Venezuela.

What is Columbus Day all about?

   Columbus Day is celebrated on 12th October, 1492. The day is celebrated to commemorate the discovery of America by Columbus in general. Americans also respect the role of the Italian immigrants in making the United State great and supreme. Americans celebrate the day to remember these immigrants as well.
   Even though most of the work places are closed but different stores keep their shutters open on that particular day and they also hold many special offers with discounts.
North and South America remember the day in a bit different way. In Bahamas, people celebrate 12th October as "Discovery Day" while many parts of Latin America celebrate the day as Día de la Raza (Day of the Race). Día de la Resistencia Indígena (Day of the Indigenous Resistance) is celebrated in Venezuela.

How did Columbus Day become a holiday?
   The first celebration of Columbus’s discovery took place after 300 years of his actual discovery. A group called the Columbian Order arranged a ceremony in New York to memorize the 300th anniversary of Columbus’s discovery. A group of Italian immigrants organized the celebration in true sense after the civil war. After that other Italian immigrants followed the same path.

   President Benjamin Harrison proclaimed Columbus’s landing in the Bahamas in 1892. That day was not a national holiday till then. But after 17 years, in 1905, Colorado had showed the way to the other parts of America and 12th October became a holiday. Ten years later, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared Columbus Day a federal legal holiday. In 1971 congress decided that on the second Monday of October, there will be an official observance.

How important was his "Discovery"?
   The discovery of Columbus was acclaimed as a great "discovery". The continent was not that well known to the rest of the world earlier. It’s only the publicity, by which people got to know the discovery of Columbus. So, many people recently put a question mark over the name of the discoverer. Columbus discovered the land and thought it as a land which belongs to Asian coast. But it was not the case. He was not the first interloper to reach the land. Scandinavian adventurers and explorers had built colonial dependencies in Greenland and Newfoundland five centuries earlier.

   The discovery of Columbus is not insignificant and extraneous though. His work has influenced a large number of future explorers. The route to the East Asian coastal area was discovered and America was recognized as a new territory. His bravery, willpower, perseverance and descriptive writings are respected. Washington Irving has praised the competence and intelligence of Columbus in his writings.

What makes Columbus Day controversial?

   Even though America celebrates the day as a national holiday but this is a controversial decision. Many of the biographers think that Columbus started his journey for gold and glory but when he landed up in Salvadorian earth, he changed his decision and became a completely different man. Inhabitants of the discovered land almost pleaded to him and his mates for survival but his men showed no mercy. The own journals of Columbus has shown the violence against men, women and children.
   The mass killing has not given him the glory he wanted. The new world soon understood his carnage and Columbus was incarcerated after the investigations. Eventually the crown and wealth of Columbus were restored but he never had got the respect that he sought. Columbus was not allowed to receive the revenues produced by the Spanish government through colonization.
   Columbus was a part of the mass killing and that was an intentional act by him. He described his discoveries and cultivations in his writings. If you read this you will also understand the way he and his partners destroyed the culture of the inhabitants. Native population could not even form the resistance against the diseases that came along with the European explorers. According to a statistical prediction after hundred years of their momentous landing, 90 million of native women, men and children were dead.

Facts on Columbus Day

   Here are some cool and interesting facts on Columbus, the man who is supposed to have discovered America, and celebrates Columbus day in his honor. Read on, enjoy and share with your friends:

• Christopher Columbus never set foot on North American soil and never actually reached North America. He actually landed on an island in the Bahamas, which he thought to be an Indian island.
• Only one of Columbus' famous ships, the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria, is known by its real name. the Santa Maria, which is the most famous, was named the Gallega, and the Nina was a nickname for the Santa Clara. Pinta was the original name of the ship.
• Columbus and his men are said to have brought the diseases syphilis back to Europe.
• No one actually knows what Columbus looks like. Experts believe that the portraits of Columbus were not actually drawn of him.

• Columbus Day has been a National Holiday in the United States since 1937. It was first celebrated in the United States in New York on October 12th, 1792.
• Christopher Columbus discovered the new world on October 12, 1492.
• Christopher Columbus was not the explorer's real name. Experts believe that it was closer to Crisstofa Corumbo.
• People at his time knew and believed that the world was round, and so claim to his bravery that people thought one would fall of the earth's edge was not true. The estimate of earth's size was not proper, but its shape was beyond doubt.
• Columbus had been cruel, killing and enslaving people. This is the reason people are rejecting this holiday, and have given rise to the term 'Columbus controversy'.
• Many historians believe Columbus was born in the Italian port city of Genoa -- but others think he was born on the island of Corsica – sharing his place of birth with Napoleon Bonaparte!
• Columbus wrote in Spanish -- not Italian! -- his entire life!
• No one knows Columbus's finally resting place! He was buried in Spain, then in 1536 his remains were moved to Hispaniola (Haiti), then in 1899 they were returned to Spain, and reburied in 1902 -- three years later!
• Although many paintings show Columbus coming ashore with a priest, the first voyage included no priests! Five priests came on the second -- much larger -- voyage.
• Columbus Day is proudly celebrated by Italian-Americans everywhere -- but amazingly! -- Columbus may not even be Italian!
• Contrary to popular myth, Spain's svelte but thrifty Queen Isabella never sold her jewelry to pay for Columbus's voyage! She and hubby Ferdinand financed the trip partly through investors -- Italian investors!
• Parts of Columbus may also lie in Italy and the Dominican Republic. For a while -- they were in Cuba!
• Columbus left Spain with three ships, but returned with only two. The Santa Maria was shipwrecked in 1492 -- on Christmas Day!
• Columbus died forgotten -- but not poor! He died peacefully, relatively rich, and surrounded by friends and family.