FULL STORY:  A new Columbus Day poll found we’re still more likely to say we SHOULD celebrate it.  43% of Americans approve, and 23% disapprove.  The other third said they either don’t know, or don’t really care.

Here are a few more quick Columbus Day stats . . .

1.  69% agree he played an important part in American history.  It’s kind of hard to argue he didn’t.

2.  But we’re split on whether he was more of a “hero” or a “villain.”  The most popular answer was neither, or both . . . or it’s complicated.  But 35% said hero, and 20% said villain.

3.  Around one in four Americans think most of what they learned in school about Columbus wasn’t really true.

4.  25% still think he was the first explorer to reach North America.  The Vikings actually had a settlement in Canada almost five centuries earlier.

5.  This last one is fun:  People where asked who ELSE they think might have landed in the Americas before Columbus in 1492.  6% said the Ancient Greeks, and 5% said the Romans.  There’s no evidence either of them did. 

(YouGov)