Today, we are going to discover the history behind Columbus Day! Columbus Day is a holiday we celebrate here in America on the second Monday in October. This Web site explores not only the history of the holiday, but the history and controversy that surround Christopher Columbus as well.
This site is set up with the navigation on the side menu and the featured content is in the middle of the page. The categories to explore are:
Holiday History – Here you will learn the history behind the holiday that honors the first landing of Christopher Columbus in the New World. It is here that you will learn how it became adopted as a national holiday.
Columbus – This is where you will learn the history of the man behind the holiday, Christopher Columbus. You will find a thorough biography in this section. You’ll learn about him starting his life at sea as a young man, his survival of a shipwreck, his marriage and his travels.
Controversy – In this section, you will learn all about both sides of the controversy swirling around Christopher Columbus. The controversy is a more recent development in the history surrounding Columbus, his explorations and the treatment of the inhabitants he ran across in his travels.
October 12, 1492 Video – Here you can watch a video about Christopher Columbus. It is about one minute long and it deals mostly with the history of Columbus discovering the New World.
New World Timeline – Are you ready to explore the interactive timeline of the New World? I know I am! Click on the image of the map first. It will load the interactive map and you can then just click the red squares to learn more information about that moment in time. The timeline spans from the 1490s to the 1620s.
Quiz – Think you know all about the holiday and Christopher Columbus? Well, why don’t you test your knowledge with this five question quiz?!
Have a happy Columbus Day!
http://www.history.com/minisites/columbusday
~ Amanda