 The Fiftieth State
August 21, 1959 -
Hawaii Becomes a State
Hawaii officially became the fiftieth state on August 21,
1959. It is one of the smallest states, and it is the only
state made up entirely of islands. The islands are the tops
of volcanoes, some of them still active.
Hawaii's story begins long before 1959. The earliest
inhabitants were Polynesians who settled in the islands more
than 1,000 years ago. In 1778, a British explorer named
Captain James Cook named them the Sandwich Islands. He
honored his sponsor, the Earl of Sandwich. Thankfully, that
name did not stick. How would you like to tell your friends
you planned to go to Sandwich on vacation?
The U.S. had built a naval base in Hawaii at Pearl Harbor.
Hawaii's importance as a military outpost became critical
when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. This
brought the United States as well as Hawaii into World War
II. Following the war's end in 1945, the territory took a
long journey toward statehood. |
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When Football Was Young
September 16, 1960 -
College Football Coach Amos Alonzo
Stagg Retired
Have you ever wished you could change the rules of a game
you like to play? Maybe if you play a game long enough,
you'll be able to make those changes. Amos Alonzo Stagg
played and coached football for 71 years. He was 98 years
old when he retired as a football coach from Stockton Junior
College on September 16, 1960. When he played at Yale and
made the original All-America football team in 1888, the
game was still a fairly new sport. What innovations did
Stagg bring to football?
Stagg is credited with the use of dummies for tackling
practice and introducing several plays that have become
basic to football. If you are a football fan, you may be
familiar with the "end-around play," the "shift," and the
"man in motion." These are all plays that Stagg developed
during the 41 years he coached at the University of Chicago.
Innovations like these helped Stagg lead his team to victory
at six Western Conference (later called the Big Ten)
championship games, including the one in the photograph.
Stagg is so closely associated with football that many
forget he was one of the first to play the new game of
basketball. He even participated in the first
intercollegiate basketball game in 1896. What new sport
could you be among the first to play? |
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Head to Head, Coast to Coast
October 21, 1960 -
The Great Debates of Nixon and
Kennedy
Do you watch any election coverage on TV? On October 21,
1960, American viewers were riveted to their television sets
for the broadcast of the fourth and final debate between
Vice President Richard M. Nixon, the Republican presidential
candidate, and Senator John F. Kennedy, the Democratic
candidate. Their first debate, a month earlier, had covered
domestic issues. The second and third debates featured a
news panel asking the candidates questions. The third debate
also used television technology in a completely new way.
The third debate was the first genuine "electronic debate."
The two candidates faced off from opposite coasts--Kennedy
spoke from a television studio in New York and Nixon from
Los Angeles. The fourth debate focused on foreign policy
issues. Were the "Great Debates" significant? Pollsters
estimated that approximately 3.4 million voters made their
choice of party candidate on the basis of the debates alone.
The milestone event thrust the broadcasting media into a
central role in the American political process.
In 1952, the presidential campaign was televised nationwide
for the first time. The public avidly followed the
television coverage of the campaign, rating television as
the most informative of the media available to them. Before
television, radio was used to broadcast political speeches.
Calvin Coolidge used this technology in 1924, and Franklin
Roosevelt, who was president from 1933 until 1945, captured
the attention of Americans through his radio-broadcast
"fireside chats." Despite criticism that television
increases the cost of political campaigns, it plays an
important role in bringing presidential debates to the
people. Have you watched any political debates? |
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Frost's Unexpected Gift
January 20, 1961 -
Robert Frost Reads Poem at JFK's
Inauguration
On January 20, 1961 Americans watching television, listening
to the radio, or standing on the Capitol grounds heard these
famous words: "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what
your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your
country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what
America will do for you, but what together we can do for the
freedom of man." So said John F. Kennedy when he was sworn
in as 35th president of the United States.
After the applause, Kennedy welcomed to the podium one of
America's great poets, fellow New Englander Robert Frost.
Frost had written a poem for the occasion called
"Dedication." He approached the microphone, but blinded by
the sun's glare on the snow-covered Capitol grounds, he was
unable to read it. Thinking quickly, he instead recited "The
Gift Outright," a poem he had written in 1942. It started:
"The land was ours before we were the land's.
She was our land more than a hundred years
Before we were her people. She was ours . . ."
The poem moved many people. Ask your parents or grandparents
if they heard Kennedy and Frost speak on that day in 1961.
You can look at the original handwritten manuscripts here at
the Library of Congress. |
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Go Speed Racer!
March 22, 1961 -
Raymond Loewy Designed His Dream Car
If you could design your dream car, what would it look like?
Industrial designer Raymond Loewy made his dream come true
on March 22, 1961, when he designed a sleek, futuristic
sports car called the Avanti. Sherwood Egbert, president of
the ailing Studebaker Corporation, asked Loewy to design a
car bold enough to capture people's imagination and boost
the company's sagging sales. Did the plan work?
Loewy and his team of designers showed a sample Avanti to
the public in 1962. The car received rave reviews, but
because of a series of production problems, the public had
to wait to drive it. Studebaker Corporation closed in 1963,
and it wasn't until 1965, when the Avanti Motor Corporation
was formed, that the Avanti went back into production. Does
the Avanti capture your imagination? What other things do
you think Loewy designed?
During his career, Raymond Loewy helped establish the
profession of industrial design (the design of products made
by large-scale industry for mass distribution). He became
well known in the 1930s and 1940s for his distinctive design
of a wide range of household products. In 1945, he formed
Raymond Loewy Associates with five partners, the largest
industrial design firm in the world, creating appliances,
cars, furniture, interior designs for homes, offices and
even a luxury cruise ship. In 1951, Loewy designed the
state-of-the-art "Look" kitchen.
Raymond Loewy was also a "space age" designer. From 1967 to
1973, he worked for NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration), producing interior designs for the Apollo
and Skylab spacecrafts. Talk about a challlenge. He had to
create a livable space for astronauts in awfully cramped
quarters.
What do think of Loewy's design for this Teenage Room on the
S.S. Brasil? Try to design your own futuristic car or
bedroom and share your design with others. It could capture
someone else's imagination. |
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Into the Space Age
June 24, 1961 -
Vice President Johnson Was Assigned
the Task of Unifying the U.S. Satellite Programs
If you look up into the sky on a clear night, you might see
among the sparkling stars and planets an object that is
moving slowly across the dark sky. That little light is no
star; it's a satellite orbiting the earth. There are many
out there, thanks in part to the efforts of John F. Kennedy
and Lyndon Johnson.
On June 24, 1961, the public learned of President Kennedy's
letter assigning Vice President Johnson the high-priority
task of unifying the United States satellite programs. After
the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the world's first
artificial satellite, in 1957, the U.S. space program
skyrocketed. But the program was plagued with rivalries
between competing government agencies and expanding costs.
It needed strong leadership.
Under Vice President Johnson, the National Space Council
recommended that National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) provide policy coordination with all
government agencies involved in space flight. NASA
established its command and control center, the Manned
Spacecraft Center (now known as the Johnson Space Center),
in Houston, in Johnson's home state of Texas.
The U.S. space program had two main goals: one, develop a
system of unmanned satellites that would orbit the earth and
provide global telecommunications; and two, pursue manned
and unmanned space exploration. Working toward both goals,
NASA truly launched the U.S. into the space age.
NASA has greatly advanced satellite technology since the
first U.S. earth satellite, Explorer I, was launched from
Cape Canaveral in 1958. The 1965 satellite, Early Bird, had
the capacity to provide a two-way television link between
the U.S. and Europe. Now, satellites provide us with phone
and computer communication, radio and television broadcast,
accurate mapping, weather information, and so much more.
NASA's Mercury Program made rapid progress in meeting its
second goal by sending its first manned missions into space
in its first year, 1961. By the summer of 1969, Americans
walked on the moon.
On June 24, 1983, exactly 22 years after Kennedy assigned
Johnson to oversee the satellite program, the first American
woman, Sally Ride, traveled into space aboard the space
shuttle Challenger. Perhaps, someday, space travel will
become a common form of transportation for many Americans.
Where in space would you like to go? |
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Did He Break the Record or Not?
October 1, 1961 -
Roger Maris Broke the Record
Going... going... gone! Roger Maris breaks the record for
the most home runs in a single season! On October 1, 1961,
Maris slammed home run number 61.
You may remember that Mark McGwire of the St. Louis
Cardinals and Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs both broke the
same record during the 1998 season. It was Roger Maris's
record that they broke. No one had been able to break that
record for 37 years. Do you know whose record Maris broke?
(Hint: take a look at the photograph.) But did Maris really
break Babe Ruth's record?
Fans of Babe Ruth argued that Maris hadn't really broken the
Babe's record at all. When Ruth hit 60 home runs in 1927,
the baseball season had only 154 games. Maris made his
record in 162 games. It was not until 1991 that Maris was
officially credited with the record.
Both Roger Maris and Babe Ruth played for the Yankees,
giving Yankee fans plenty to be proud of. Is there a record
that you'd like to set? |
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The U.S. Witnesses an Assassination
November 22, 1963 -
President John F. Kennedy Was Shot in
Dallas, Texas
On Friday, November 22, 1963, a shockwave ran through the
whole nation, followed by grief. President John F. Kennedy
was shot as he rode in a motorcade through the streets of
Dallas, Texas.
The 35th president, only 46 years old, had served less than
three years in office. But during that short time, Kennedy
and his wife, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, became immensely
popular both at home and abroad. For the next several days,
stunned Americans gathered around their television sets, as
regular programming yielded to nonstop coverage of the
assassination and funeral.
From their living rooms, Americans saw Mrs. Kennedy, still
wearing her blood-stained suit, return to Washington with
the president's body. They saw the murder of the accused
assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, on November 24. Viewers
followed the saddled, but rider-less horse in Kennedy's
funeral procession from the White House to the Capitol. They
saw the president's small son, John F. Kennedy Jr., step
forward to salute as his father's flag-covered coffin was
taken to Arlington National Cemetery.
Television played a large role in the collective mourning of
American society. For the first time, a majority of citizens
together witnessed ceremonies surrounding the death of a
beloved leader. Americans all over the country shared the
tragic experience. Even now, television keeps the memory of
the assassination alive by re-broadcasting vivid images of
those difficult days to new generations. |
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Jack Ruby Shoots Oswald!
November 24, 1963 -
Jack Ruby Shot
Accused-Kennedy-Assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald
On November 24, 1963, Dallas, Texas, police were
transferring Lee Harvey Oswald, who had been arrested for
assassinating President John F. Kennedy two days earlier,
from one jail to another. A crowd of journalists,
photographers, and police crowded around in the jail's
basement garage, and watched as Oswald was led out and was
about to be placed in a police car. Suddenly, Jack Ruby, an
owner of a Dallas nightclub and admirer of President
Kennedy, stepped forward, drew a gun, and killed Oswald. The
whole incident was captured on live television, shocking
viewers who witnessed the crime.
Jack Ruby was found guilty of murder on March 14, 1964, and
sentenced to death. He appealed and won a retrial on the
basis that procedural errors had occurred during the trial.
At an appeal hearing on September 9, 1965, in Dallas, Jack
Ruby passed this note to his attorney, Elmer Gertz:
"Elmer, you must believe me, that I am not imagining crazy
thoughts, etc. This is all so hopeless, that they have
everything in the bag and there isn't any chance of hope for
me. These hearings are just stalling for time."
The note shows Ruby's declining mental state. In 1967, Jack
Ruby died of cancer in prison before a new trial could be
held.
After Kennedy was killed, Vice President Lyndon Johnson
became president, and he appointed the President's
Commission on the Assassination of President John F.
Kennedy. Chaired by Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren,
the Commission investigated circumstances surrounding the
shootings of Kennedy and Oswald. In September 1964, the
commission reported it had found no evidence that Oswald and
Ruby were involved in a conspiracy to assassinate the
president. |
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Hello Dolly!
January 16, 1964 -
Carol Channing Debuts in Hello Dolly!
Hello Dolly! Hello Carol Channing! Channing played the part
of Dolly Gallagher Levi in the debut of this classic
American musical on January 16, 1964. "She is glorious,"
raved theater critic Walter Kerr, as Carol Channing made her
appearance on stage wearing a carrot-colored wig and false
eyelashes fluttering over her large, expressive eyes. Hello
Dolly, based on Thornton Wilder's play The Matchmaker, was a
smash hit. It received ten Tony awards and was named Best
Musical of the Year in 1963-64. (Tony Awards are given to
plays that run on Broadway in New York City.)
An actress, singer, comedienne, and impersonator, Carol
Channing was born in Seattle, Washington, on January 31,
1921, and grew up in San Francisco, California. During her
career, she starred in movies, performed in many Broadway
plays and musicals, and had her own nightclub act. Besides
Dolly Levi, she also made famous the character of Lorelei
Lee in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1949), singing "Diamonds
Are a Girl's Best Friend." Ask members of your family if
they know these famous musicals or others like them. |
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Can You Afford to Vote?
January 23, 1964 -
The 24th Amendment Ended the Poll Tax
Imagine that you are finally old enough to vote in your
first election. But, do you have enough money? Money, to
vote? Not long ago, citizens in some states had to pay a fee
to vote in a national election. This fee was called a poll
tax. On January 23, 1964, the United States ratified the
24th Amendment to the Constitution, prohibiting any poll tax
in elections for federal officials.
Many Southern states adopted a poll tax in the late 1800s.
This meant that even though the 15th Amendment gave former
slaves the right to vote, many poor people, both blacks and
whites, did not have enough money to vote.
"Do you know I've never voted in my life, never been able to
exercise my right as a citizen because of the poll tax?"
"Mr. Trout" to Mr. Pike, interviewer, Atlanta, Georgia.
American Life Histories, 1936 - 1940.
More than 20 years after "Mr. Trout" spoke those words, the
poll tax was abolished. At the ceremony in 1964 formalizing
the 24th Amendment, President Lyndon Johnson noted that:
"There can be no one too poor to vote." Thanks to the 24th
Amendment, the right of all U.S. citizens to freely cast
their votes has been secured. |
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Sunday Bloody Sunday
March 7, 1965 -
The First March From Selma
When about 600 people started a planned march from Selma to
Montgomery, Alabama, on Sunday March 7, 1965, it was called
a demonstration. When state troopers met the demonstrators
at the edge of the city by the Edmund Pettus Bridge, that
day became known as "Bloody Sunday." Why were the people
marching?
One hundred years after the end of the Civil War, many
African Americans were still facing barriers which either
prevented or made it very difficult for them to register to
vote. In Selma, African Americans made up almost half the
population, but only two percent were registered voters.
Discrimination and intimidation tactics aimed at blacks kept
them from registering and voting. The demonstrators marched
to demand fairness in voter registration.
John Lewis was a key organizer of the march. The 25-year-old
son of an Alabama sharecropper was the leader of the Student
Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), an organization
dedicated to ending segregation and to registering black
voters. The movement practiced non-violence. Lewis and other
leaders asked the demonstrators not to fight back against
anyone who committed violence against them during the
peaceful protest. What did the demonstrators do when the
heavily armed state troopers confronted them?
The marchers paused for a moment, then kept walking. The
sheriff warned the people that they had two minutes to break
up the march, but the deputies attacked sooner. The
demonstrators were tear-gassed, clubbed, spat on, whipped,
trampled by horses, and jeered by others for demanding the
right to register to vote. Television and newspapers carried
pictures of the event that became known as "Bloody Sunday."
The images sickened, outraged, and electrified people
throughout the country. Within 48 hours, demonstrations in
support of the marchers were held in 80 cities. Many of the
nation's religious and lay leaders, including Martin Luther
King, flew to Selma. After one more failed attempt, King led
a peaceful march from Selma to Montgomery. Congress
responded to these events by enacting the Voting Rights Act
of 1965.
John Lewis went on to serve as Director of the Voter
Education Project (VEP), a program which added nearly four
million minorities to the voter rolls. Today he is a U.S.
Congressman. |
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The Unseen Picture of America
October 11, 1965 -
Photographer Dorothea Lange Died
What do you see when you look through the lens of a camera?
Many people take photographs to remember a special occasion.
Photographs can also show us what is happening in another
country or in our own backyard. Photographer Dorothea Lange
is well known for her pictures of forgotten Americans.
She began her career as a studio photographer, but during
the Great Depression, Lange took her camera out of the
studio and onto the streets. Her photographs of the homeless
led to her getting a job in one of the new government
agencies established to help those in need.
Lange became famous for the photographs she took during her
work for the federal Resettlement Administration (RA), later
called the Farm Security Administration (FSA.)
From 1935 to 1940, Lange's photographs made the country
aware of those who were suffering most during the
Depression, especially families of migrant farm workers who
sought work in California after losing their own farms in
states such as Oklahoma and Arkansas.
"I saw and approached the hungry and desperate mother, as if
drawn by a magnet," said Lange when asked about one of her
most famous photographs. "I do not remember how I explained
my presence or camera to her, but I do remember she asked no
questions. I did not ask her name or history. She told me
her age, that she was 32."
Lange sent her photographs to newspapers across the country,
free of charge. The images she took soon became symbols of
the Great Depression. On October 11, 1965, photographer
Dorothea Lange died in San Francisco at the age of 70. She
left behind a legacy as one of America's most influential
documentary photographers. |
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A Pillar of Justice
October 2, 1967 -
Thurgood Marshall Became the First
African-American Supreme Court Justice
Have you ever been treated unfairly because of your age, the
color of your skin, or where you live? Thurgood Marshall
worked all of his life to make sure all people were treated
fairly, especially under the law.
Thurgood Marshall had a noteworthy first name, but it fit
him well because he was a noteworthy person. On October 2,
1967, he became the first African-American Supreme Court
justice. Of course, Marshall had accomplished plenty of
other things before then.
Is there something that bothers you so much that you could
spend your whole life working to change it? Even before he
became a Supreme Court justice, Thurgood Marshall worked to
end racial discrimination. For many years, he was on the
staff of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement
of Colored People). In 1954, Marshall argued before the
Supreme Court that segregating school children based on
their race was against the Constitution. The Supreme Court
agreed with him.
Thurgood Marshall spent nearly twenty-five years on the
Court, and retired in 1991. When he died on January 24,
1993, many people felt the nation had lost a valuable leader
and a pillar of justice. |
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What Did You Do for the Planet
Today?
April 22, 1970 -
The First Earth Day
We only have one earth, so we need to take care of her.
That's what Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin believed. He
was disturbed that an issue as important as our environment
was not addressed in politics or by the media, so he created
the first Earth Day, on April 22, 1970. An estimated 20
million people nationwide attended festivities that day. It
was a truly astonishing grassroots explosion, leading
eventually to national legislation such as the Clean Air Act
and the Clean Water Act. Why did Earth Day receive so much
support?
For the many people who care for the environment, Earth Day
became the first opportunity they had to join in a
nationwide demonstration to send a big message to public
officials--a message to tell them to protect our planet.
Both Arbor Day and Bird Day (established in the late 1800s)
supported forestation, conservation, and the appreciation of
nature, but on a smaller scale than Earth Day. While all
three of these days helped educate the general public, some
Americans already had a deep appreciation of nature.
Native American people, for example, the Iroquois, have long
recognized and celebrated in story and song the
interdependence of the earth and all its creatures. For the
20th anniversary of Earth Day in 1990, they were joined by
more than 200 million people in 141 countries participating
in celebrations of the planet that supports us. How do you
show your appreciation of Mother Earth? Ask your friends and
family how they celebrate Earth Day. |
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A Negotiator for Peace
December 9, 1971 -
American Diplomat Ralph Bunche Died
Have you ever tried to create peace between two fighting
people? It can be a delicate process, but American diplomat
Ralph Bunche had a knack for negotiation, along with
excellent training and experience. Bunche died on December
9, 1971, in New York City, but not before many political and
personal accomplishments, like winning the 1950 Nobel Peace
Prize. His career as diplomat, mediator, educator, writer,
social theorist, and political leader began after his
education at Harvard University.
Bunche earned graduate degrees in both government and
international relations. In 1929, he established a
department of political science at Howard University in
Washington, D.C. Between 1938 and 1940, Bunche collaborated
on a monumental study of U.S. race relations, which
presented the theory that "poverty breeds poverty." With
World War II, Bunche worked for the War Department and the
State Department. He played an important role in the early
planning for the United Nations, the organization he served
for the rest of his career, with some remarkable
achievements.
When the chief United Nations mediator of the Palestine
mission was suddenly assassinated in 1948, Ralph Bunche took
over and successfully negotiated an end to the first
Arab-Israeli War. His role in this 1949 truce won him the
Nobel Peace Prize. He later oversaw U.N. peacekeeping
missions to the Suez Canal, Congo, and Cyprus. He served as
a board member for the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for 22 years. In the
last decade of his life, he actively supported the civil
rights movements, even marching in Selma and Montgomery,
Alabama, when he was 61 years old. All his life, Bunche was
a man who negotiated for peace. |
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Made in China
February 21, 1972 -
President Nixon Goes to China
Look at the tags on your clothes or your backpack and see
where they were made. There's a chance it was China. Today,
the U.S. has an open-trade policy with China, which means
goods are traded freely between the two countries, but it
wasn't always this way. On February 21, 1972, President
Richard M. Nixon arrived in China for an official trip. He
was the first U.S. president to visit the People's Republic
of China since it was established in 1949. This was an
important event because the U.S. was seeking to improve
relations with a Communist country during the Cold War. What
sorts of issues do you think Nixon discussed?
On his visit to China, Nixon met with Chinese Premier Zhou
Enlai. The two leaders agreed to expand cultural contacts
between their two nations. Nixon also established plans for
a permanent U.S. trade mission in China.
The U.S. had become first interested in having political and
economic ties with China in the 19th century. Japan attacked
China in 1894-1895. As a result, Russia, France, Germany,
and Great Britain wanted to protect their interests in China
by carving up the country and each controlling one area. How
do you think the U.S. felt about this?
The U.S. wanted to prevent the division and control of China
by Russia, France, Germany, and Great Britain. In 1899 and
1900, the U.S. established the Open Door Policy, which
ensured that all nations had equal trading privileges with
China. The U.S. was able to make this policy because it had
become an important power in the Pacific after its victory
in the Spanish-American War in 1898. In this film, made by
Thomas Edison's film company, you can see a reenactment of a
battle from the Spanish-American War. Does it look
authentic? |
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Jackie Throws the Pitch
October 15, 1972 -
Jackie Robinson Throws the Opening
Pitch
The crowd roared with applause as one of baseball's greatest
heroes, Jackie Robinson, stepped out onto the field. On
October 15, 1972, Robinson, then 53, threw out the
ceremonial first pitch at the second game of the World
Series--25 years after he became the first African American
to play in Major League baseball.
Robinson became a legend in 1947 when he debuted with the
Brooklyn Dodgers, breaking the Major League baseball color
line. He finished that first season as baseball's Rookie of
the Year, batting .297 and leading the National League in
stolen bases with 29.
In Robinson's phenomenal baseball career, he was voted Most
Valuable Player, won a World Series with the Dodgers against
their New York rivals, the Yankees, and was elected to the
Baseball Hall of Fame. For many of his retired years,
Robinson refused to set foot into a stadium in a personal
boycott, demanding the hiring of more minorities in
baseball's managerial and front-office positions.
Robinson left behind an amazing record of baseball
accomplishments and a heroic beginning for others, perhaps
some of your favorite players. |
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A Shortcut Through the Jungle
September 7, 1977 -
President Jimmy Carter Signed the
Panama Canal Treaty
How many times have you taken a shortcut through a
neighbor's backyard? The U.S. created a 51-mile shortcut
between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through a distant
neighbor's "backyard" and called it the Panama Canal. Of
course, the U.S. got permission from Panama first, back in
1904.
On September 7, 1977, President Jimmy Carter signed the
Panama Canal Treaty and Neutrality Treaty promising to give
control of the canal to the Panamanians by the year 2000.
Why was this shortcut for ships needed, and how did the U.S.
build one through the jungles of Panama?
Before the Panama Canal opened in 1914, ships traveling
between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans had to travel a
precarious 8,000 nautical miles around the tip of South
America. It would be much faster to travel across the
narrowest part of Panama, but a canal would have to be dug
through the 10-mile wide strip of land. To build the canal,
the engineers designed a series of lakes and locks that trap
water, raising ships to the height of Gatum Lake near the
middle of the Isthmus (a narrow strip of land connecting two
larger land areas) of Panama, and then lowering them again
to sea level.
America celebrated the opening of the canal at the 1915
Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco. More than 18
million people came to the 11-month fair. Many more people
have traveled the shortcut through Panama. Will you be one
of them? |
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Giddy-Up Little Doggies
October 7, 1979 -
The Final Day Of the 1979 Fall
Roundup on the Ninety-Six Ranch
On the Ninety-Six Ranch in Nevada, cowboys are known as
buckaroos. At roundup time on the cattle ranch, a buckaroo's
day starts at 5:30 in the morning, and on October 7, 1979,
the last day of that year's fall roundup, the morning was no
different.
After breakfast, the buckaroos rode the range, gathering up
the last of the cattle that had been grazing over the summer
in the Santa Rosa Mountains. Unlike the cattle drives you
may have seen in the movies, these buckaroos did not have to
sleep on the ground with only a blanket of stars to keep
them warm.
Along the trail, the buckaroos stayed in camps near a spring
or stream. Each camp had a cabin with a wood-burning cook
stove and bunks. Outside was a fenced-in area to hold a
string of horses, a place to store hay, and a corral. The
buckaroos did more than just play cards to entertain
themselves; they also ate plenty of good food and tossed
around a Frisbee.
It took three days to round up some 2,000 cattle and three
more days for the trail drive back to the ranch. The
experienced cowhands used a few different tricks to gather
the cattle and keep them moving back toward the ranch.
To get the herd going in the right direction, the buckaroos
rode to a site above the cattle, and then headed toward them
down the hill. To drive the cattle from a thicket, they
banged on tin cans or shook cans full of stones, always
being careful not to cause a stampede.
At the end of the round up, any calves born during the
summer were branded, and some of the cattle were sold. The
remaining herd was kept in nearby pastures during the
winter. In the spring, the new calves would be branded and
turned out with the rest of the cattle to grow fat on the
summer grass in the mountains. When fall rolls around again,
the buckaroos head out after them once again. |
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Before Hip-Hop There Was Be-Bop
January 6, 1993 -
Dizzy Gillespie
Dizzy Gillespie was one of the most famous composers of
be-bop, a form of modern jazz that he created along with
pianist Thelonious Monk, drummer Kenny Clarke, guitarist
Charlie Christian, and alto saxophonist Charlie "Yardbird"
Parker. Gillespie contributed an enormous amount to jazz and
modern music and he played up until he died, which was on
this day, January 6, 1993. Gillespie described be-bop as
music with a different accent, " ... on the up beat. Instead
of OO-bah, it's oo-BAH. Different chords too." Guess what
city Gillespie played in the most.
Dizzy was one cool cat who jammed all over New York City,
particularly along 52nd Street, often called "Swing Lane,"
and "Be-Bop Alley." Gillespie and the other musicians liked
to hold long jam sessions in Harlem where they could show
off their musical talents. Gillespie was quite a showman and
he toured all over. He was known for his bent trumpet and
having "moon cheeks" when he played.
Music styles borrow from each other. If you listen to
Gillespie's be-bop, maybe you will hear some chords and
rhythms that are similar to the music you listen to today.
Ask someone in your family about the music he or she heard
growing up. What was different about it? How is hip-hop like
be-bop? How is it different? |
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A New Day of Infamy
September 11, 2001 -
Attack on the United States
September 11, 2001, is a day that no one will forget. It
began as a crystal clear, blue-sky Tuesday. As mid-morning
approached, however, the brightness quickly turned into
tragedy. American Airlines Flight 11 left Boston,
Massachusetts, at 8 a.m., bound for Los Angeles, California.
At 8:14 a.m., United Airlines Flight 175 also left Boston
for Los Angeles. At 8:45 a.m., just 45 minutes after taking
off, the American jet crashed into the World Trade Center's
North Tower in New York City. At 9:03 a.m., the United jet
crashed into the World Trade Center's South Tower. By 10:30
a.m. both towers had collapsed completely from the damage.
As people watched these events unfold on television, they
were frightened and bewildered. It quickly became obvious
that the United States was under attack and that the
airliners were being used as weapons by hijackers.
The attack was not over. At 8:21 a.m. American Flight 77
departed Dulles International Airport, just outside
Washington, D.C., for Los Angeles. At 9:41 a.m., this plane
crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, which is
just across the Potomac River from Washington and the White
House.
United Flight 93 had left Newark, N.J., for San Francisco,
California, at 8:41 a.m. As news of the Pentagon attack
became known, it was clear that one more flight was in
trouble. Flight 93 suddenly made a sharp U-turn over
Cleveland, Ohio, and started flying east toward Washington.
Passengers had learned via cell phone about what happened in
New York and at the Pentagon. Believing that their plane was
destined for Washington with the White House as its target,
several passengers decided to overpower the hijackers who
were trying to take over the plane. At 10:07 a.m., the plane
crashed in a field 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, after a valiant struggle.
After a few days, when air traffic was allowed to resume,
life in America tried to get back to "normal." However,
after September 11, many things had changed, including
security at airports and other public places. How has your
life changed since September 11? How do think the United
States and the world are different? |
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Will You Be My Valentine?
February 14 -
Valentine's Day
Love, Cupid, hearts, chocolates, cards and flowers are
everywhere--it's Valentine's Day! On February 14, Americans
celebrate love and friendship. But where did this holiday of
affection come from?
The origins of Valentine's Day are murky. We do know that
the ancient Romans celebrated the feast of Lupercalia, a
spring festival, on the 15th of February. With the
introduction of Christianity, the holiday moved to the 14th
of February--the saint day that celebrated several early
Christian martyrs named Valentine. But somewhere along the
way, Valentine's Day came to represent romance. You can
watch a romantic movie right here, "The Kiss," produced by
Thomas Edison back in 1900.
The romance we associate with Valentine's Day may spring
from the medieval belief that birds select their mates on
February 14th. During the Middle Ages, human lovebirds
recited verse or prose to one another in honor of the day.
"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" wrote William
Shakespeare. And poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning expressed
love this way:
How do I love thee; let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach. . .
Do you write poetry? We also hear these sentiments in love
songs, such as this funny old tune, "Aba Daba Honeymoon."
How many love songs can you think of that could send your
message on Valentine's Day?
"Will you be my Valentine?" Nowadays, people often ask this
of their loved ones in greeting cards. Probably the first
greeting cards, handmade valentines, appeared in the 16th
century. As early as 1800, companies began mass-producing
cards. Initially these cards were hand-colored by factory
workers. By the early 20th century even fancy lace and
ribbon-strewn cards were created by machine. Perhaps you
will give or receive a card today or celebrate your family
or that special someone in another way. Valentine's Day also
gives people a chance to reflect on the meaning of love.
What do you think makes true love? |
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Celebrating the Green
March 17 -
St. Patrick's Day
Aye lads and lassies, don't ya' forget to wear the green
today. Today is St. Patrick's Day! On March 17, Irish and
Irish Americans commemorate the death, as legend has it, of
Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, who died on March 17,
around 492. But mainly, people today honor Irish heritage
and its rich culture and traditions. Cities all over the
U.S. celebrate with parades and festivities. The most famous
of these annual festival traditions includes the Boston
parade, with its first parade in 1737; the New York City
parade, which began in 1762; and the Savannah, Georgia,
parade which started in 1812. What do you do to honor Irish
tradition? Wear green? Look for four-leaf clovers? Sing
Irish songs?
Irish Americans, especially those who arrived in the U.S. in
the 1840s, have had to overcome much suffering. The Great
Potato Famine of 1845-49 claimed the lives of 1 million
Irish back on the Isle of Erin (Ireland is also called
Eire). To escape starvation, those that could immigrated to
America. Most of the Irish who settled in the U.S. during
this period arrived with little education and few material
possessions. As a result, they encountered poverty and
discrimination. Most were Catholics and also suffered
because of longstanding prejudices against their religion.
But Irish Americans showed their strength and courage.
In 1862, during the Civil War, the Irish Brigade was formed.
These Irish American soldiers fought for the Union in some
of the bloodiest battles of the war. One historian, Phillip
Thomas Tucker, said, "These Celtic soldiers were fighting
most of all for their own future and an America which did
not segregate, persecute, and discriminate against the Irish
people and their Catholicism, Irish culture, and distinctive
Celtic heritage." Irish American heritage has become an
important part of American culture. In song, festivity,
appearance and company, Americans of all ethnicities are
celebrating St. Patrick's Day! |
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Just Fooling!
April 1 -
April Fools' Day
Have you ever played a joke on someone and then, just when
that person has fallen for it, said "April Fools!"? April 1
is known as April Fools' Day, and, although no one really
knows how the holiday began, it's a great chance to play a
joke on someone--as long as the joke is harmless. April
Fools' Day gives everyone a chance to play "the fool." In
France the fooled person is called poisson d'avril ("April
fish"), and in Scotland the person is called a gowk
(cuckoo), the symbol of a simpleton.
Also called All Fools' Day, April Fools' Day has been
observed for centuries in several countries. The timing of
the holiday seems related to the vernal equinox (one of the
two days in the year when the sun is exactly above the
equator, and nighttime and daytime are the same length). The
vernal equinox marks the beginning of spring (usually around
March 21), when nature "fools" mankind with sudden changes
in the weather.
Mother Nature is not the only one who plays tricks on
people; you can see another kind of fool in the drawings on
this page.
The custom of playing April Fools' jokes in America came
from Britain. The holiday is still observed by both kids and
adults with simple jokes as well as involved hoaxes. So when
April 1 rolls around, it's time to play a good joke on
someone and then shout "April Fools'!" |
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Celebrating the Stars and Stripes
June 14, 1777 -
Flag Day Celebrated
Today is Flag Day! On May 30, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson
issued a presidential proclamation establishing a national
Flag Day on June 14. Many Americans celebrate Flag Day by
displaying the Red, White and Blue in front of homes and
businesses. The day commemorates the adoption of the Stars
and Stripes as the official flag of the United States.
Do you know the flag's history? According to American
legend, in June 1776, George Washington commissioned Betsy
Ross, a Philadelphia seamstress, to create a flag for the
new nation in anticipation of a declaration of its
independence.
On June 14, 1777, John Adams spoke about the flag at a
meeting of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. He
said, "Resolved, that the flag of the thirteen United States
shall be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the
Union be thirteen stars, white on a blue field, representing
a new constellation." There have been twenty-seven official
versions of the flag so far; stars have been added to it as
states have entered the Union. The current version dates to
July 4, 1960, when Hawaii became the 50th state.
Do you say the Pledge of Allegiance at your school, perhaps
with your hand over your heart? Or sing "The Star Spangled
Banner," the national anthem, before a baseball game? Many
Americans sing, pledge, and pay respect to the flag, "Old
Glory," as a symbol of the country's democracy and
independence. Saluting the flag is a way to celebrate and
honor the United States of America. |
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Summer's Here!
June 21 -
The Beginning of Summer
Summer is here! In many years, June 21 marks the official
start of summer. The event is marked by an astronomical
event--the summer solstice, the longest day of the year
(with the most daylight), which occurs when the sun is
farthest from the earth's equator. The season ends with the
autumnal equinox (with day and night equal in length) on
September 22 or 23.
What does summertime mean to you? A long vacation from
school? Swimming and ice cream cones melting in the sun? On
June 21 it's summer in the Northern Hemisphere, but in the
southern half of the globe, it's the beginning of winter!
The concept of summer has often been associated with growth
and maturity, especially when it comes to plant life. And
indeed summer is the season of greatest plant growth in
areas with healthy summer showers. For many farm workers,
summer is a busy season filled with hard work under the hot
sun. But summers on the farm also yield the special
pleasures of the first ripe tomato, fresh corn on the cob,
and sweet juicy peaches picked and eaten right from the
tree. Festivals celebrating food are common this time of
year. This is usually also a time for family vacations in
the U.S., with trips to the seashore or a mountain lake and
barbecues in the backyard. What are your favorite summer
activities?
Everyone has a summer story. Songwriters have immortalized
their summer experiences in numerous songs over the ages. In
his song, "In the Good Old Summertime" (1902), lyricist Ren
Shields declares:
There's a time in each year that we always hold dear,
Good old summertime;
With the birds and the trees,
And the sweet-scented breezes,
Good old summertime.
Collaborators George and Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
said, "Summertime, and the livin' is easy," in the song from
the opera Porgy and Bess. What songs of summer do you sing? |
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Time for Fireworks
July 4 -
Independence Day: Americans Celebrate
the Birth of Their Nation
It's Independence Day! Today, all across the United States,
people are wishing each other a happy Fourth of July. On
July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously
adopted the Declaration of Independence. Though it is the
Constitution that provides the legal and governmental
framework for the United States, the Declaration, with its
eloquent assertion "all Men are created equal," is equally
beloved by the American people. On the Declaration's first
anniversary, many citizens of Philadelphia had a spontaneous
July 4th celebration. But it wasn't until after the War of
1812 that observing Independence Day became commonplace.
In the past, large public events were arranged to take place
on July 4 in order to coincide with the holiday. The
groundbreaking ceremonies for the Erie Canal and the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad both took place on July 4. But
even without these events, Americans have long celebrated
Independence Day with great fanfare. Picnics and parades
fill the day while fireworks fill the night sky. A band may
play one of John Philip Sousa's marches, such as "The Stars
and Stripes Forever." Friends and families barbeque, hold
contests and races, wave flags, sing, or listen to patriotic
speeches. By the 1870s, the Fourth of July was one of
America's most important holidays.
In 1859, still in the days of slavery, the Banneker
Institute of Philadelphia urged African Americans to
celebrate Independence Day, even though it recognized that
the ideals of the Declaration of Independence were in
conflict with the practice of slavery. Nonetheless, the
institute expressed the hope that soon, "our long lost
rights will be restored to us."
The Fourth of July became a legal holiday in 1941. Every
year the celebration of the American ideal that--"all Men
are created equal"--continues. How do you celebrate
Independence Day? |
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Trick or Treat!
October 31 -
Americans Celebrate Halloween
Every October 31, both children and adults slip into the
night as ghouls and goblins, princesses and pirates. Many
Americans celebrate the traditions of Halloween by dressing
in costumes and telling tales of witches and ghosts.
Pumpkins are carved into glowering jack-o'-lanterns.
Children parade from house to house, knocking on doors and
calling out "Trick or treat!" hoping to have their bags
filled with candy. It can be a night of fun for those who
participate, but the history of Halloween in America has a
darker side.
For most of the 19th century and well into the 20th,
Halloween was more trick than treat. Bands of
mischief-makers roamed city streets and country roads
blowing horns and vandalizing both residences and
businesses. In addition to playing relatively harmless
tricks, some pranksters caused major inconveniences. Often,
special police were appointed to keep damage to a minimum.
Today, many people celebrate Halloween at masquerade
parties. Sometimes, those who are at the party vote for the
best costume. Have you ever been to a Halloween party? What
costume will you be wearing this year? |
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VA Day!
November 11 -
Veterans Day
Give a salute to war veterans! It's Veterans Day, when
thousands of people will visit the Tomb of the Unknowns in
Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia. At 11 a.m., a color
guard representing all military services will execute
"Present Arms" at the tomb. A presidential wreath will be
placed on the tomb, symbolizing the nation's remembrance of
all those who died fighting for their country. A bugler will
step up and play "Taps." After this Veterans Day ritual,
ceremonies will continue in the surrounding amphitheater
with speakers and tributes. This event takes place every
year on November 11, the official holiday in the United
States honoring veterans of the armed forces and the men and
women who have served in the country's wars.
How do you observe Veterans Day? Do you go to a parade?
Listen to a speech? Take flowers to a cemetery? People do
all these things to commemorate this special holiday, which
has been observed since 1919, though it had a different name
and a slightly different meaning back then.
It was on November 11, 1918, that Allied powers signed a
cease-fire agreement, an armistice with Germany at Rethondes,
France, ending World War I. Not only does the U.S. observe
this day. Great Britain and France continued to recognize
Armistice Day every year until World War II, when, once
again, it was no time to be celebrating peace.
World War I turned out not to be "the war to end all wars."
If it had, November 11 might still be called Armistice Day.
After World War II, the day was designated for giving thanks
to veterans of both world wars and its name was changed to
Veterans Day. Starting in 1954, after the Korean War, the
date was officially changed to honor service members of all
U.S. wars. In Canada, it is called Remembrance Day. In Great
Britain, the Sunday nearest November 11 is set aside as
Remembrance Sunday to pay tribute to veterans and victims of
war. Other countries have shrines similar to the Tomb of the
Unknowns in Arlington. If you look through this site, you
will find stories about many veterans of many wars. How will
you pay tribute to them? |
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The Making of Santa Claus
December 25 -
Christmas Day
Christmas is here! If you celebrate Christmas, what are your
traditions on this day? How do your relatives and friends
celebrate the holiday? By going to church? Decorating a
Christmas tree? Exchanging presents? Singing and dancing?
Eating massive amounts of turkey or pie?
On December 25, people around the world celebrate the birth
of Jesus Christ. Some people celebrate by giving gifts.
Children may be thanking Santa Claus for new toys. They may
also be going to church with their families. Christmas has
so many traditions and symbols associated with it, that it's
hard to determine exactly how it came to be the celebration
it is today.
By 336 A.D., the Christian church in Rome celebrated the
festival of Christmas on December 25. The same day, Romans
celebrated Saturnalia, the winter solstice (the shortest day
of the year). In observance of the "birthday of the
unconquered sun," they exchanged gifts and made merry with a
festival. On the Roman New Year (January 1), people
decorated houses with greenery and gave gifts to children
and the poor. Evergreens were a symbol of survival.
Modern-day Christmas borrows many of these traditions. St.
Nicholas became a popular figure by the 11th century, known
for his great generosity and healing powers. With the rise
of the Protestant Church, he was nearly forgotten, except in
the Netherlands, where they called him Sinterklaas. Does
that name sound familiar?
Dutch colonists settling in New Amsterdam (now New York
City) brought the story of St. Nicholas with them. In
English, he became known as Santa Claus. Added to the legend
of this kind old man were old Nordic folk tales of a
magician who punished naughty children and rewarded good
children with presents. The Santa Claus we recognize in the
U.S. today, with his red suit, jolly laugh, and long white
beard, began to appear in story and song in the 19th
century. But every family has their own unique traditions
for the holiday as well.
Alan Wallace of Massachusetts, who was a boy at the end of
the 19th century, used to gather seashells from the shore in
the summertime to make into Christmas presents. Margaret
Davis of Georgia, said her family ate, danced, and went to
parties all week long in the 1890s. Some children write
letters to Santa at the North Pole asking for things they
want. Some leave milk and cookies out for St. Nick the night
before. Some families attend morning mass, while others
gather around a Christmas tree to open brightly wrapped
boxes. What do you or your friends do to celebrate Christmas
in your own special way? Happy Holidays! |
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