First Day of Summer
Summer solstice is today. Summer officially starts around 6:07 AM EDT. Today is the longest day in the northern hemisphere and the shortest day (start of winter) in the southern hemisphere. Children can learn more at: Summer Solstice.
Flag of Greenland
Greenland celebrates the longest day of the year, a national holiday. Greenland is a part of the Danish monarchy, but it is self-governing. According to the CIA World Factbook, Greenland is a little more than three times the size of Texas. Because it is located so far north, most of the country is permafrost. Greenland has the world’s second largest ice cap. About 57,000 people live in the country, mostly along the southern coast. The economy is based on fishing, mining, and tourism.
New Hampshire Flag
New Hampshire became the ninth state of the United States by ratifying the Constitution in 1788. It was named after the English county Hampshire. The capital is Concord, and its motto is “Live Free or Die.” It ranks forty-fourth in area and forty-second in population. Mt. Washington is the tallest peak in New England. Martin Pring traveled its coast in 1603, and Samuel de Champlain explored the area in 1604. Children could visit an Internet site at: New Hampshire.
Robert Kraus (born Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1925; died Kent, Connecticut, August 7, 2001) was a cartoonist, publisher, and writer of children’s books. His books include Leo the Late Bloomer and Boris Bad Enough. Children can learn more at: Robert Krauss.
Jean-Paul Sartre (born Paris, France, 1905; died Paris, France, April 15, 1980) was a philosopher and writer. He received the 1964 Nobel Prize in Literature.
Henry Ossawa Tanner (born Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1859; died Paris, France, May 25, 1937) was one of the first African-American artists to have major exhibits.
Royal Greenwich Observatory
Courtesy of ChrisO
Royal Greenwich Observatory was established in 1675 by order of Charles II. The building has significant historical and scientific connections. Today’s Prime Meridian goes through the property. Greenwich Mean Time was calculated there until 1954. Today the building is a tourist attraction.
Doughnuts
Doughnut was invented in 1847. According to legend, Elizabeth Gregory made the first doughnuts with nuts in the middle. Her son, sea captain Hanson Gregory, cut out the center with a round pepper tin. Now about ten billion doughnuts are consumed in the United States each year.
V-Mail (Victory Mail) began in 1942 as World War II brought many soldiers overseas. To conserve space on transport planes, letters were opened and photographed. A roll of film held 1,600 letters. The film was mailed overseas, and the letters were printed. The process ceased November 1, 1945, when the war ended. Older children could learn more at: Victory Mail.
Dan Brown (born Exeter, New Hampshire, 1964) is a novelist. His books include The Da Vinci Code and Inferno. Young adults can visit his website at: Dan Brown.
Margaret Sidney (born New Haven, Connecticut, 1844; died August 2, 1924) wrote books for children. She is most famous for her Five Little Peppers series. Children can learn more at: Margaret Sydney. They can read many of her books, including Five Little Peppers, at: Project Gutenberg.
Flag of Luxembourg
Luxembourg celebrates National Day and the official birthday of His Royal Highness Grand Duke Henri. It is a landlocked country smaller than Rhode Island. French, German, and Luxembourgish are official languages of the country. About 500,000 people live in the country, and Luxembourg is the capital.
Penn’s Treaty by Edward Hicks
William Penn signed a peace treaty with the Lenni Lenape Indians in 1683. No documents have survived that tell us what the actual treaty promised. Numerous artists have painted their visions of the meeting. Children could learn more at: Peace Treaty.