Who Really Discovered

I always wondered why the issue of Christopher Columbus was so controversial. Once I began teaching grade 5, I found out why so many people dislike him. When Columbus found land in the 1400s, he assumed he found Asia. He never realized that he found an unknown piece of land. He died thinking he was the first explorer to discover a water route westward from Europe to Asia. It was Amerigo Vespucci who later realized he had found a whole new continent. America was even named in honor of AMERIGO Vespucci. Should we be celebrating Columbus Day or Vespucci Day???