Neutron was discovered by James Chadwick in 1932. Prior to his discovery, scientists had known about protons and electrons, and they knew something else was there. However, Chadwick discovered the actual existence of the neutron having no charge. He was awarded the 1935 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Marian Anderson
Marian Anderson (born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1897; died Portland, Oregon, April 8, 1993) was a singer and diplomat. She was the first African American soloist at the Metropolitan Opera. In 1939 the Daughters of the American Revolution would not allow her to perform in Constitution Hall in Washington, DC. Eleanor Roosevelt and others were outraged. Days later she sang before 75,000 people in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Her courage and talent brought her great fame. She was a United States delegate to the United Nations in 1958. She received the United Nations Peace Prize in 1977. Children could read the wonderful book, When Marian Sang, written by Pam Munoz Ryan and illustrated by Brian Selznick. Children could also learn more at Marian Anderson.
Florence Parry Heide (born Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1919; died Kenosha, Wisconsin, October 23, 2011) wrote more than 100 books for children. Her books included The Treehorn series, illustrated by Edward Gorey, and Some Things Are Scary, illustrated by Jules Feiffer.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (born Portland, Maine, 1807; died Cambridge, Massachusetts, March 24, 1882) was a poet and writer. His works include The Song of Hiawatha and The Wreck of the Hesperus. Children can read his works at: Project Gutenberg. Children can learn more at: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Uri Shulevitz (born Warsaw, Poland, 1935; died New York, New York, February 15, 2025) was an American writer and illustrator. He wrote and/or illustrated at least 40 books. He received the 1969 Caldecott Medal for The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship. He has also received three Caldecott Honor Awards: The Treasure in 1979, Snow in 1999, and How I Learned Geography in 2009. Children can learn more about him at: Uri Shulevitz.
John Steinbeck (born Salina, California, 1902; died New York, New York, December 20, 1968) was an author. His works include Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath. He was the Nobel Prize Winner in literature in 1962. Older children can learn more at: John Steinbeck.
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Network
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was incorporated in 1827. Created to compete with the Erie Canal, the B & O was the first American railroad to transport both people and goods. The railroad continues today as part of CXS Transportation Network.
Current Colorado State Flag
Colorado Territory was created in 1861. The borders of the Colorado Territory were the same as the current borders of the state of Colorado. Because gold had been found in the Pikes Peak region, the federal government wanted to establish firm boundaries. The Civil War then delayed statehood. The territory was dissolved when Colorado became the thirty-eighth state on August 1, 1876.
Early Television Set
First televised basketball games occurred in 1940. The games took place in Madison Square Garden and showcased four college teams, Fordham University versus University of Pittsburgh, and Georgetown versus NYU.
Color television sets were offered for sale in 1954. However, most broadcasting was in black and white, so the sets did not really sell until about 1965 when broadcasting was in color.
Megan McDonald (born Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1959) writes books for children. Her books include the Judy Moody series and the Stink series. Children can visit her website, especially the Fun Stuff section, at: Megan McDonald.
Donna Jo Napoli (born Miami, Florida, 1948) has written at least 75 books for children. She writes for a wide range of readers, from picture books to books for elementary school students to young adult readers. Her books include the Sly the Sleuth series, Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya, and Fire in the Hills. Children could visit her site at: Donna Jo Napoli.
Linus Pauling (born Portland, Oregon, 1901; died Big Sur, California, August 19, 1994) was a scientist. He received one Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1954 for research in molecular structure. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1962 for his work in trying to stop nuclear testing. He was also famous for his claims that large amounts of Vitamin C reduce the effects of colds and other diseases. Older children could learn more about him, particularly his Nobel Prizes, at: Linus Pauling.
Lemony Snicket (born Daniel Handler in San Francisco, California, 1970) writes books for children. His books include the Series of Unfortunate Events and The Composer is Dead. Children would enjoy his website, especially the Dire Diversions portion, at: Lemony Snicket.
Husky Sled Dog
Iditarod sled dog race begins today. The race begins on the first Saturday in March and often lasts about two weeks. The sixteen-dog teams race from Anchorage to Nome, a distance of 1,049 miles. Children could view an excellent website at: Iditerod.
Salem witch trials commenced in 1692. The mania concluded in the fall. Nineteen people were hanged. One man was pressed to death. Over 50 more people awaited execution, and 150 were in jail, waiting to be tried. All the living were pardoned by late 1692. Older children could read Beyond the Burning Time by Kathryn Lasky.
Articles of Confederation were ratified in 1781. This document consolidated the thirteen colonies into one country and was the early nation’s frame of government until the Constitution was written in 1789. Children could learn more at: Articles of Confederation.
Ohio State Flag
Ohio became the seventeenth state of the United States in 1803. The state’s nickname is the Buckeye State and the state tree is the buckeye. Columbus is the capital. The state ranks 34th in area, but it is the seventh most populous. Eight presidents were either born there or lived there. The official state beverage is tomato juice. Children could make and drink some tomato juice and figure out which presidents were born in or lived in Ohio.