Blog post #5 - due Wednesday, October 15. In class on Wednesday, October 8, you will write a summary of some information about Columbus Day. Now I would ask you to express your personal opinion about that day, based on the information that you know and have read. Answer any or all of the following questions: (1) Why do Americans celebrate this day? Should they? (2) Do you have a similar holiday in your country?(3) Why are there negative feelings about Columbus Day? Do you agree?(4) If Columbus discovered America, why is America not named after him?
Remember to react to each other's comments.
Thanks,
Diana
It's special holiday for Americans.Columbus discovered the new land through sailing around the world on October 12th 1492.At that time,he thought that the native Americans called Indian.Because of the important discovering ,the new land was excited and developed.Actually,there is not the same holiday in China .But when the people republic of China was built on October 1st ,1949 that is called "nation day".From that time,China is really excited.For me ,I do not know why some Americans have negative feelings.Maybe something reminds them of American history.I do not agree with it .Because of discovering step by step,USA is built and excited in the world.Because of discovering ,we can get together today.
ReplyDeleteIn fact,when Columbus just discovered the new world .He thought that the new world should be called India."America" was started and named by another explorers.
Between 1499 and 1504 AD, the Italian explorer Amerigo to the American exploration, arrived in northern South America.The area where he proved in 1492 Columbus discovered just europeans did not know the "new world", rather than India.Later the Italian historian Peter omar too, in his book in the first place in the new world to be called America.German geographer Wall West Muller to America in his book called the name of the continent for America and have been used to this day.
Wendy, thank you for this very thorough and well-researched posting about the origin of the name "America."
DeleteI am not sure I understand when you say "the new land was excited...: and "China is excited" and "USA is built and excited." Can you explain, please? Thanks,
Diana
Columbus Day is important because celebrate the day that the America was discovered. I don't know why Americans celebrate this holiday because Christopher Columbus was italian and worked for Spain, and the USA was developed by England. So, the connection with this man is so small that I don't see reasons to be a big holiday. In my country we don't celebrate this day but we had a holiday to celebrate the discovered of Brazil, but, in 1930, the president Getúlio Vargas took off this holiday of the calendar. In my country has a lot of discussion about this subject because the land, in fact, was not discovered. The land already had people living here for centuries. When the europeans came to this land, they killed the people who were living here. They ended with the native people's culture, instead of try to keep the traditional knowledge. I agree with this thought and I think could been better if they could learned with this people.
ReplyDeleteGiulia, thank you for your thoughtful posting. I understand all but the last sentence. Do you mean that the explorers should have learned from the indigenous people, instead of killing them?
DeleteIn fact, in some state they have stopped to celebrate Columbus Day, such as Seattle. Even though he discovered a new land but also he killed and abused the Native American. On other hand, he helped European to immigrate to the USA, I don’t have any idea if that consider a positive or negative aspects.
ReplyDeleteIn my country, we don’t have a similar holiday but we have a holiday as 4th of July.
As I mention above he killed some people and he didn't improve this country. Why should they celebrate and named America by his name. the grate thing we get a day off in this day.
Ghadah, thank you for your very well-balanced posting. You seem to see both the good and the bad that Columbus did - and I agree that there was both! I was just having a similar discussion with a friend of mine, who also said that the best thing about Columbus Day was having a day off!
DeleteBest,
Diana
Everything has two sides. Columbus discovered the new world is a exciting thing to celebrate.However, I know some states still not celebrate this day. I think when they was landing this area is for money. And they were killed the native people was not accept. Therefor, this type of discovery is not worth celebrating. That is why the people do not called America after Columbus. I think the native people still do not like them, them killed all of the people,they ended their culture. I think if the native people do not have their own language and culture is poor.So in China,we do not have this kind of holiday, but we have similar phenomenon.In the ancient china ,people wanted to ruling dynasty so they killed the people who was living here. I do not like this,so I agree people do not celebrate this holiday.
ReplyDeleteSharon, that is a very interesting parallel you have pointed out with indigenous Chinese people. I didn't know about that at all.
DeleteColumbus Day is a curious holiday in that it is a national holiday, but many cities and states do not celebrate it, as you have mentioned.
Thanks,
Diana