Columbus Day: Prairie Ridge students weigh in on whether to celebrate

For the past 10 years, Prairie Ridge High School students have sent the Northwest Herald letters to the editor about Columbus Day as part of an International Studies department course.

The letters are part of its Columbus and Early Exploration Unit and students are asked “Should we or should we not celebrate Christopher Columbus?” The goal is to have them learn argumentation, critical thinking, executive functioning, research application, student choice and inquiry skills.

“However, its most significant purpose is to give students the opportunity to exercise their civic dispositions – participating in civic affairs thoughtfully, effectively, and responsibly, both personally, politically, and economically,” Crystal Lake-based Community High School District 155 said in a statement.

Students get to choose whether to send their letters to the Northwest Herald, a state representative, a state senator or the school board.

Here are some of those letters:

Dear Northwest Herald editor,

Columbus Day should not be a holiday due to the hideous things he did to the Native Americans. He brutally murdered them for fun and did not do what he said he did when they landed. Las Casas quotes, “Two of these so-called Christians met two Indian boys one day, each carrying a parrot; they took the parrots and for fun beheaded the boys.” The Native Americans had a beautiful and efficient lifestyle before the Europeans came and changed it all for them. They had amazing ways to get resources from the land so that they could survive without anyone else’s help.

Before they would kill the Native Americans, they would put them to work every day by making them dig in mines for gold. Las Casas quotes, “After each six or eight months’ work in the mines, which was the time required or each crew to dig enough gold for melting, up to a third of the men died.” I don’t know why people would want to support this holiday after they learned all of the genocide and torture that was caused to the Native Americans. Native Americans were brutally stripped of their land and way of lifestyle when the Europeans came. Columbus should be stripped of his achievements and this holiday should disappear forever.

Sincerely,

Troy Laukert

Who is Christopher Columbus? Should we celebrate Christopher Columbus? Some might say that Christopher Columbus was a bad person, however I am here to tell you the opposite. He lived from 1451 to 1506, which was only 55 years. In this short amount of time, he accomplished a great many things. Of those is a brilliant navigator. He learned to navigate at an early age while working for his Portuguese employers. While working in the merchant marine field, he learned navigational skills, chart making, and the Atlantic wind systems.

In 1486, Columbus moved to Spain in search of royal patronage for a westward voyage over open seas. Originally, he was just looking for a westward sea route from Europe to Asia. Columbus was fortunate that by 1492 the Ottoman Empire and others closed off a common route along the Silk Road, which stopped Europeans from obtaining gold, spices, herbs, and medicine. That year Columbus was awarded three ships from Queen Isabella who was tied to the Catholic Church. His first journey was successful due to his great navigational skills of “reaching the east by going west” and was then awarded three more journeys. The important thing to note is that Columbus was able to chart maps for others to follow successfully to the New World, Bahamas, Cuba, West Indies, Trinidad, Gulf of Paria, Venezuela, the mouth of the Grande River, South Africa, Jamaica, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.

Americans celebrate Christopher Columbus Day due to him landing on Oct. 12, 1492, in the New World and President Franklin [D. Roosevelt] declaring the day in 1943. I believe that Columbus represents many of the qualities Americans pride themselves in. Columbus was a son of a wool merchant and yet he still followed his dreams. He challenged prior thoughts that the Earth was flat and you can’t reach the east by going west, he challenged Aristotelian philosophy and supported the solar system. He was able to convince a queen and the Catholic Church to support his journeys that involved a new way of thinking. Columbus did not allow others to convince him to stop dreaming. As Americans we dream of owning our own land, having a successful career, and a family. Christopher Columbus continued to follow his dreams despite others’ negativity. President Roosevelt said on Oct. 12, 1942, “Columbus found a world and had no chart, save one that faith deciphered in the skies.”

Emely Rudsinski

Dear Gov. Pritzker,

Columbus Day should no longer be celebrated and instead, should be replaced with a national holiday remembering the indigenous people that were forced out by Columbus and the rest of his explorers.

When Columbus arrived in the New World, he immediately had his way around the land. He enslaved and murder the indigenous people. Around 7 million natives died over the next four decades of Columbus’s control. The source “USA Today” proves this further. Les Begay, a Diné Nation member and co-founder of the Indigenous Peoples Day Coalition of Illinois also adds that “each October, when Columbus is honored, it further diminishes and erases Native people, their history and their culture.” In addition, the Taino Indians saved Columbus from certain death, another reason for it to be recognized as Indigenous People Day.

The American Indian Movement has stated how the Indigenous people saved Columbus on Oct. 12. An opportunity arose that day for Americans and Taino people to leave a wonderful harmony. Instead he decided to enslave them and murder them even after being saved. Therefore, Columbus Day should not be erased from American history, but should instead be renamed to Indigenous People Day, reminding Americans of the Taino people who lost their lives to Columbus.

Sincerely,

Josh Annen

My name is Violet Woodin, and I am taking a U.S. history class at Prairie Ridge High School. We learned about Christopher Columbus for our first unit, and this is where I stand. I think we shouldn’t celebrate him but rather honor him. Columbus did great things for this country all while using and torturing the natives. Now, without Columbus, America would not be what it is today so I am glad he dared to go on a journey he most likely would not come back from but did gruesome things in the process. From 1494-1508 over 3 million natives had perished due to war, slavery, and mining for gold. Colombus wanted gold and he couldn’t get enough of it. His obsession led to mutilating and torturing slaves who didn’t bring enough back to him. His choices still affect the present day. Many Native Americans were nearly wiped out and forced into reservations and their descendants still suffer from poverty and discrimination. Even though Columbus committed unforgivable crimes, he helped shape America. One example of this is the Columbian Exchange. The exchange was a widespread transfer of goods such as plants, animals, precious metals, culture, populations, technology, and even diseases. The exchange impacted the entire world, not only America. Lastly, his discovery gave our grandparents and great-grandparents a chance to go to the new world and build better lives for their families. In conclusion, we should honor Columbus but dial it down on the celebrations. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Violet Woodin

Some say Columbus Day should be celebrated due to a launch for exploration Columbus used to establish America’s success. However, Columbus Day isn’t worth celebrating due to the brutality of Spaniards against Indians in the New World; it’s a celebration of death and conquest.

Columbus Day overlooks the violent and brutal treatment colonizers inflicted on Indians. An excerpt from the Narragansett Tribe states, “... they have cut down the grass with scythes … destroying the environment of our game and deer.” This shows how English colonists’ land use has destroyed habitats and food sources, disrupting Indians’ way of life. Another example from John Lawson states, “… we threaten them with our guns, steal their farming techniques, steal and corrupt their sources of food…” This highlights the colonizers’ violence to exploit Indians and their resources. It reflects colonizers’ use of disruption.

Columbus Day highlights exploitation that began with Columbus’s arrival in America. Powhatan states, “You see us unarmed … willing to supply your wants if you come in a friendly manner … not with swords or guns…” This shows the Indian’s willingness to assist if approached respectfully. Another excerpt from King Philip Metacom states, “.. .who came first to this country were but a handful of people … poor and distressed. … My father did all in his power to serve them.” King Philip then states, “English disarmed my people … tried them by their own laws … amounts of fines for damages my people could not pay.” This shows how Indians faced betrayal as the English disarmed and imposed fines. This betrayal highlights the exploitation of Indians.

Kiley Harmke

Columbus Day should not be celebrated with its own federal holiday. There are many primary sources describing how Columbus killed and enslaved the people that were already living in America, the Native Americans.

One highly valuable source was a drawing from Las Casas, one of Columbus’ fellow explorers. The drawing showcased multiple acts of genocide by Columbus against the Native Americans. One part of the drawing showed the gruesome manual labor and torture that the Native Americans endured. Another important piece of evidence against Columbus is in a letter from Powhatan to British men and women where he says: “Why should you destroy us, who have provided you with food?”

This shows that when the Europeans arrived in America, they were initially met with kindness and hospitality from the Native Americans. However, in return, they inflicted violence and suffering upon the same Native Americans. Both of these sources are among many pieces of evidence illustrating the extreme abuse the Native Americans went through because of Christopher Columbus.

Barrett Roberts

Columbus Day should be renamed to Indigenous Resistance Day because the Native Americans deserve to be recognized for the unfair struggles and pain they had to endure. Christopher Columbus was very selfish and insensitive by exploiting the Native Americans. Once he got to America, he started forcing them to work as slaves for him and the drawings from Las Casas, showing the torture the Native Americans were put through, are the biggest pieces of evidence proving Christopher Columbus’s crimes.

In no way whatsoever should he be praised for this. On top of that, Howard Zinn has a book showcasing Christopher Columbus’s actions to further back the drawings from Las Casas. Therefore, Columbus Day is a celebration of slavery, death, and conquest. There are quotes from Russell Means and Glen Morris stating that Columbus Day is a perpetration of racist assumptions and there were even articles saying how pivotal Catholics were in the disapproval of Christopher Columbus. In the end, Columbus should not be celebrated as a hero, the real people that need recognition are the Native Americans.

DJ Gregory

Christopher Columbus should not have a national holiday because of all the ruthless killing of Native Americans during his voyages and because of the social and political angles associated with the holiday. In 1492, Christopher Columbus landed in undiscovered North America, inhabited only by Native Americans and proceeded to kill every man, woman and child. Las Casas, a priest, on the voyage, drew very detailed drawings of every way they killed someone, whether it was with a sword or burning them alive; it was all documented. Las Casas also journaled and one of his entries talked about how there were two young Native American boys with their pet birds, who were beheaded and then their pet birds were killed by Columbus’ party, all for fun.

Secondly, Columbus should not have a national holiday because Columbus Day was created as a way for Catholics to be viewed better, and a way for Benjamin Harrison to get elected. According to a 2011 article by Jack Schneider, he states, “Catholics were eager to improve their social and economical status,” who looked to the prominent Catholic explorer Columbus to do that. Basically the day was created to help out Catholics, not to celebrate Columbus. Schneider’s article also states, “The proclamation had a political angle too, Harrison was engaged in a battle for his political life”. It was all just an angle to get him elected and not truly about celebrating Columbus. That is why Columbus Day should not be celebrated as a national holiday.

Trent P.

Dear Editor,

Despite the benefits of Christopher Columbus taking over the New World, he had a more negative rather than positive impact. This is why Columbus Day should not be celebrated anymore in the United States.

First, Christopher Columbus tortured and mistreated the people who helped him. Las Casas shows images of the brutal torture that the Native Americans underwent when Christopher Columbus decided to take over. Another piece of evidence is from a book written by Howard Zinn that shows that there are many testimonies of the Native Americans proving that they were treated horribly despite their attempts to befriend the Europeans when they first arrived, helping them by feeding and teaching them necessary survival skills.

Second, Christopher Columbus did not discover the New World; instead, he took it over, which should not be an act that is celebrated but rather looked at negatively. The American Indian Movement brings up the idea that both cultures could have joined and thrived but instead what happened was the complete opposite and it ended horribly for the native people. Over 20 million indigenous people were living and thriving in North America with trading centers and complex buildings before Columbus came and took over everything and everyone.

All of this evidence is the reason why Columbus Day should not and should have never been celebrated in the first place.

Sincerely,

William Bowen

Dear Northwest Herald,

Columbus Day should not be celebrated as a national holiday. Columbus Day was first created because Christopher Columbus was considered by many to be the “founder” of our nation, expanded exploration, and has shaped our country into what it is today.

Some of this may be true, but why would you want to celebrate a man who enslaved and slaughtered natives? According to Russel Morris and Glen Morris, though “... his own diaries indicated that he was greeted … with the most generous hospitality he had ever known, he immediately began the enslavement and slaughter of the Indian people.” He was greeted with hospitality, but he still proceeded to destroy the population. In the Bartolome de las Casas drawings, it shows the slaughtering of natives. Some drawings showed native bodies burning and hanging.

Second, if natives weren’t slaughtered by Christopher Columbus’ actions, they were enslaved and worked to death. “A People’s History of the United States,” by Howard Zinn, stated, “As for the newly born, they died early because their mothers (were) overworked and famished.” This is showing how natives weren’t able to expand their population because of how hard they worked. Also mentioned by Howard Zinn from the same book, “...those who wash gold stay in the water…with their backs bent…it breaks them.” This shows the strenuous work that was done and then led to injuries.

In conclusion, Columbus Day shouldn’t be a national holiday because of the many natives he killed and the harm he caused innocent people.

Sincerely,

Ava Bell

In my opinion, we should not still celebrate Columbus Day, or should at least recognize him for the person he really was. Today, we see Columbus as a hero who discovered the New World and set a path that led to the country we are in today. However, the things he did to achieve this were wrong and cruel. For example, he forced the Native Americans into slavery, torturing and killing them. He came into their land and stole it from them.

Although he is the reason that we are here today, he did not act correctly when he arrived to America. Some even he say that him and his men raped the Native American women, and killed the woman and children. These acts are cruel and inhumane; yet he is seen as a hero and voyager who discovered the New World. With all these things aside, Columbus was a good explorer and great traveler, but to what extent do we give him credit that he may not deserve.

Reagan Turman

We should not celebrate Christopher Columbus but rather recognize his achievements. Christopher Columbus was not just an evil person some made him out to be, but he wasn’t a saint either. Christopher Columbus was a major reason that nearly 55 million indigenous people lost their lives. However, the reason that almost 90% of the Indigenous people died was a simple disease, which should not be pinned solely on him due to the reason that there were other people there and he did not do any of it on purpose.

Christopher Columbus also brought European life into the Americas, which is the reason that North America is the way that it is today. We mustn’t forget about the mass enslavement of the indigenous people. Christopher Columbus’ did write in his journal that the “Indians” as he called them would make fine servants and that they could use them as slaves; it is important to know that this was the first comment about the indigenous people that Christopher Columbus wrote about.

However, it is important to recognize that Christopher Columbus did discover two continents that added up to 16,428,000 square miles of land that were brand new to Europe. It is noteworthy to add that Christopher Columbus did do something unknown and deadly if gone wrong. Christopher Columbus was a ruthless conqueror with what he did to the Indigenous people of the Americas and the Caribbean, but, it is essential to note that Christopher Columbus helped shape the world and that he was an incredible pioneer of his time.

Christopher Columbus also spent a lot of time preparing for his maiden voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. With all that being said I implore you, the reader to do your research. Come up with conclusions yourself, and advocate respectfully for your belief. Although I strongly advise researching sources and getting as unbiased sources as possible because in these times we need to have unbiased beliefs.

Noah Monninger

The question remains: should we celebrate Christopher Columbus?

While we should recognize his accomplishments, we should not necessarily celebrate him. And here’s why: When Columbus got to San Salvador Island, the Taino Indians were excited that other people had discovered this land. However, this shows us how he was technically not the very first people on the island, therefore, he should not get all the credit for discovering it first.

To add to this he soon had the Tanios working for him and would force them to do labor for him. Some examples include them fanning him with leaves, carrying him and his men on their backs, etc. Unfortunately, for a while people ignored the way in which Columbus encountered the Tanios and thought he was a hero. Lastly, if the Tanio’s did not work to their full potential he would punish them in ways that could alter their lives forever.

Now not all things he did were bad. For example, the Columbian Exchange. He also opened up many doors for Italian Americans coming to America. As we can see he helped us in some ways, however he is not be known for being such a hero considering the things he did.

Now, many people could argue that Columbus shows patriotism and is a symbol of American history, however people were insisting on the removal of statues, street signs, public parks etc. So, does that really show patriotism or is it making people doubt Columbus and lack feeling proud of their country? Other states are even changing Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day. With all this being said, should we really celebrate Columbus or just recognize him for his accomplishments and let that be it?

Thanks you so much for your time,

Madeline Woodin

Celebrate or Remember?

Christopher Columbus, the man America has honored since the discovery date, Oct. 12, 1492, of our nation.

He changed history for the better; now history is changing him. Over the last few decades, the perspective and viewing of Columbus has greatly shifted worldwide. New information has slowly been unraveling through time; many major casualties caused by our “hero.”

Is Columbus really the man we put him out to be?

Columbus Day; a free day off of school. Each mandatory education system, whether it be elementary school or high school spend hours a year around this holiday informing children on the history of Columbus. Majority of what is taught within schools is who we want Christopher to be remembered by, not what he is really known for. The government didn’t change the name from Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day for nothing. The “hero” of our country tortured innocent indigenous people for their gold, burned down multiple towns, and was a major part in the slave trade; forcing and killing more people than majority of any deadly virus has. With over 6 million people dead, there is no accurate information on who this man really was besides his own word and people that were in favor of him. No wonder everyone thought he was a great guy!

While Columbus may have given us our home now, we no longer should give back to him the way we have been. America has hundreds of statues, street names, stores, etc., named after Christopher Columbus that need to be taken down and or changed for the better of our nation. Having a day off to celebrate Columbus is equal to saying we all have a day off to celebrate a genocide. The education system shouldn’t sugar coat what truly happened any longer, and we should only get the day off in remembrance of all the innocent people that Christopher killed on his journey to a “New Beginning.”

“Columbus Day,” better known as “Indigenous Peoples Day,” is a day to take a dive back in time and see how far we have come as a nation and to remember the survivors and victims of this time period.

Raelee S.