Today – Columbus Day
In his honor, districts and three cities in the states, the Latin American state and the national currency of the Republic of El Salvador are named. Stories are not known as many loud names that take such a scale of perfect discoveries. One of them is Christopher Columbus. October 12 in the USA, the country, openly "by mistake", will celebrate an annual significant event in honor of their national hero – Columbus Day. What is this holiday, as noted and why not all Americans are favorably related to it? We find out right now.
Full acquaintance with a loud date is impossible without a small excursion in history. On October 12, 1492, an expedition consisting of 90 people led by the navigator Columbus arrived at the Bahamas archipelago to San Salvador Island, which was subsequently an official opening day of America.
Only here is the snag: in the plans of Italian (according to some data – Spanish) Morelode, the detection of land, on which modern states are located, was not at all. Rather, he sought to go to the ground – but belonging to India, and Cuba was adopted by him for Japan. The Portuguese Vasco Da Gama, who was still reached by the real Indian shores in the confounder, finally understand.
However, the geographical maps of those times continued to twist with two similar names, denoting different territories – East India (opening da Gama) and West India ("Error" of our today’s hero). Today we could be familiar with the state, the fourth in the world in the area and the most economically developed, wearing the name United States … Colombia! But again, the navigators were intervened: 6 years after the campaign of Columbus, Amerigo Vespucci opened the mouths of Amazon and Parana, climbed upstream by 100 km, discovering a new continent. In his honor, now called one and the most powerful world powers.
Despite the abundance of the names of the naval-owners involved in the opening of America, the first was the first to be Christopher Columbus, the rest were only "sentenced" the direction given to them. He has long been long and revered by the Americans (and not only) on a certain day.
For the first time, the holiday was celebrated together and with a scope in 1792, in the anniversary for America year – 300 years from the date of its opening. This year, a monument was established in Baltimore in honor of Columbus, a hundred years – a 21-meter monument already in New York. The then President Benjamin Harrison called on every resident of the States not to leave this date without focus on its solemnity and significance.
In 1937, Roosevelt holiday in the calendar was given a specific official place – October 12, and he received the status of state.
In 1971 – and again innovations: Congress decided to postpone the official date of the celebration by making it "floating". From now on, she began to be celebrated in the second Monday of October.
As the US population prefers to spend the day of Columbus? In the festive date you can visit special church services, take part in parades and mass solemn ceremonies. You can simply dedicate this day to the family, gathering at a festive table, on a rustic picnic, because most institutions and all schools are closed at the weekend. Even household troubles should be postponed "for later": banks, mail, exchanges are not working … A holiday in honor of Columbus is a great opportunity for local residents to enjoy the last long weekend of the country’s season and close the country house before the warmth next year. Quiet family holiday, in one word.
In a different, fun and loud, prefer to celebrate Columbus Day Representatives of the Italian diaspora in the States. They consider it necessary to participate in parades under their own and American flags. Do not lag behind the Italians and Spaniards, who can not "share" Columbus. The fact is that historically has not yet been proven, the famous navigator was actually born in the territory of which country.
Be that as it may, representatives of both communities will surely be very friendly along the fifth Avenue in Manhattan, side by side with the locals and alongside the costume carnival procession and solemnly lay flowers to the monument to Columbus. New York City Hall shared official data: at least 35 thousand participated in the parade last year. Man who moved under the accompaniment of more than 100 orchestras! By the way, they watched a process of at least 1 million. Spectators.
