Columbus Day is celebrated in the United States in honor of the birthday of Christopher Columbus, the explorer who landed in America in 1492.
Before, most people believed the world was flat, but Columbus believed the world was round. He thought he could navigate safely around them. This was a very remarkable, because the people of that age, thought the world was flat, and that would fall from the edge if you have traveled too far.
Looking for a shortcut to the West Indies, Columbus believed that if he sailed 3000 miles to the west, would come to Asia. He approached John II, King of Portugal asks for help for shipment. When King refused, went to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, for your patronage. That did not grant his request immediately, but later gave him the patronage of his expedition. Set sail on August 3, 1492 with three ships the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria. Problems with the Nina and the Pinta, caused a delay of a month in the Canary Islands. He set sail again on September 3, 1492, and thirty-three days later, on October 12, 1492 discovered the land.
The school American children are taught that Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1942. Of course, Columbus did not really "discover" North America, and parts that explore were already inhabited, but his first trip was to prove that the earth was not only round, but was bigger than I thought.
To commemorate the 400th anniversary of Columbus' voyage in 1892, President Benjamin Harrison made a commemorative proclamation. But it was the state of Colorado, in 1905 became the first state to observe a Columbus Day. Since 1920, the day has been celebrated annually, and in 1937 President Franklin Roosevelt proclaimed every October 12 as Columbus Day. That's where it stayed until 1971 when Congress declared a federal public holiday on the second Monday in October.