Children Waiting for Polio Vaccine
First mass inoculations of Salk polio vaccine took place in 1954. Polio was a terrifying disease affecting thousands of children. Jonas Salk’s vaccine brought relief for families around the world. To understand more about polio’s devastation, children can read Peg Kehret’s excellent autobiography, Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio.
Flag of Estonia
Estonia celebrates Independence Day. Located along the Gulf of Finland, Estonia has had a complicated history. In 1918 it became free of Soviet rule, but then it was conquered again. It became free of Soviet rule for the second time in 1991. According to the CIA World Factbook, Estonia is about the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined. Bordering the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland, Estonia is home to 1.2 million people. Tallinn is the capital.
Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 issued a ruling stating the Julian calendar would be corrected in October 4 of the same year. The Julian calendar, the then-existing calendar, was erring by ten days. The new calendar, called the Gregorian calendar, did the following:
• Ten days were not included in October
• New standards were set to determine Easter
• New rules were established regarding Leap Day
Not everyone adopted the Gregorian calendar right away. Even those who adopted the calendar were not happy because they thought they had lost ten days of pay. Great Britain and colonial America did not change until September 1752. We still use the Gregorian calendar today.
Steam Shovel was patented in 1839 by William Smith Otis. Originally called Crane-Excavator for Excavating and Removing Earth, it received Patent Number 1089. Otis died within a year of patenting his invention. Children can view the patent at: Steam Shovel Patent.
Flag of Kuwait
Kuwait observes National Day. This small country (about the size of New Jersey) is located on the northeastern Arabian Peninsula. About 2.6 million people live in the country. Kuwait City is the capital, and petroleum products compose the largest industries.
Hiram R. Revels in 1870 became the first African American to be elected to the Senate. He represented Mississippi and served from 1870 to 1871. Children could read about his extraordinary life at: Hiram R. Revels.
Amendment Sixteen to the Constitution was adopted in 1913. Congress could implement an income tax. Prior to Amendment Sixteen, people paid indirect taxes through buying items that were taxed. Older children could view an interesting timeline at: Amendment Sixteen.
Thor’s Hammer (hoodoo)
Bryce Canyon National Park was established in 1928. Located in southern Utah, the park encompasses 35,835 acres. Bryce Canyon National Park is really not a canyon but a series of natural amphitheaters. Its distinctive features are hoodoos, pinnacles caused by frost erosion and erosion of the sedimentary rocks. Archaeological evidence shows that Native Americans lived there about 10,000 years ago. The Paiutes moved in when other groups left, but they were pushed out around 1873 when Mormon settlers started overgrazing the land. The park has three distinct life zones, determined by altitude. At least 400 different species of plants have been identified. Although hundreds of different animal species live there, the mule deer is the most common animal. Children can learn more at: https://www.nps.gov/brca/index.htm.
View from the North Rim
Grand Canyon National Park was created in 1919. Over millions of years the Colorado River has cut a deep gorge through Arizona. The park occupies over one million acres of land. Children can visit a website at: http://www.nps.gov/grca. They can also read more at: Grand Canyon.
Grand Teton National Park was created in 1929. Centered around the Teton Range, this 310,000-acre national park is located in Northwestern Wyoming. Paleo-Indians lived there 11,000 years ago. Children can see some great photos and participate in activities at: http://www.nps.gov/grte/index.htm