To Celebrate or Not to

Celebrate
Mrs. Madrigal
 Columbus Day
• Here in the United States we celebrate Columbus Day on
October 12, or the closest Monday.
– This day commemorates the day when Italian Christopher
Columbus (he was born Cristoforo Colombo but was known by the
Spanish as Cristóbal Colón) landed in the “New World.”
• Christopher made this trip because Europeans wanted to trade goods
with people in Asia, but it was dangerous and difficult to travel around
the tip of Africa to reach countries such as India, China, Japan, and the
East Indies.
– The Spanish Queen Isabel and King Fernando provided ships and
money for the voyage.
– The three ships that made this voyage where the Nina, the Pinta,
and the Santa Maria
What They Thought The World
Looked Like
• The Europeans were trying to find a quicker route from Europe
to Asia. They thought that traveling west, Asia would be right
around the corner.

Spain
Asia
 No Indies for Chris!
• Christopher did not
land in the Indies like
he had planned
(hoped).
• He landed in the
Bahamas inhabited
by the Taino or
Arawak tribe, but he
thought this was in
the East Indies.
 What About the Other Side of
the Story?
• On October 12th in Latin America, Dia de la Raza
is celebrated instead of Columbus Day.
– October 12th symbolizes the beginning of the occupation
of the Spanish in Latin America.
• Along with the Spanish comes language (that’s why you
speak Spanish and not Nahuatl), government, customs,
values, religion (that’s why the official religion of Mexico is
Catholicism *monotheistic vs. polytheistic*), disease,
sickness, destruction, slavery, etc.
 Great – Spanish Lovers
• Some people in Latin America (Mexico
specifically) believe this to be a great day
in history. For example, Mexican
president Porfirio Díaz, who remained in
power for over thirty years and was a
great admirer of European culture,
especially the French celebrated the
holiday and believed it to be good.
• The government prepared a celebration
of "The communion of all peoples in
sentiments of justice and admiration for
the past, noble aspirations and glowing
hopes for the future" for October 12,
1892.
OK – Mestizo Lovers/Mixture
of Spanish and Indigenous
• In 1918, philosopher Antonio Caso took October 12th as an
opportunity to praise the "Mexican mestizo race", La Raza,
the rich mixture of Spanish and indigenous cultures which
characterizes us. He was perhaps the first to coin the term
La Raza, which has now been adopted by Latinos from all
across the continent.
• Caso believed that out of the destruction, sickness, and
subjection that the Spanish brought to Latin America, there
was a new race that was born: A MESTIZO RACE
– This is a mixture of Spanish and Indigenous blood.
– Celebrates cultural diversity.
 Bad – Spanish Haters
• There has always been a controversy
surrounding Columbus’ landing in the
“New World” some people view this
day as the beginning of the destruction
and defamation of a beautiful and
unique indigenous race.
• As early as 1836, Oaxacan historian
Don Carlos María de Bustamante
began the "first vitriolic Mexican
commentary on the Columbian event".
For him, October 12, 1492 was "the
most villainous day there could ever be
in America; the day its slavery was
established".
What do you think?
1. Knowing what you know now, do you think that
Columbus Day is a good, ok, or bad holiday? (THE
WAY PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES
CELEBRATE IT)
2. Do you think that Dia de la Raza is a good, ok, or
bad holiday? (THE WAY PEOPLE IN LATIN
AMERICA CELEBRATE IT)
3. You saw what October 12th meant to Porfirio Diaz,
Antonio Caso, and Don Carlos María de
Bustamante. What does October 12th mean to you?
4. What do you think your life would be like if
Christopher Columbus never came to the “New
World?”
5. How do you celebrate October 12th in your country?
6. What would you teach your children about October
12th?
 What Does it Look Like?
Spanish Indigenous

Mestizo
Cut out the pictures and paste them into the
appropriate place in your Venn diagram