Everybody regards Columbus Day, Monday, October 18, as the day which students have off from school, but most fail to recognize its actual importance. Columbus Day marks the date at which Christopher Columbus and his crew aboard the Santa Maria reached the Americas for the first time (assuming that Menzie's argument is invalid!). Technically speaking, historians are not 100% sure that the "discovery" of the Americas occurred on October 18, 1492. However, I believe that this date is in fact important, regardless of whether it is the actual date during which Columbus found the Americas. Columbus day, in effect, is symbolic of discovery as a whole, not only as it relates to Columbus and his "discovery" of the Americas, but also discoveries of places and technologies that have improved the world we lived in today. I think that Columbus Day is an integral aspect of American culture, as it gives Americans a sense of pride and dignity. However, it can also be seen from a negative perspective. Columbus Day also marks the date after which the Native American inhabitants began their decline as a result of foreign invasion. But that is not the question.....Whether or not Columbus Day is the most important holiday to exist is a matter of perspective and judgement, but it is for certain that Columbus deserves some form of recognition of his feat of discovering the Americas. Of course, this is a hotly debated topic as some states recognize Columbus Day on a larger scale than others. Even Spain, which is not remotely located in the Americas, observes their own form of Columbus Day. Regardless of what others say, I believe that we owe Columbus respect - without him, we wouldn't be where we are today!
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