UNIVERSITY OF CUENCA

CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION

MASTER: CLARA CLAVIJO

MARTIN LUTHER KING

WASHINGTON’S BIRTHDAY

HALLOWEEN

VETERANS’DAY

THANKSGIVING

INDEPENDENCE DAY

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

1929-1968

Martin Luther King is a federal day held on the third Monday of January

Michael Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta , Georgia. His parents were Martin Luther, a Baptist preacher and Alberta Williams King a schoolteacher. His father later changed their names to Martin Luther King. He went at Booker T. Washington High School. Then he entered to Morehouse College in Atlanta

BIOGRAPHY

At the age of 17, he gave his first sermon as a preacher.  At age of 18, he became a minister, and a year later he graduated from Morehouse College

In 1954, King began his ministry as the pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama.

He received a Doctorate of Philosophy in Systematic

Theology from Boston University on June 5, 1955.

Also, Martin Luther was known for his mission of non-violent protest.

A Media Day was held on May 20, 1956 after the bus boycott in Montgomery. The boycott lasted 381 days.

King spoke to 250,000 civil rights supporters during the “March on Washington” August 28, 1963.

On December 10, 1965, Dr. King won the Nobel Peace Prize.

During the Vietnam War, King began to rethink his mission and turned his focus from racial discrimination to problems of poverty and economic injustice.

On April 4, 1968, while standing on a balcony at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, King was assassinated by James Earl Ray.

WHEN DID IT BECOME A HOLIDAY?

In 1968, shortly after Martin Luther King died, a campaign was started for his birthday to become a holiday to honor him. It was supported with six million of signatures. Finally, in 1983 President Ronald Reagen. declared the 3rd Monday of January a federal holiday as honor to Martin Luther King

This day is seem as day to promote equal rights for all Americans, regardless of their background. During this day many schools and colleges close, but others open and teach their pupils about the work of Martin Luther King ,and the struggle against racial segregation and racism.

CUSTOMS

Small companies, such as grocery stores and restaurants tend to be open, although a growing number are choosing to close on this day. Recent federal legislation encourages Americans to give some of their time on Martin Luther King Day as volunteers in citizen action groups. Public transit systems may or may not operate on their regular schedule.

3RD MON. IN FEB.

President’s Day is celebrated on the third Monday in February.

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, in Kentucky.

George Washington was the first president of the U.S. from 1789 to 1793.

Before he became a president, he played an important rule in the Revolucionay War.

He is know as the father of the United States ,and also as politician .

His imagin is also used on the one-dollar bill and the quarter-dollar coin.

The capital of the U.S. is aslo named Washington D.C.

It was made a holyday to honor all Presidents before 1971. President Nixon was the maker of President’s Day.

When did become a holiday?It originally honored the life and work of George Washington . Now another president , Abraham Lincoln, is also honored on this day, PRESIDENTS´ DAY.

Washington’s Birthday was first celebrated as a holyday in District of Columbia in 1880.

This holyday was celebrated in George Washington’s birth , on February 22, In 1971, it was moved to the third Monday in February.

Symbols: American Flag The White House

CUSTOMS OF PRESIDENT’S DAY

There is no school.

Federal Offices (Post Offices and Court Buildings) are

closed.

People honor past Presidents.

Some people go to Washington, D.C.

There are parades on the streets.

Malls and stores have sales.

Families might have parties, or visit relatives.

Independence Day is celebrated on July 4.

In 1776, the people of 13 colonies located along the eastern coast of what is now the U.S were involved in a war over what they considered unjust treatment by the king and parliament in Britain.

During the war, the colinists said that they were not only fighting for a better treatment; they were fighting for freedom from England’s rule.

However, The War of Independence dragged on until 1783, and that year Independence Day was made an official holiday.

The Declaration of Independence was singned

on July, 4, 1776.

In 1941, Congress declared 4th of July a federal holiday.

WHEN DID IT BECOME A HOLIDAY?

• Some symbols of Independence day are fireworks, American flags, Uncle Sam, the Seal and many people march in parades!

Uncle Sam is a symbol associated with

Independence Day. Uncle Sam was born on the fourth of July, which was mentioned in the song, “You’re a Grand

Old Flag.”

                                                            

• People wear red, white and blue because those are the colors of America flag. Others hang American flags up. Also, people have fireworks and they march in patriotic parades. At night there are big concerts.

• Some families like to have barbecues and watch the fireworks from rooftop, or by the television.

October 31st is Halloween

Halloween is one of the world’s oldest holidays, celebrated in several countries around the world including the USA, Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, Mexico, Latin America, and Spain.

Halloween’s origins date back to the ancientCeltic festival of Samhain.

The Celtic peoples lived over 2,000 years agoIn the area that is now Ireland, the UnitedKingdom, and Northern France.

For the Celtic peoples, the New Year was celebrated on November 1st of every year. This date marked the end of summer and the beginning of winter.

This time of year was often associated with human death.

To commemorate the event, people built huge sacred bonfires where animals and crops were sacrificed to the Gods for protection, and to help scare ghosts away.

The Celts also wore costumes to disguise themselves, in an attempt to confuse the spirits roaming the Earth.

The Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the living and the dead became blurred as the dead searched for the afterlife.

Thus, on the night of October 31st, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to Earth to cause mischief and trouble.

The Impact of ChristianityBy the 800’s, the influence of Christianity had spread intoCeltic lands.

Pope Boniface IV designated November 1st

All Saints Day, a time to honor Saints and Martyrs. It was known as All Hallowmas.

Thus, October 31st became known asAll Hallows Eve, and eventually was shortened to the current day title,Halloween. So, October 31 was no longer the last day ofthe year

Later in 1000, the Christian church made November 2nd All Soul’s Day, a day to honor the dead.

It was celebrated with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils.

Together, the three celebrations, All Hallows Eve, All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, were called Hallowmas.

Becoming an American TraditionHalloween arrived in North America courtesy of Irish and Scottish emigrants who brought stories of Samhain and Hallowmas, as well as tales of ghosts and spirits with them in the 1840’s, during the Irish Potato Famine. The holiday flourished into what is now modern day Halloween.

Costuming Costumes were worn by the Celts for Samhain and the Christians for All Hallows’ Eve as a disguise to confuse and/or scare away the spirits/ghosts.

Today, although we no longer believe that spirits are flying freely, modernized costumes are worn at Halloween by children going trick-or-treating and by adults seeking fun and amusement.

Symbols of HalloweenBATS

WITCHES

Broomsticks

BLACK CATSGHOSTS & SKELETONS

Other SymbolsOther symbols related to Halloween include the colors black and orange, scarecrows, the moon, vampires, werewolves, and the wearing of masks.

VETERANS´ DAYNovember 11

How Veterans’ Day came to be

Veterans Day originated when world war I had a cease fire after 4 years of conflict and was originally called Armistice Day. Also it’s celebrated on November11.

When did it become a holiday?

Veterans’ Day is a federal holiday in 1938, 20 years after the wars ended.

In 1953, townspeople in Emporia, Kansas called the holiday Veteran’ Day in a gratitude to the veterants in their town.

In 1971, President Nixon declared and renamed it as a federal holiday on the second Monday in November.

CUSTOMS Every eleventh month and eleventh day also

the eleventh hour, soldiers who survived the war marched in a parade through their home towns.

Then they honor the dead of the heroes who died in the war with 2 minutes of silence.

Politicians and veteran officers give speeches and hold ceremonies of thanks for the peace they had won.

President sends a wreath to the tomb of the heroes at Arlington National Cemetery.

Thanksgiving is Originated!

Thanksgiving became a holiday almost 400 years ago, in 1621. The holiday originated in Massachusetts when the pilgrims arrived and settled in 1620.

After a rough winter,

which about half of them die, they asked for help to their neighbors, the Indians.

So the next fall’s bountiful harvest

inspired the Pilgrims to thanks by holding a

feast.

During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln wanted a day of giving thanks. On November 26, he announced that the last Thursday in November should be Thanksgiving. The Congress made it a national holiday in 1941.

Thanksgiving is celebrated on the last Thursday of November.

When is it celebrated?

Thanksgiving Celebration

On Thanksgiving families get together and have a big harvest feast! They eat turkey, corn, stuffing, potatoes, cornucopias, pumpkin pie, and crops.

Thanksgiving Customs

The customs of Thanksgiving are, eating, seeing your family, singing, thanking people for coming over and coming to their celebration! It is a thankful holiday!

THANKSGIVING SYMBOLS

Pilgrim’s Hat

Turkey

Cornucopia

www.worldofteaching.comhttp://www.worldofteaching.com

http://www.usis.usemb.se/Holidays/celebrate/Veterans.html

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BY:Miriam Ortiz

Jaqueline García