Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue

Today is Columbus Day, a day to honor the man who "discovered" the New World. Of course, when he landed he thought he was in India. It's not that he thought the world was flat--from the time of the Ancient Greeks mariners, including Columbus, knew the Earth was a sphere--he simply was under the impression that the planet was smaller than it is and he was unaware of the existence of the continents in the Western Hemisphere. 

Photo: mrnussbaum.com

In 1937, Columbus Day became a federal holiday in the US but it had been celebrated for much longer. Italian-Americans have viewed the day as a way to celebrate Italian heritage and the first time it was celebrated as a legal holiday it was because of the efforts by Angelo Noco in Denver, and it became a statewide holiday in Colorado by 1907. 

Photo: claynewsnetwork.com

Four states do not observe Columbus Day but have their own versions. Hawaii celebrates Discovery Day, which commemorates when the Polynesians came upon Hawaii but is not an official state holiday. South Dakota observes Native American Day instead, which is a state holiday.  

Photo: ocw.mit.edu