Children in elementary school were taught the verse "In 1492, Columbus set sail in the ocean", referring to a historical controversy.

Students are taught that Christopher Columbus discovered America, crossed the Atlantic Ocean on three boats, Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria.

However, the man who is credited with discovering the "New World" has long been a controversial topic in American history due to his treatment of the indigenous Indian community, as well as his role in

Now, in the wake of raging protests across the country on racial inequality, stemming from the death of a black man, George Floyd, by the police, the Americans began to destroy the paintings.

"We should ask why Americans like us continue to honor Columbus, without knowing the historical truth about his heritage, as well as the initial reason for the holiday"

According to historian David Perry, it is clear that Columbus's voyages "had undeniable historical impact, ushering in the great era of Atlantic exploration, trade, and eventually occupation.

However, Columbus was not the first to discover the "New World".

While traveling across the Caribbean islands, along the coasts of Central and South America, Columbus met the indigenous people he regarded as "Indians."

During his years in the Americas, Columbus forced indigenous people to work hard to make a profit.

History said that while serving as governor in what is now the Dominican Republic, Columbus killed many indigenous people in response to their uprising.

The historian Perry said indigenous communities in America were "devastated by exposure to the epidemics of the Old World, and then collapsed before the sweep of the disease".

The Taino have never been exposed and have no immunity to smallpox, measles and flu, diseases that Columbus and his team brought to Hispaniola.

Some historians believe that the diseases that Europeans and Africans bring to the "New World" may have killed up to 90% of the indigenous population, with a higher death rate than the "Black Death",

On June 10, police in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, had to block the area around the statue of Columbus on Atlantic Boulevard, when its head was removed during the night and thrown on the nearby ground.