Columbus Day: 7 interesting facts about the famed explorer
Across the United States, many celebrate Columbus Day, a controversial federal holiday observed every year on the second Monday in October.
It was named after Christopher Columbus, the man credited with discovering the Americas for Spain and thus opening up the continents for widespread European colonization.
For some, Columbus is seen as a hero, a figure who was key to spreading Western civilization and advancing our knowledge of the world through his brave and pioneering exploration.
For others, Columbus is viewed as a villain and the man who was integral to starting the Atlantic slave trade and was at least partly culpable in the deaths of millions of Native Americans.
The following pages highlight seven interesting facts about this polarizing historical figure.
