Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie, and U.S. History for July 4th

Posted on June 22, 2016

By Debra Kirby

How will you celebrate U.S. Independence Day on July 4? Many mark the occasion with picnics, parades, and fireworks. For some though, July 4 provides another reason to celebrate: It’s the day they officially became U.S. citizens. Every year immigrants who have spent years waiting (and sometimes thousands of dollars on legal fees) choose this special date to raise their hands and pledge allegiance to the United States of America. One of the requirements for citizenship is that they successfully pass a civics quiz.

We’ve provided six of the 100 potential questions used by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services here. How many can you answer correctly? (See answers at the end of this article.)

  • Who was President during World War I?
  • The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
  • Who is Chief Justice of the United States now?
  • How many amendments does the Constitution have?
  • When was the Constitution written?
  • The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.

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It’s a Grand Old Flag….

Posted on June 1, 2016

By Candy Jones-Guerin

On June 14th we celebrate Flag Day. This special day commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened in 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress.

On June 14th, 1885, a 19 year old teacher at Stony Hill School placed a 10 inch, 38 star flag in a bottle on his desk then assigned essays on the flag and its significance.  With this act, Bernard J. Cigrand, started a movement.

Inspired by these three decades of state and local celebrations. Flag Day was officially established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson’s proclamation, it was not until August 3rd, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.

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Honoring Those That Have Served Our Country

Posted on May 18, 2016

By Candy Jones-Guerin

Memorial Day is almost up on us.  Observed as a holiday on the last Monday of May, Memorial Day honors men and women who died while serving in the United States Military. In cities and towns across the country Memorial Day is honored with parades including military personnel and members of veterans organizations.

Prior to being called Memorial Day, this day was celebrated as Decoration Day, originating in the years following the Civil War.  It became a federal holiday in 1971 and has been observed annually by Americans.

Take some time this year to learn about the significant wars in American history and the men and women who lead the charge.

The Civil War, 1st Edition
February 2016
The bombardment of Fort Sumter in 1861 set off the savage four-year war between the North and the South. The North fought to preserve the Union, whereas the South fought to win recognition as an independent nation. The war was a climax to quarrels between the two sides over the interpretation of the U.S. Constitution. With this title readers will analyze the background of the war, military leadership and strategic plans of the war in the West and East, specific battles on land and sea, and the costs of the war.

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Celebrate With a Splash of Color, Ole!

Posted on May 2, 2016

By Candy Jones-Guerin

In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is primarily observed in the state of Puebla where General Zaragoza’s lead the country to triumph over the French invasion and bolstered the resistance movement.

Here in the United States we have embraced this day as a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage.  Classrooms and communities across the country hang paper banners, cook up delicious food and share stories and dance from this celebrated culture.

If you are looking for resources to get your celebration started, look no further.  We have great resources on history, celebrated figures, climate and travel.

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