Question of the Week #1

[Angela Cunningham]

Should we celebrate Columbus Day in the United States? Consider both sides of the issue before making a decision, and be sure to explain your reasoning in detail.

Sources to get you started:
A Brief History of Columbus Day - Time Magazine
Is Columbus Day Sailing Off the Calendar? - Wall Street Journal

[ambow]

Yes I think we should celebrate Colmbus Day because he was the one who "discovered" America even though there was already Indians inhabiting the American land. He was the first European to actually sail back to Spain, tell everyone of the news that he had discovered, or what he believed to be a country that no one else discovered, a new world. After he sailed back more people began to gather their things and move on the lands of the "New World." Even though he did put six natives into slavery he did give the people of Europe, Spain, etc. new lands to explore and more room for growing families to grow on and have it become developed.

[Angela Cunningham]

Nice discussion. While there are a few typos and grammatical errors, you have done a good job overall. Consider adding a source to support your statement about putting 6 natives into slavery.

[dagre]

I believe that columbus day should not be celibrated because he killed most of the native americans in the area he was settling at and made the work till they were so tired that they couldn't move enough to get back to thier home so they slept on the ground most of the time.


source: " The Peoles History of the United States"

[Angela Cunningham]

Please take time to proofread your posts before you publish.

Did Columbus actually kill most of the Native Americans, or did something else happen to them?

Consider re-posting as a reply in this thread with your errors corrected and more detail to support your views.

[shric]

i think we should not celebrate Columbus Day. i dont think that it is that important. And he really dont have that much meaning. also Columbus didnt even relise thats wre he was. he thought he was in Asia. So to celebrate it would be wrong. That would be rewarding him for something he didnt have a clue about that he had done.

[Angela Cunningham]

Good start. Please add more details such as where Columbus thought he was, why he thought that, etc.

[shmil]

Well of course I do; not only the fact that I am a lazy teenager and wants to get out of school, but its the day Mr. Columbus descoverd a little place called America. The land I live in. Where would we be with out this man finding our little peice of home sweet home? Well, I think we probably be swinging from trees. Being a very uncivil undeveloped country like, India or Africa. Not saying these people swing from tree. No offince:) but, yes we should! I think its sad we dont! We dont have many times truely celebrated for the things we blow off day to day! So, why do we blow things off like this? Is my quistion to you...

[ambow]

Because many people do think that many people should not deserve to be celebrated for doing things that helped us, even if it did hurt others. We learned from the mistakes that were made a long time ago.

[Angela Cunningham]

Be careful with the generalizations you make. While you may not mean to offend, your statements very well could. Also, please expand on why you think that without Columbus the Americas would have gone undiscovered by Europeans.

[jagos]

I believe that Columbus day shouldn't be celebrated in the United States.
First of all, Columbus had no clue that where he was traveling wasn't Aisa. He spent his time in the Carribean gathering strange "Indian" goods. Even on his deathbed, he believed he had found the western passage.
Also, Columbus wasn't the first person in america anyway. Studies have shown that the viking Lief Eriksson and his crew were actually the first to go there. Yet, we do not don our horned helmets and celebrate Lief Eriksson day.
Finally, Columbus may have seen it as taming savages, but he opened the door to the destruction of some of the greatest empires in the world.

[Angela Cunningham]

Good analysis. I do, however, suggest that you proofread before you post. Also, add a source for your claims about Lief Eriksson.

[herig]

I believe that we should not celebrate Columbus Day because its really not all
that important to us. He did not discover all of america. He ended up in the caribeans
and stayed there and colected indian goods. He also had indians as slaves which isn't all
that great.