This document summarizes several U.S. customs and traditions observed throughout the year, including: Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January honors the civil rights leader; Groundhog Day in February predicts the arrival of spring; Presidents' Day in February honors U.S. presidents; Earth Day in April celebrates environmentalism; Memorial Day in May honors war casualties; Independence Day on July 4th celebrates independence from Britain; Labor Day in September honors workers; Veterans Day in November honors military veterans; Thanksgiving in November celebrates the first harvest feast; and various winter holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year's.

1. U.S Customs and
Traditions
By Christina McGough and
Natalie Hinostroza

2. Martin Luther
King Day
• Someone who fought for
the rights of African
Americans
• Created the Civil Rights
Act in 1964 and Voting
Right Act in 1965
• Won the Nobel Peace
Prize in 1964

3. Martin Luther
King Day
• He is well known for his “I
Have A Dream” Speech
• Shot on his apartment
balcony by a man named
James Ray
• We take a day to remember
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V
his part in ending
57lotnKGF8 segregation

4. GROUND HOG DAY!
The day on which folklore states that the behavior of a
Groundhog emerging from its burrow is said to predict the
onset of Spring! This is a Folklore holiday for the State of
Pennsylvania.
Punxsutawney
Phil

5. Super Bowl
• Championship game
for football
• There have been 47
Super Bowls
• Parties to watch the
game
• Commercials

6. PRESIDENTS DAY
Washington's Birthday was first declared a federal holiday by an
1879 act of Congress. Because of this, combined with the fact that
President Abraham Lincoln's birthday falls on February 12, many
people now refer to this holiday as "Presidents' Day" and consider
it a day honoring all American presidents.

7. EARTH DAY!
• The first Earth Day was in 1970 and
Earth Day is a celebration of
environmentalism.
• It is celebrate on the last Friday in
April
• Clean Air Act (1970)
Clean water Act (1971)
Endangered Species Act (1973)
• Earth day is celebrated by Planting
Trees
• Ways to help the environment:
• Turn off appliances
• Plant a garden and trees
• Use less gasoline machines
• At Spring-Ford, we have an arboretum

8. MEMORIAL DAY
• Memorial Day honors the nation's war dead from the Civil
War onwards.
• A day to remember the men and women who died
• This day marks the unofficial beginning of the summer season
• Traditionally it is on May 30 but was shifted by the Uniform
Holidays Act 1968.
• Many Americans place an American flag on each grave

9. INDEPENDENCE DAY
• Independence day celebrates the signing of the
Declaration of Independence from British rule, also
called the Fourth of July.
• Federal Holiday
• Firework celebrations are held in many cities throughout
the nation
• Celebrated with parades, barbecues, fairs, baseball
games, and family events

10. LABOR DAY
• Labor Day celebrates the achievements of workers and
the labor movement
• Marks the unofficial end of the summer season
• Pools close
• Start of school

11. VETERANS DAY
• Celebrates the service of all U.S military veterans, living
or dead
• It is observed on November 11 to recall the end of World
War I on that date in 1918
• Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at
the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918
with the German signing of the Armistice

12. Thanksgiving
• Originated in November
of 1621
• Families get together for a
big dinner feast
• Turkey is a main dish on
Thanksgiving
• Football games and
parades

13. Black Friday
• Day after Thanksgiving
starting at midnight
• Start of Christmas
shopping
• Crowded
• Major sales
• Wait in line for hours
• Cyber Monday
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=2zBWjlkKDpA

14. Days of Remembrance
• Pearl Harbor is a national holiday that mourns
the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese on
December 7, 1941 starting the beginning of
WWII.
• September 11 ,2001 is the day when the
World Trade Center was attacked by terrorists
and is a day that many Americans mourn for
those who lost their life.

15. • Wide variety of holidays
– Small traditions to federal
holidays
– Silly ones to serious ones
– Famous ones to ones that aren’t
as common
– All represent something
important to our country
The End