In recent years, a topic of great controversy has been the circumstances of our own American colonization. The mistreatment, capture, and killing of Native Americans during the Columbian Exchange transformed the perspective of many from an event of great importance to an event of major disaster. The Columbus Day holiday itself is no longer even recognized by some states. Columbus certainly was no hero and should be frowned upon for his role in the genocide of Native Americans. However, the holiday must still be celebrated, as the Columbian Stock Exchange itself has been an essential piece of our history. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Columbus Day should be celebrated solely for the impact it has had on our lives and the modern world. According to Crosby's “The Columbian Exchange,” the continental drift that divided the Old and New Worlds was reversed by the exchange of plants, animals, etc. that were once divided. Without it, European crops like wheat would not have come to America, and American crops like corn would not have been seen in Europe. This exchange is one of the most pivotal events in American and European history, and to ignore it would be a disgrace to our country's history. The main argument against the holiday is that the consequences of the exchange with Native Americans are too terrible to consider. in a celebration. This argument is wrong on two counts, the first being that our history is simply full of bloodshed. “A Patriot’s History” by Schweikart and Allen states that “the number [of dead Native Americans] is closer to 800,000.” 800,000 is a terrifying number, but it is tiny compared to other parts of American history. Over 60 million people around the world died as a result of World War II, but no one is saying we should ignore the war or not be proud of our efforts. Columbus wasn't a good guy, but the holiday isn't about him. It's about what he started for the world. The second point against the Native American thesis is that the consequences of the Columbian exchange were inevitable with globalization anyway. Crosby's “Columbian Exchange” states that “The history of the United States begins… with epidemics of unidentified diseases.” The death of Native Americans due to disease was uncontrollable and exceeded any other mortality in the Exchange. Connecting Europeans to America was a necessary move for us, so Native Americans would eventually suffer from the diseases they contracted anyway. The consequences were inevitable; why should the holiday be ignored? Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Because of its impact on America and the world as a whole, Columbus Day should remain a celebrated holiday, but Columbus himself should not remain a celebrated man. Our heritage is what is celebrated on that day, nothing else. In our progress as a country, the ends, not the means, should be celebrated. Of course, Columbus and his fellow colonists didn't do much. They were greedy and manipulative to get what they wanted. But the results of his journey are too important not to be celebrated, much less ignored. We appreciate the party and look down on this man.