First Automobile Race in the United States Took Place in 1895

 Events
Nov 282025
 
Duryea and His Auto

Duryea and His Motorized Wagon

First automobile race in the United States took place in 1895. This is an interesting story. Cars had been invented only two year earlier. The Chicago Times-Herald wanted to promote cars and boost newspaper circulation, so the newspaper sponsored the race. Approximately 83 cars were entered, but only six cars participated in the 54-mile race from Chicago to Evanston and back. The cars and drivers had to battle cold weather, snow, and local laws to finish. The winner, Charles Duryea in his motorized wagon, averaged seven miles per hour. He won $5000 (over $100,000 in today’s money). Children could learn more at: First Automobile Race.

International Jaguar Day

 Events
Nov 292025
 

Jaguar

International Jaguar Day is today! While the jaguar is considered near threatened by the IUCN, it is seldom seen in the United States today. Its current range is from Mexico through Central America and into South America. An apex predator, it hunts mostly at sunset and during the night. The jaguar, compared to other wild cats, is fairly solitary. Even the females, unless they are caring for young, seldom seek other jaguars.

Admiral Byrd Made the First Ever Flight over the South Pole in 1929

 Events
Nov 292025
 

Admiral Byrd

Admiral Richard E. Byrd and three colleagues made the first ever flight over the South Pole in 1929. They traveled 1560 miles in over 18 hours. They had to dump empty gas tanks and emergency supplies to achieve necessary altitude. They mapped new mountain ranges and collected meteorological and geologic information.

Enos in 1961 Became the First US Chimpanzee to Survive Orbital Flight

 Events
Nov 292025
 

Enos in 1961 became the first US chimpanzee to survive orbital flight. He was part of Mercury Atlas 5, which orbited twice around the world before it splashed into the ocean near Puerto Rico. The flight was a precursor to one where John Glenn orbited the earth. Children can read about animals in the space program at: Space Animals.

Pong Was Released by Atari in 1972

 Events
Nov 292025
 

Pong was released by Atari in 1972. Pong was the first video game that was financially successful. Initially created as an arcade game, it was later sold to home gamers. The game set off a huge amount of research and development. Today video games account for about $67 billion in revenue a year.

Barbados Celebrates Independence Day

 Events
Nov 302025
 
Barbados

Flag of Barbados

Barbados celebrates Independence Day. It became free from Great Britain in 1966; however, it has remained in the British Commonwealth. This easternmost island in the Caribbean is 166 square miles, about 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC. In the colonial days the economy depended on sugarcane. Today, however, tourism is a big source of revenue. Almost 300,000 people live in Barbados, and close to half the population lives in Bridgetown, the capital.

Fastest Train in 1934

 Events
Nov 302025
 

The Flying Scotsman in 1934 became the first locomotive to exceed 100 miles per hour. The train connected London, England, and Edinburgh, Scotland. Today the locomotive is on exhibit at the National Railway Museum in the United Kingdom. Today’s fastest train is the Shanghai Maglev, which travels at more than 267 miles per hour. Children could conduct research to find the speeds of other trains.

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