1 -u.s customs- natalie and christina

U.S Customs and Traditions

By Christina McGough and Natalie Hinostroza

Martin Luther King Day

• Someone who fought for the rights of African Americans

• Created the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and Voting Right Act in 1965

• Won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964

Martin Luther King Day

• He is well known for his “I Have A Dream” Speech

• Shot on his apartment balcony by a man named James Ray

• We take a day to remember his part in ending segregation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V57lotnKGF8

GROUND HOG DAY!

The day on which folklore states that the behavior of a Groundhog emerging from its burrow is said to predict the onset of Spring! This is a Folklore holiday for the State of Pennsylvania.

Punxsutawney Phil

Super Bowl• Championship game

for football

• There have been 47 Super Bowls

• Parties to watch the game

• Commercials

PRESIDENTS DAY

Washington's Birthday was first declared a federal holiday by an 1879 act of Congress. Because of this, combined with the fact that President Abraham Lincoln's birthday falls on February 12, many people now refer to this holiday as "Presidents' Day" and consider it a day honoring all American presidents.

EARTH DAY!• The first Earth Day was in 1970 and

Earth Day is a celebration of environmentalism.

• It is celebrate on the last Friday in April

• Clean Air Act (1970) Clean water Act (1971) Endangered Species Act (1973)• Earth day is celebrated by Planting

Trees• Ways to help the environment:

• Turn off appliances• Plant a garden and trees• Use less gasoline machines

• At Spring-Ford, we have an arboretum

MEMORIAL DAY

• Memorial Day honors the nation's war dead from the Civil War onwards.

• A day to remember the men and women who died• This day marks the unofficial beginning of the summer season• Traditionally it is on May 30 but was shifted by the Uniform

Holidays Act 1968.• Many Americans place an American flag on each grave

INDEPENDENCE DAY• Independence day celebrates the signing of the

Declaration of Independence from British rule, also called the Fourth of July.

• Federal Holiday• Firework celebrations are held in many cities throughout

the nation• Celebrated with parades, barbecues, fairs, baseball

games, and family events

LABOR DAY

• Labor Day celebrates the achievements of workers and the labor movement

• Marks the unofficial end of the summer season

• Pools close

• Start of school

VETERANS DAY • Celebrates the service of all U.S military veterans, living

or dead• It is observed on November 11 to recall the end of World

War I on that date in 1918 • Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at

the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice

Thanksgiving• Originated in November

of 1621

• Families get together for a big dinner feast

• Turkey is a main dish on Thanksgiving

• Football games and parades

Black Friday

• Crowded• Major sales• Wait in line for hours• Cyber Monday

• Day after Thanksgiving starting at midnight

• Start of Christmas shopping

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zBWjlkKDpA

Days of Remembrance• Pearl Harbor is a national holiday that mourns

the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese on December 7, 1941 starting the beginning of WWII.

• September 11 ,2001 is the day when the World Trade Center was attacked by terrorists and is a day that many Americans mourn for those who lost their life.

The End

• Wide variety of holidays –Small traditions to federal

holidays –Silly ones to serious ones–Famous ones to ones that

aren’t as common–All represent something

important to our country