Should we still have Columbus Day?

[LordJaric]

I been wondering if we should still have Columbus day when there have been people who've came here long before him?

The Phoenicians were an ancient group of people who lived in what is now Lebanon that developed around 3000 b.c. By 800 b.c. they had become a powerful merchants and had colonies through out the Mediterranean. They were eventally conquered by the Greeks and were banned from doing their rituals were people were sacrificed, they tried to do it in secret, but when they were found out they were punished, eventually they fleed their homeland, they would flee to west africa where they had colonies, however on the way some were washed out to sea and were swept to the Americas (146 b.c.), stone tablets have been found that have phoenician language and a group of buildings called America's Stonehenge, no one is sure what happened to the phoenicians, it is believed that they may have melded with the natives.

During the time of Nero emperor of Rome, the christians were being persecuted greatly. So a group of them decided run, they could go anywhere in Europe or Africa so they decided to cross the Atlantic, even thought it was believed the world was flat it was also believed that there was land across the ocean, at least one ship made it to the America it is believed they landed what in now Virginia (64 a.d.) Artifacts have been found in areas that had not been used by colonist or native amercains, theses artifacts are made of the same formula that was used in Pompeii, a Roman city destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. It is believed that they also melded with natives.

Another group is to believed to be the Chinese, in 458 a.d. survivers of a journey from a land they called Fusang now believed to be ancient Mexico, they calculated a distence of twenty thousand li (7,500 miles) which is extremely close to the actual distence between China and Mexico. Some evidence shows that ancient Chinses described plants and fruits that grow in Mexico and also described how the Mayan lived. In 1421 almost two hundred ships left China to explore the world, evidence from clothes to ships to writing have been found in the americas, australia, new zealand, africa the caribbean, antarctica, and greenland, dna has also been found with similarities between natives and chineses. It is believed that early European explores had even seen chinse people.

Irish monks who kept on being attacked by Vikings (Scandinavian pirates), so they fled to Iceland, they were attacked again so they fled to Greenland, Vikings showed up again but they just explored first, so the monks and their familes ran before it was to late, they eventually made it to the america in 1100 they made their seltements and lived in peace with the natives. One day on the horizen a ship apperaed the Vikings had shown up again, but this time the monks had have enough of runnig, they had decided to make a stand, with their native allies they ambushed the Vikings and took them by surprise, their ships were burned and the survivers were baptized and were told to make a vow never to leave for fear that they would come back with more Vikings, however they were devastated to learn that these Scandinavian were not Vikings but peaceful traders. They eventaully disappeared.

Now there were other explores, Scandinavians/Vikings, Europeans, and even Africans but you see my point, should we still have Columbus day or should we call it something else.

[stafffighter]

At this point the day is part of the cultural heritage. It's not hurting anyone and the the vikings aren't complaining so let's just not bother.

[oliverguyon]

columbus was a pimp..so yess

[Zeistro]

I would like to address a part of your post in which you say they believed the world was flat: no entirely. They've known the world is spherical since the time of the ancient greeks, in which the philosophers concluded the world is in the shape of a sphere. It wasn't until the Dark Ages, where scientific knowledge was largely destroyed by the barbarian tribes, that they regressed into the belief the world's flat.

[homor]

At 4/23/08 08:01 PM, stafffighter wrote: the vikings aren't complaining so let's just not bother.

thats because they're all dead.

[hippl5]

Honestly, I don't give a shit about Columbus. I just want an excuse for a day off.

[Tri-Nitro-Toluene]

As a descendant of the vikings I am outraged that my ancestors are not honoured in the same way that Columbus is, when our achievement was much greater than his and came earlier.

I demand a day of pillaging of sea ports and small villages in our honour.

[LordJaric]

I see my point failed to get across to some of you.

[therealsylvos]

At 4/24/08 08:32 AM, LordJaric wrote: I see my point failed to get across to some of you.

Sure some other people discovered it first, yet would you honor some joe blow who discovered a vaccine for polio before Salk, yet kept it to himself?

Colombus opened the New world to the Old.

[MortifiedPenguins]

First off, the Phonecian story is currently fiction and not fact, ditto with the Chinese one.

But regardless, there's a reason it was still called the new world after columbuse's voyages. Any earlier explorers didn't pass the word on.

[LordJaric]

At 4/24/08 09:25 PM, MortifiedPenguins wrote: First off, the Phonecian story is currently fiction and not fact, ditto with the Chinese one.

Even after archaeological evidence has been found.

[stafffighter]

At 4/24/08 09:46 PM, LordJaric wrote:

At 4/24/08 09:25 PM, MortifiedPenguins wrote: First off, the Phonecian story is currently fiction and not fact, ditto with the Chinese one.

Even after archaeological evidence has been found.

All the cool kids are negating archaeological evidence. Besides, the man is correct in that Columbus was the one who actually passed word on about this place existing.
Will changing the name of a holiday really make your dick grow? Because otherwise I don't see the point.

[LordJaric]

At 4/24/08 09:56 PM, stafffighter wrote: All the cool kids are negating archaeological evidence. Besides, the man is correct in that Columbus was the one who actually passed word on about this place existing.
Will changing the name of a holiday really make your dick grow? Because otherwise I don't see the point.

Ok I get the point of Columbus day now, but wonder why history classes don't teach of other travelers other then the Vikings and Columbus.

[SmilezRoyale]

Columbus' achievement wasn't being the first to land in the Atlantic, this has been known for quite some time.

The vikings [indesputely]

and possibly St. Brendan and possibly earlier Christians and possibly the chinese and possible the Illuminati space alien lizards had been to north America. However, none of these groups created the lasting influence that Columbus did.

Columbus was one of the many peg points for the 'turning' of the themes of history. [Fall of the Byzantines, The protestant reformation, and a few other things should probably be studying since i have an AP exam on it anyway lol]

But more importantly, he began the Columbian Exchange and the begining of Transatlantic immigration, communication, and commerce on mass levels. Sorry, but a single ship floating across the giant ocean and managing by luck to get their without sinking does not a trade route make.

It's alot like... say MLK jr, he wasn't the first civil rights leader, but his influence outreaches that of many others.

[Tri-Nitro-Toluene]

At 4/24/08 10:12 PM, LordJaric wrote: Ok I get the point of Columbus day now, but wonder why history classes don't teach of other travelers other then the Vikings and Columbus.

Dunno about you, but I got taught about that stuff in Secondary school at some point. Didn't cover it in depth, but I'm sure I remember a teacher mentioning that Vikings got to America way before Columbus did.

But I am in Britain so the curriculum is different and the like. though if we're taught it I find it surprising the US system doesn't teach it.

[kahncccp]

No. Columbus killed over 100 million, so no.

[MortifiedPenguins]

At 4/24/08 09:46 PM, LordJaric wrote:

At 4/24/08 09:25 PM, MortifiedPenguins wrote:

Even after archaeological evidence has been found.

You mean a sketch rock drawing of what looks like a boat.
Yes, thats indeed validating proof.

[LadyGrace]

At 4/25/08 06:12 PM, kahncccp wrote: No. Columbus killed over 100 million, so no.

Um... what? Where's your source for this?

As far as the day itself, it could be replaced by anything, just like MLK day replaced Lincoln's birthday or Veteran's day replaced Armistice day. I don't think people would really care. After all, Columbus was a giant douchebag.

[SmilezRoyale]

At 4/25/08 06:12 PM, kahncccp wrote: No. Columbus killed over 100 million, so no.

Er... not even close.

He was indirrectly responsible for the deaths of many people, but he had no control or say in those deaths. It's like you showing up in a town one day and everyone dropping dead.

[karlu20]

of course we shouldnt, although im not above saying i dont mind a day off from school
i loathe colombus and everything he stood for
he persecuted and mistreated many many people including his own crew and native americans
not only is he credited with discovering america which is entirely untrue he was corrupt

im not getting into the entire arguement here, im far too lazy to but heres a direct quote showing why its wrong
http://karlu20.newgrounds.com/news/post/
68076
note, my blog contains nsfw pics, so go at your own risk