Columbus Day Trivia Questions and Answers

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Columbus Day is a national holiday in the United States, commemorating the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the Americas in 1492. Despite the controversy surrounding the holiday, it is still celebrated in many parts of the country with parades, parties, and other festivities.

This article will provide some fascinating Columbus Day Trivia Questions and Answers, including facts that will help you learn more about this historical event.

For more fun quiz, see also World History Quiz Questions and Answers.

Columbus Day Trivia Questions

Columbus Day Trivia Questions and Answers

1. When did Columbus Day officially become a federal holiday?

a: 1999
b: 1934
c: 1976
d: 1930

2. How many total voyages did Christopher Columbus take to the New World?

a: Four voyages
b: Five voyages
c: Three voyages
d: Six voyages

3. What was Christopher Columbus looking for when he set sail in 1492?

a: Searching for a new route to Africa
b: Searching for a new route to Europe
c: Searching for a new route to Asia
d: Searching for a new route to Australia

a: Colorado
b: Puerto Rico
c: Santa Maria
d: Bristol

5. How long did it take the Columbus expedition to arrive in the “New World”?

a: Two weeks
b: Ten weeks
c: Eight weeks
d: One week

6. How many American states offer paid holidays to their workers on Columbus Day as at 2022?

a: 18
b: 20
c: 21
d: 22

7. Which of Columbus’ ships, after the initial landing, did not make the journey back to Spain?

a: Madrid
b: Barcelona
c: Lisboa
d: Santa Maria

8. Which city holds the biggest parade in honour of Columbus Day?

a: Santa Maria
b: NYC.
c: Barcelona
d: Madrid

9. How many ships were in Columbus’s fleet?

a: 4
b: 7
c: 10
d: 3

10. Which island did Columbus first land on in the Americas?

a: Hispaniola
b: Puerto Rico
c: Guanahani
d: Dominica

11. Who financed Columbus’s voyage?

a: King Henry VIII of England
b: Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain
c: Pope Alexander VI
d: The Medici family of Florence

12. Which indigenous population did Columbus encounter when he arrived in the Bahamas?

a: The Arawak
b: The Kalinagos
c: The Tainos
d: The Igneri

13. Which of these was not part of Christopher Columbus’s fleet used during his first voyage?

a: The Santa Maria
b: The Nina
c: The Pinta
d: The San Juan

14. What was the name of Columbus’s flagship?

a: The Santa Maria
b: The Nina
c: The Pinta
d: The San Juan

15. What was thought to be the birth name of Christopher Columbus?

a: Christ Columbus
b: Chirtoto Columbus
c: Cristoforo Colombo
d: Charles Columbus

16. At what age did Christopher Columbus start sailing?

a: 15 years old
b: 12 years old
c: 14 years old
d: 17 years old

17. What country was named after Christopher Columbus?

a: Cuba
b: Brazil
c: Costa Rica
d: Colombia

18. What is the name of the Italian city where Columbus was born?

a: Florence
b: Genoa
c: Rome
d: Venice

19. Which nation did Christopher Columbus represent when he undertook the journey?

a: Denmark
b: Spain
c: Poland
d: Italy

20. What was the name of the sailor to first spot the land on Columbus’s voyage?

a: Vicente Yáñez Pinzón
b: Juan de la Cosa
c: Rodrigo de Triana
d: Alonso de Ojeda

21. What was the name that Christopher Columbus gave to the island where he first set foot?

a: Bristol
b: Puerto Rico
c: Cadiz
d: San Salvador

22. What was the name of the settlement that Columbus founded in the Americas?

a: San Juan
b: Santo Domingo
c: San Salvador
d: La Navidad

23. How many trips to America did Christopher Columbus take?

a: 4 trips
b: 2 trips
c: 8 trips
d: 5 trips

24. What did Columbus call the people he encountered in the Americas?

a: Indians
b: Natives
c: Islanders
d: Savages

25. When did Columbus Day become a federal holiday in the United States?

a: 1812
b: 1950
c: 1906
d: 1937

Columbus Day Trivia Answers

  1. 1934
  2. Four voyages
  3. Searching for a new route to Asia
  4. Colorado
  5. Ten weeks
  6. 21
  7. Santa Maria
  8. NYC.
  9. 3
  10. Guanahani
  11. Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain
  12. The Tainos
  13. The San Juan
  14. The Santa Maria
  15. Cristoforo Colombo
  16. 14 years old
  17. Colombia
  18. Genoa
  19. Spain
  20. Convert people to Catholicism.
  21. San Salvador
  22. La Navidad
  23. 4 trips
  24. Indians
  25. 1937

10 Facts About Columbus Day

  1. Columbus Day was first celebrated in 1792 in New York City to honor the 300th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s landing in the Americas.
  2. Columbus Day was made a federal holiday in 1937, after intense lobbying by the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic organization.
  3. While Columbus is often credited with “discovering” America, the indigenous peoples of the Americas had been living on the continent for thousands of years before Columbus arrived.
  4. Columbus never actually set foot on the North American mainland. His first landing in the Americas was in the Bahamas.
  5. Columbus Day has become a controversial holiday in recent years, with many people calling for it to be replaced with Indigenous Peoples’ Day, which celebrates the history and contributions of Native Americans.
  6. In some states, including Hawaii, South Dakota, and Vermont, Columbus Day is not recognized as a state holiday.
  7. Many Italian-Americans view Columbus Day as a celebration of their heritage, as Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy.
  8. The first recorded celebration of Columbus Day in the United States was in 1792, when the New York City government held a parade to mark the 300th anniversary of Columbus’s landing.
  9. Columbus Day is not celebrated in most Latin American countries, as many view Columbus’s arrival as the beginning of centuries of colonialism, oppression, and genocide.
  10. In 2020, the city of Columbus, Ohio, removed a statue of Christopher Columbus from outside its city hall in response to protests over racial inequality and police brutality.

Columbus Day FAQs

What is Columbus Day?

Columbus Day, a federal holiday in the United States, commemorates Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas on October 12, 1492. It is observed on the second Monday of October every year.

Why do some people celebrate Columbus Day while others protest it?

While many people see Columbus Day as an opportunity to celebrate Italian-American heritage and the discovery of the Americas, others view it as a celebration of colonialism and the oppression of indigenous peoples. In recent years, there has been growing criticism of Columbus Day and calls for it to be replaced with Indigenous Peoples' Day, which recognizes and celebrates the contributions and resilience of Native American, Alaskan Native, and Indigenous communities.

Did Columbus discover America?

No, Columbus did not discover America. He landed in the Caribbean islands and South America. Still, he did not reach the mainland of North America, which Indigenous peoples for thousands of years had already inhabited.

Why is there controversy around Christopher Columbus?

There is controversy surrounding Christopher Columbus because his arrival in the Americas marked the beginning of a long history of colonization, genocide, and cultural assimilation of Indigenous peoples by European colonizers. Some argue that Columbus and the European explorers who followed him were responsible for the widespread oppression, slavery, and displacement of Indigenous peoples.

Is Columbus Day still a federal holiday?

Yes, Columbus Day is still a national holiday in the United States. However, some states and cities have replaced it with Indigenous Peoples' Day or are considering doing so. The holiday is also observed in some Latin American countries, known as Día de la Raza or Día de la Hispanidad, and celebrated as a day of cultural and ethnic unity.

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