Painting of George Washington with his family, wife Martha, and her grandchildren, by artist Edward Savage. In September 1789, members of America’s first Congress approached the nation’s first president, George Washington, and asked him to call for a national Thanksgiving. That seemingly benign request ignited a furor in Congress over presidential powers and states’ rights. […]
Americans have been observing Veterans Day since November 11, 1954 in honor of our military men and women. But, our country has celebrated November 11 for many years prior to that. It was in November of 1919 that President Wilson set aside November 11 as “Armistice Day.” In his proclamation, President Wilson said, “To us […]
Why do Americans celebrate Labor Day? Labor Day is a national holiday, created to honor U.S. workers and their contribution to the economy. Many Americans use the day to celebrate the end of summer and would be surprised to know the day has its roots in the labor movement of the late 1800s. How did […]