HMH Current Events

Pearl Harbor Day 2012

Daragh — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 00:09:09 +0000

In his speech to Congress following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Roosevelt described December 7, 1941 as “a date which will live in infamy”.

About 360 Japanese planes launched from six different aircraft carriers attacked the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor in Oahu, Hawaii. The Sunday morning attack achieved total surprise. The battleships Arizona and Oklahoma were destroyed. The California, Nevada, and West Virginia sunk in shallow water. Numerous other vessels were also damaged. More than 180 aircraft were destroyed. More than 2,300 military personnel were killed and about another 1,100 injured. The Japanese lost fewer than 100 men.

The U.S. Pacific Fleet was crippled by the attack, but the three fleet aircraft carriers were not in port at the time of the attack. The Japanese also missed the opportunity to destroy large oil storage facilities on the island.

On December 8, President Roosevelt asked Congress for a declaration of war against Japan, which was granted with only one dissenting vote. The attack unified popular support for the war and served as a rallying cry throughout the conflict.

Today, the National Park Service runs the USS Arizona Memorial, which “is the final resting place for many of the battleship’s 1,177 crew members” and “commemorates the site where World War II began for the United States”.

Constitution Day

admin — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 22:52:51 +0000

In 2004, Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia pushed for the creation of a special day to honor and study the United States Constitution. Senator Byrd was frustrated that many Americans knew little about the document that created and defined their government. The result was Constitution Day. On September 17 – the day the Constitution was signed – all schools that receive federal money must study the U.S. Constitution.

The Constitution is the backbone of the United States government. It brought the federal government into being, including its three branches – executive, judicial, and legislative – and the offices that accompany them – the Presidency, Congress, and the Supreme Court. The Constitution is also a “living document” that continues to help shape our government today and is continually adapted to changes in our society.

The Constitution came about in the late 1780s. At that time, the thirteen new states (based on the original thirteen colonies) were governed by the Articles of Confederation, which were created following America’s independence from Britain. But the Articles did not provide for a strong, unified government that could deal with the challenges facing the new nation. So in 1787, the Constitutional Convention was held in Philadelphia. Delegates from all thirteen states attended the Convention.

Not all of the delegates agreed on what kind of government America should have. Some wanted the states to have all the power, while others wanted a single government to control everything. The smaller states wanted equal representation in the government, while the larger states wanted representation based on population. A compromise was reached that gave states the rights that were not reserved for the main, or federal, government. A series of checks and balances were set up among the branches of the federal government to prevent any one of them from becoming too powerful. A two-part Congress was created, with a Senate that had equal representation of the states and a House of Representatives where representation is based on states’ populations. But the U.S. Constitution gave the true power to the American citizens. To make sure the rights of the citizens were protected, ten amendments were added to the end of the Constitution that spelled out the freedoms that U.S. citizens would have. This became known as the Bill of Rights.

Labor Day

Current Events Editor — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 21:57:26 +0000

Labor Day is not just a holiday that marks the end of summer. In fact, the idea of a Labor Day began in the 1880s. Labor unions organized and established protest marches and picnics for their members as a way to draw attention to the issues facing American workers. The Central Labor Union organized the first Labor Day on September 5, 1882 in New York City. The idea spread to other unions and state governments. By 1890, eight states had passed Labor Day legislation.

In 1893, the United States was suffering an economic depression. Workers across the country were being laid off. Many workers went on strike. In 1894, President Grover Cleveland used 12,000 federal troops to break a strike of the American Railway Union. This action increased tension with labor unions across the country. President Cleveland and Congress quickly passed a law making the first Monday in September a national holiday to recognize the contributions of workers to the American way of life.

After World War II, nearly 50 percent of all workers belonged to a labor union. Labor unions’ efforts improved conditions for all workers. By 2006, however, union membership was down to about 12 percent. Labor Day does not have the same meaning that it once did. Today, Labor Day is a long weekend for many people and an opportunity for many retail stores to hold big annual sales events—an ironic twist for the people who have to work on Labor Day.

National Navajo Code Talkers Day

Current Events Editor — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 20:09:26 +0000

Encryption machines were not a practical tool in the jungles of the Pacific theater during World War II. Still, encoded messages needed to move from the battle lines to artillery positions, air bases, and ships. The solution to this dilemma was Native Americans who spoke the Navajo language.

“Navajo code talkers”, as they became known, would use English code words translated into their language to relay messages. This method of encrypted communication was never cracked by the Japanese military. The code talkers risked their lives in some of the fiercest battles of the Pacific theater. They were never allowed to discuss the code and their jobs were classified information. The code talkers’ role in World War II would not become public knowledge until much later.

For their bravery and service, President Ronald Reagan declared August 14 as National Navajo Code Talkers Day.

Independence Day

Current Events Editor — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 20:10:42 +0000

Independence Day, or the Fourth of July, is celebrated every year in the United States to remember the passage of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress in 1776. The Congress voted to declare independence from Great Britain on July 2, 1776. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence (with some help from John Adams and others). He finished the declaration and it was adopted on the 4th.

In the nation’s early days, Independence Day was more political than it is today. It was celebrated with speeches, toasts, and ceremonies that were used to discuss political issues and to connect political campaigns to the nation’s independence.

Today, Independence Day is celebrated with fireworks, parades, and picnics. It is a big summer celebration for many people in the United States. And while it is no longer as political as it once was, the Fourth of July remains a day of patriotism and national pride.

Flag Day

Current Events Editor — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 20:12:01 +0000

On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress passed the Flag Resolution, which established the flag of the United States as having 13 red and white stripes, and 13 white stars on a blue background. The stripes represent the original 13 colonies. The stars represent the states, and more were added, of course, with each new state, until the flag had the 50 stars it does today.

Since the late 1800s, school teachers and children celebrated the “Flag Birthday” every June 14, and in 1916 President Woodrow Wilson officially proclaimed June 14 to be Flag Day. In 1949, President Harry Truman signed an Act of Congress officially designating the day National Flag Day.

Flag Day is celebrated with parades in towns and cities around the country. Flags can be seen flying on every flagpole for the whole week of June 14, showing Americans’ patriotism for their country and their pride in the country’s symbol.

Memorial Day

Current Events Editor — Mon, 28 May 2012 01:01:33 +0000

On the last Monday in the month of May, Americans will have the day off work and school. Some will attend picnics or even parades, maybe take in a baseball game, go swimming, or just relax and enjoy the three-day weekend and the start of summer.

But others will get up early on their day off and go out to local cemeteries. There they will pay their respects to those American military personnel who died serving their country. In attendance at these ceremonies, there will be many veterans of the U.S. military from all generations. Officially, however, the day is set aside not so much to praise the living veterans (they are honored on Veterans Day, November 11), but rather those who died in battle or from wounds received in battle in any of America’s wars or armed conflicts.

Cinco de Mayo

Current Events Editor — Sat, 05 May 2012 17:42:55 +0000

May 5—known as Cinco de Mayo, especially among Mexican Americans—is a commemoration of the 1862 victory of the Mexican army over France at the Battle of Puebla. In the United States, particularly in areas with large Mexican American populations, Cinco de Mayo is an occasion to celebrate Mexican culture and heritage. Cinco de Mayo traditions include parades and street fiestas, performances by mariachi bands and Mexican folk dancers, traditional foods and beverages, and more.

In the 1860s, Mexico was facing financial difficulties and defaulted on debts to several European governments. France, Britain, and Spain responded by sending naval forces to Veracruz to demand payment. Britain and Spain reached settlements with Mexico, but France, then ruled by Napoleon III, invaded Mexico in an attempt to gain Mexican territory. Though vastly outnumbered and poorly supplied, the Mexican army defeated a French force at Puebla de Los Angeles, losing fewer than 100 soldiers. The victory inspired a great deal of patriotism throughout the country. Some historians believe the outcome of this battle in Mexico even affected the course of the American Civil War, then raging north of the Mexican border.

Cinco de Mayo is more widely celebrated in the United States than in Mexico, thanks in part to Chicano activists who popularized the holiday in the 1960s. Some of the largest festivals are held in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston. Cinco de Mayo is sometimes confused with the celebration of Mexican independence, which is commemorated on September 16 (Diez y Seis de Septiembre) and which was declared more than half a century before the Battle of Puebla.

Related Links

Cinco de Mayo
From History.com, a brief history on the origins of Cinco de Mayo.
Cinco de Mayo
This Wikipedia.com article includes historical background as well as links to modern-day celebrations of Cinco de Mayo.
The Significance of “Cinco de Mayo”
This essay explains the cultural significance as well as background of the Cinco de Mayo celebration.

Asian-Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Current Events Editor — Wed, 02 May 2012 17:06:55 +0000

Since 1992 we have celebrated Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month in May. It is a time to commemorate and celebrate the contributions that people of Asian and Pacific Islander descent have made to the United States

The month of May was chosen because of two events in Asian-American history: the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the U.S. on May 7, 1843; and the transcontinental railroad, which was largely built by Chinese workers, was completed on May 10, 1869.

Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month began as a week-long celebration in 1978, when President Jimmy Carter signed a resolution designating the first ten days of May as Asian-Pacific American Heritage Week. The week was extended to a month when President George Bush signed it into law on October 28, 1992.

The month is celebrated with festivals, parades, community events, and cultural performances meant to honor and teach about Asian American history and culture.

Holocaust Remembrance Day

Current Events Editor — Wed, 02 May 2012 17:04:50 +0000

Holocaust Remembrance Day is a day to remember the victims of the Holocaust. It is observed on the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, which was a revolt by Jews in Poland against the Nazis in 1943. The date was chosen by Israel, and it changes based on the Hebrew calendar. In 2011, it falls on May 2.

In the United States, Congress set up the Days of Remembrance, a week-long commemoration of the tragedy of the Holocaust. The Days of Remembrance are held during the week that Holocaust Remembrance Day falls. The week is set aside for ceremonies and contemplation of the tragedy.

In Israel, ceremonies are held and Israeli television airs only Holocaust-related programs on Holocaust Remembrance Day. A siren is sounded across the country at 11:00 A.M. Pedestrians and traffic stop for two minutes to pay tribute to the Holocaust victims.

High school students from around the world travel to Poland to participate in the March of the Living, a march through Auschwitz, largest concentration camp set up by the Nazis.

The goal of Holocaust Remembrance Days around the world is to make sure that we never forget the Holocaust, and that we learn about it, so that it will never happen again.