Question of the day: What were the names of the three ships that set sail from Spain on August 3, 1492 as part of Christopher Columbus´ maiden voyage? The answer is The Niña, the Pinta, and Santa María. With Columbus Day rapidly approaching, now is as good a time as ever to brush up on some history that certainly all of us have learned at one point in our lives.

Funded by the monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castille, Christopher Columbus set sail from Spain with the intention of finding a western trade route to Asia. They landed October 12, 1492; however, where he landed was not his intended destination. This was perhaps history´s greatest mistake, for the land Columbus discovered eventually became the United States of America.

On this same day of October 12, Spain celebrates one of its two national holidays, La Fiesta Nacional. Similar to the national holiday in the United States, the day is a remembrance of Columbus´ voyage and the tremendous impact on history it had. So whether you get the day off school in celebration or fondly remember the days when you did, let´s all make sure to remember a great day in history.