The National Day of Mourning is an annual protest that originated in 1970 by Native Americans of New England on the fourth Thursday of November, the same day as Thanksgiving in the United States. It is meant to be a reminder of all that was lost to these native people as Europeans invaded the land.
No one at the time could imagine the consequences of this exploration. Europeans would eventually settle by the millions in America. Those living in the Americas--for instance, Native Americans and natives of South America--would have their lands taken from them and their cultures forever changed. Tens of thousands of American natives would die in wars or be killed by disease.
The settling of America ultimately led to the slave trade, which had disastrous consequences for many Africans. Another consequence of exploration was that the balance of power in Europe changed dramatically. The countries that were most successful in exploration became the most powerful.
As a result of this exploration, the world was turned upside down, and even today, not everyone celebrates the conquest of America. This picture highlights the National Day of Mourning.
