Columbus Day (October 13, 2025)
A New Continent
ℹ️ What? Columbus Day is a holiday celebrated in the United States to commemorate Christopher Columbus' voyage and the discovery of the American continent in 1492.
👤 Who? Christopher Columbus, an Italian navigator in the service of Spain. He wanted to reach Asia from the west, but instead he reached the Caribbean islands... and America.
🌍 Where? Christopher Columbus landed in the Bahamas, then in Cuba and Hispaniola (now Haiti and the Dominican Republic).
🕰️ When? His first voyage took place in 1492. Columbus Day is celebrated every second Monday in October—in 2025, it will be October 13.
❓ Why is it important? Because this voyage marked the beginning of the Age of Exploration, but it also serves as a reminder of the consequences of colonization for indigenous peoples.
🎯 For this activity, your goal will be to learn more about Christopher Columbus and his discovery of America.
Your goal today!
Every October, the United States celebrates Columbus Day, a day that commemorates Christopher Columbus's great voyage in 1492.
But this date also raises questions: what did Columbus really discover? And what were the consequences of his expedition for the peoples already living in America?
This activity will help you better understand this historical event... and see both sides of it. ⚖️
🎯 For this activity, your goal will be to learn more about Christopher Columbus and his discovery of America.
The activity consists of three steps:
STEP 1 - Calculations at sea. You will understand how long and risky Christopher Columbus' journey was!
STEP 2 - Two visions of America. You will understand that the encounter between Christopher Columbus and the peoples of America was not always positive...
STEP 3 - Cities and states. Many cities and states are named after Columbus today. We are going to discover one of them.
This is what the final result of your activity will look like. →
Let's sail! →
STEP 1 - Calculations at sea
Over 500 years ago, Christopher Columbus and his crew of 87 sailors embarked on a crazy expedition: to reach India from the west.
At the time, no one knew what lay beyond the horizon! Christopher Columbus didn't really know where he would end up...
After sailing for 70 days and traveling 6,500 km, Christopher Columbus and his crew reached the shores of a new continent, America.
For this part of the activity, you will do some calculations related to Christopher Columbus's voyage.
Today, you will become a mathematical explorer and chart your own course to the New World! 🌍⛵
Are you done? Let's go to Step 2 ! →
STEP 2 - Two visions of America
When Christopher Columbus landed in America, this new continent was not empty! It was already occupied by tens of millions of inhabitants from different peoples such as the Incas, the Mayans, and the Iroquois, for example.
The encounter between Christopher Columbus and the Europeans with the indigenous peoples was not entirely happy...
Watch the video about Christopher Columbus' arrival, and answer the questions about it.
STEP 3 - Cities and states
The name Christopher Columbus can be found everywhere, including in the names of certain cities!
Today, you're going to discover the capital of the US state of Ohio, the city of Columbus. We're going to use Google Maps to visit some of the city's important sites.
First, go to Wikipedia to learn a little more about this capital city.
Now, let's explore the city of Columbus a little more using Google Maps!
Heading for Columbus, Ohio ! →
STEP 3 - Cities and states (continued)
Go to Google Maps to find the information requested below!
Now answer the following three questions!
Well done! You have completed the activity!