He was a mercenary, who never set foot on US ground. He & his men raped and pillaged the places he did visit. If the natives did not bring him enough gold, he would have their hands cut off or just execute them. He decimated the Arawack people, however the Caribs put up some resistance. Between murder & disease he started the worst genocide the world has known. Over 90 million native people died in the 1st 100 years after his arrival
2006-08-21 07:31:06 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Other - Holidays
Thats what I believe too, every word of it. People refuse to accept their faults in the past because they like to think everything came about peacefully, which it clearly did not. Columbus is a murderer and should not be celebrated as a holiday, nor should Thanksgiving, what a false celebration.
2006-08-21 07:40:33 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's not such a big holiday now a days. Schools and government offices are closed. Many businesses are open. There are Columbus Day Sales to get people into stores. In cities like New York, Chicago and Cleveland, there are Columbus Day parades.
Columbus does not get the same attention in the history books as he had in the past. Your point of pillaging may be true, I am not sure about genocide, though. You place the blame of of the death of 90 million native people in his hands. I think that's extreme.
However, I think you bring up some good points about the exploration of the "New World" and the effect of the invasions, etc. on native peoples. That is a good subject for discussion and debate.
2006-08-21 20:31:55 · answer #2 · answered by Malika 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't think that Americans make a big deal about Columbus. As long as I can remember, a lot of people don't get that day off for a holiday. When I was in school, we never got it off, and schools always like to take as many holidays as possible. Also, at my job now we don't received it as a holiday, nor do anyone else I know get that day off. So, even though there is a Columbus Day, no one really celebrates it. It's hardly even mentioned, except in school when they teach who Columbus is.
2006-08-21 18:16:39 · answer #3 · answered by Jennifer T 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Columbus set out from Portugal to find a Western passage to India. He bumped into 'The New World' (America) by accident. Modern Americans (especially those in the U.S.A. with access to huge natural resources), therefore owe a huge debt of gratitude to Columbus.
2006-08-21 15:35:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
what you say is true,and shameful,but God has used the works of the devil to create the greatest country the world has ever known. that still does not right the wrong done by columbus and the european powers but somebody will pay in the endfor what was done to the carribean natives and the south american indians. Gb
2006-08-21 15:29:11 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
90 million Indians did not die. There never was 90 million Indians. It was the Spaniards who came later who raped and pillaged.
2006-08-21 17:06:06 · answer #6 · answered by dunadain123 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Columbus found the American continent and made it public to everyone else that he found it and then later people knew where it was b/c he made maps on how to get here.
2006-08-21 21:32:43 · answer #7 · answered by loretta 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, but we get a day off of work, so it all evens out.
2006-08-21 14:41:19 · answer #8 · answered by happytraveler 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Columbus.....A man who didn't know where he was going. When he got there, didn't know where he was. and when he returned, Didn't know where he had been. I was born on columbus day, I'm so ashamed.
2006-08-21 23:28:44 · answer #9 · answered by Jack of Hearts 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well! I've never heard that version of events before...how sordid!
2006-08-21 14:39:24 · answer #10 · answered by LindaLou 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋