October 12, 1492, Italian (according to some sources - Spanish) Navigator Christopher Columbus landed in the New world - in this day expedition of Christopher Columbus reached the island of San Salvador in the Bahamas archipelago, which was subsequently adopted for the official date of the discovery of America.
This event is rather contradictory, because of European settlement in America led to the disappearance of the history and culture of many of the indigenous peoples of the continent.
Columbus day is a public weekends in many parts of the United States, but in some States, for example, in California, Nevada, Hawaii, the day is not celebrated. Governmental institutions and schools, as a rule, are closed, but commercial organizations can work. Over the government buildings raise the state flag of the United States.