Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus was born in 1451.  Columbus always had a fascination for sailing and he began at the age of 14.  He is most known for “discovering” America, although there is controversy on whether he did or did not discover America.  Once the Spanish King and Queen provided the money necessary for his voyage, he went off to find money or any goods that he could find in present day Bahamas.  This voyage was in August 1492, the year that Columbus discovered America.  Columbus wanted to bring back gold to the King and Queen in order to prove that what he believed was true, and that he could actually find something of value.  He had a hard time finding anything on the island, and he actually forced people to mine for gold. Columbus returned to the King and Queen empty-handed.  Columbus died in 1506, and the King and Queen sent him away in 1504.

Columbus Day

Columbus Day celebrates the discovery of America.  It usually celebrated on October 12.  It is a national holiday and people celebrate it all around the world.  Columbus Day first became a holiday in the year 1906, and it became a federal holiday in the U.S. in 1937.  It is named after Christopher Columbus, since he is said to be the one who discovered America.  However, there are some states that do NOT celebrate Columbus Day, like Alaska and Hawaii.

Reflection:

I actually have never paid much attention to this holiday.  I do think that it is an extremely important holiday because it celebrates America!  It celebrates our country and we should take pride in our country.  I also think that Christopher Columbus gets a lot of recognition on this day, which isn’t a bad thing.