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Monday, October 10, 2005

Celebrate Columbus Day!

For teenagers, Columbus Day is nothing more than a day off from school. Despite not being in school, American teenagers are not learning reasons behind celebrating this day. Mainly, this day is to honor Christopher Columbus's first voyage in 1492 when he and his crew discovered America.

In 1905, Colorado was the first state to celebrate Columbus Day. It wasn't until 1937 when President Franklin Roosevelt declared October 12 as the official day to celebrate Columbus Day. Nearly 60 years later, President Johnson declared starting in 1968 that every second Monday in October would be the new official day to celebrate Columbus.

Even though holidays are immediately seen as a day of celebration, there were many people who were also hurt by Columbus that must not be forgotten. The native inhabitants were ruthlessly pushed out by America’s push west from “Sea to Shining Sea.” Therefore, it is without surprise that many view Columbus Day as a celebration of conquest and genocide. To them, the second Monday in October is known as "Indigenous Peoples Day."

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