Christopher Columbus
What country was Christopher Columbus originally from?
Italy
How many voyages did Columbus make to the New World?
Four
When is Columbus Day celebrated in the United States?
The second Monday of October
Myth or Fact? Columbus discovered America.
Myth – Indigenous people lived there thousands of years before him.
Which U.S. city has a large statue of Columbus in a place called “Columbus Circle”?
New York City
Who sponsored Columbus’s voyage across the Atlantic?
Spain (King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella)
Where did Columbus first land in 1492?
The Bahamas
Which U.S. state was the first to officially celebrate Columbus Day?
Colorado (in 1907)
Myth or Fact: Columbus discovered that the Earth moves around the Sun.
Myth! That idea came much later — it was proven by astronomers like Copernicus and Galileo.
What popular rhyme helps people remember Columbus’s voyage?
“In fourteen hundred ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.”
In what year did Columbus first sail to the Americas?
1492
What ocean did Columbus cross to reach the Americas?
The Atlantic Ocean
Which city holds one of the largest Columbus Day parades?
New York City
Myth or Fact: Columbus thought he reached Asia when he arrived in the Caribbean.
Fact! He believed he had found islands near India and never realized it was a new continent.
Which animated show joked about Columbus mistaking America for India?
The Simpsons
What were the names of Columbus’s three ships?
Niña, Pinta, and Santa María
What animal did Columbus bring back to Europe that people had never seen before?
Parrots
What year did Columbus Day become a federal holiday?
1937
Myth or Fact? Columbus’s main goal was to prove new scientific ideas about the Earth.
Myth! His real goal was to find a faster trade route to Asia.
What popular American brand uses the name “Columbia,” inspired by Christopher Columbus?
Columbia Pictures
What was Columbus actually looking for when he set sail?
A new route to Asia (India and the Spice Islands)
What did Columbus call the people he met in the Americas?
“Indians” (because he thought he was in Asia)
Which U.S. president officially made Columbus Day a federal holiday?
Franklin D. Roosevelt, in 1937.
Myth or Fact? The first U.S. celebration of Columbus Day was organized by Italian-Americans.
Fact! It began in 1869 to honor their heritage and pride.
What modern social media trend humorously “cancels” Columbus Day?
Posts saying “Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead!”