Do you remember learning the poem “In 1492” about Columbus travels to the Americas when you were in elementary school? I must admit, I only remember the first stanza. “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” And until I started researching the history of Columbus Day, I didn’t realize that the “Americas” Columbus traveled to discover, is made up of 33 different countries.
From 1492 – 1504, Columbus made four transatlantic voyages: the first two to the Caribbean (Bahamas, Cuba, Santo Domingo, and Jamica) and his later voyages to the coasts of eastern Central America and northern South America. As memorialized in the poem, Columbus landed in the Bahamas on his first voyage thinking he had landed in India. So, although Columbus did land his ships in several countries throughout the Americas, none of his travels landed him in North America!
Even though Columbus did not discover North America, October 12th became Columbus Day, a federal holiday in the United States, in 1937. In the year 1970, the observance of Columbus Day in 47 of the 50 U.S. states is observed on the second Monday of October as a result of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act that moved Washington’s birthday, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Columbus day to Mondays each year.
Other countries that celebrate the landing of Columbus in the Americas include:
| Discovery Day | Bahamas |
| Día de la Raza | In many Latin American countries |
| Día de la Hispanidad / Fiesta Nacional | Spain |
| Día del Respeto a la Diversidad Cultural | Argentina |
| Day of the Americas | Belize |
| Día de las Amricas | Uruguay |
For more information about Christopher Columbus and 10 things you may not know about him, visit https://www.history.com/news/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-christopher-columbus. Visit SpeakitinSpanish.com for Spanish language learning and resources.
In case, like me, you tried to remember the rest of the poem about Christopher Columbus…here is the poem its entirety.
In 1492
In fourteen hundred ninety-two
Columbus sailed the ocean blue.
He had three ships and left from Spain;
He sailed through sunshine, wind and rain.
He sailed by night; he sailed by day;
He used the stars to find his way.
A compass also helped him know
How to find the way to go.
Ninety sailors were on board;
Some men worked while others snored.
Then the workers went to sleep;
And others watched the ocean deep.
Day after day they looked for land;
They dreamed of trees and rocks and sand.
October 12 their dream came true,
You never saw a happier crew!
“Indians! Indians!” Columbus cried;
His heart was filled with joyful pride.
But “India” the land was not;
It was the Bahamas, and it was hot.
The Arakawa natives were very nice;
They gave the sailors food and spice.
Columbus sailed on to find some gold
To bring back home, as he’d been told.
He made the trip again and again,
Trading gold to bring to Spain.
The first American? No, not quite.
But Columbus was brave, and he was bright.
Source credit:
http://www.teachingheart.net/columbus.htm 1492 poem
https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Columbus_Day Coumbus Day observances
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-in-americas Countries that make up the Americas
Written by : Kathy O'Connell Clem
Kathy O’Connell Clem, CPM®, MA, owner of Vast Coaching Resources, Inc., is a multifamily real estate specialist and Texas Real Estate broker with a Master of Arts in Organizational Management and Development and an Evidence Based Coaching Certification. Over her 40+ year professional career, Kathy has managed operations of apartment communities in more than 16 markets throughout the United States with portfolios of up to 16,000 apartment homes for private, fee managed, and public companies. Her property management background includes experience in communities from new construction, high-rise luxury buildings, mid-rise, garden style, income restricted, tax credit, section 8 voucher, and HAP contract assets.
