Flag of Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia celebrates Independence Day. Although it became an independent country in 1979, it is still part of the British Commonwealth. According to the CIA World Factbook, Saint Lucia is about 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC. The island, located in the Caribbean Sea, exports bananas and cocoa. About 160,000 inhabitants live on the island, and many of them depend on tourism for income. Castries is the capital. Children could learn more at: Saint Lucia.
Compact Disc (CD) was introduced to the public by Philips Company, an electronics company based in the Netherlands, in 1979.
Gossamer Albatross
Bryan Allen became the first person to pedal an aircraft across the English Channel. He pedaled the Gossamer Albatross from Folkestone, England, to Cape Gris-Nez, France, in 1979. The trip took almost three hours. His average altitude was only five feet! The Gossamer Albatross is now housed within the Smithsonian Museums. Children could learn more at: Gossamer Albatross.
Susan B. Anthony dollars were first issued in 1979. They were introduced into the economy from 1979 to 1981 and again in 1999.
Skylab
Skylab in 1979 reentered the earth’s atmosphere and broke apart. The pieces fell into the Indian Ocean and onto parts of Australia. Skylab, the first United States space station, had been launched May 14, 1973. Three manned crews, Skylab 2, Skylab 3, and Skylab 4, conducted experiments there between May 1973 and February 1974. Children could learn more at: Skylab.
Flag of Kiribati
Kiribati celebrates Independence Day. Formerly called the Gilbert Islands, this country became free of British rule in 1979. The 33 atolls, located in the Pacific Ocean, form a small country with an area about three times the size of Washington, DC. Over 100,000 people live on 21 inhabited atolls. Tarawa is the capital. Children could learn more at: Kiribati.
Statue of Lucretia Mott
National Women’s Hall of Fame opened in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1979. The site of the Women’s Rights Convention in 1848, the hall honors many women. Children could find out who has been inducted. They could list future possible inductees by visiting: http://www.greatwomen.org.
Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines celebrate Independence Day. Located in the Caribbean, the one large island of St. Vincent and the fifty smaller Grenadines islands gained their freedom from the United Kingdom in 1979. However, they are still part of the British Commonwealth. The total area of the country is about twice the size of Washington, DC. Banana production and tourism provide many of the local jobs. About 103,000 people live there, and Kingstown is the capital. Children could learn more at: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.