Columbus Day (12 October) (1961)

Today we take for granted that the world is round. In the 15^th century, however, most people believed the world was flat. People laughed at jailed others who dared think the world was in the shape of a globe.

An Italian named Christopher Columbus was bold enough to push this notion, and ask for money to explore the seas, and find what he thought would be the other hemisphere of the earth. Portugal, Italy and England refused to support such a venture.

Christopher Columbus convinced Queen Isabella of Spain that it would be easier to sail directly west and find the rich of India and Asia. A new route would be found, he said, and possible new lands for Spain.

Finally, on August 3, 1492, he and ninety men set sail on the flagship Santa Maria. Two other ships, the Nina and the Pinta, came with him. They sailed west. Three long months went by. His men became tired and sick, and threatened to turn the ships back. Columbus encouraged them, certain that they would find the spice trail to the East. On October 11^th Columbus saw a light. The Pinta kept sailing, and reported that the light was, in fact, land. The next morning at dawn they landed.

Few celebrations marked the discovery until hundreds of years later. The continent was not even named after Columbus, but an Italian explorer named Amerigo Vespucci. In 1792, a ceremony was held in New York honouring Columbus, and was dedicated to him. Soon after that, the city of Washington was officially named the District of Columbus and became the capital of the US.

Americans might not have a Columbus Day if Christopher Columbus had not been born in Italy. Out of pride for their native son, the Italian population of New York City organised the first celebration of the discovery of America on October 12, 1866. The next year, more Italian organisation in other cities held banquets, parades and dances on that day. In 1869, when Italians of San Francisco celebrated October 12, they called it Columbus Day. Although it is generally accepted that Christopher Columbus was the first European to have discovered the New World of the Americas, there is still some controversy over this claim.

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