November 26, 2009

Thanksgiving Day (U.S. , Guam, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands)

In 1863...Thanksgiving Day became a regular observance.

George Washington declared a day of Thanksgiving in 1777 (in December), 1789 (it happened to be on this date, November 26!), and 1795 (in February).

John Adams declared days of fasting and prayer (not actually called Thanksgiving) in 1798 and 1799.

Thomas Jefferson didn't make any Thanksgiving proclamations.

James Madison declared a Thanksgiving in 1814 (January), and TWO days of Thanksgiving in 1815 (neither during the fall harvest—one was in April).

Various U.S. governors proclaimed various days as Thanksgiving Day, as well—but the holiday wasn't the regular, annual observance it is today until Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November, 1863, as Thanksgiving Day. The holiday has been celebrated every year since then.

And, in other places...
Proclamation Day in Mongolia

This commemorates the 1924 declaration of the Mongolian People's Republic.
This photo shows a yurt on the steppes of Mongolia.

Do this puzzle in order to learn more about Mongolia:

ACROSS CLUES:
1. A famous emperor of Mongolia was named ______ Khan.
6. One of the arm bones is named ______.
7. Mongolia lies between Russia and ______.
9. A close relative of the frog is the ______.
10. The grassland plains in Mongolia are called ______.
12. We say that someone who is very funny has a sharp ______.
13. A place to keep and exhibit animals is a ______.
14. An important animal in Mongolia, for milk and hauling and riding.
16. Mongolia is the ______ crowded country on earth.
17. ______ riding is so important to Mongolians that this animal is pictured on the nation's coat of arms.

DOWN CLUES:
1. The largest desert in Mongolia is the ______.
2. Opposite of “meanest” is ______.
3. A bit of water that is connected to an ocean is called a ______.
4. Traditional tent-like homes in Mongolia are called ______.
5. This is a term we use to describe Mongolia because it does not border on any ocean.
8. Frozen water is called ______.
11. A traditional Thanksgiving dessert is pumpkin ______.
12. Chinese emperors built the Great ______ to protect their empire from the Mongols.
13. A striped animal that lives in Africa is the ______.
15. A lot of Hollywood types ______ for a living.

ANSWERS: Across -- 1. GENGHIS 6. ULNA 7. CHINA 9. TOAD 10. STEPPES 12. WIT 13. ZOO 14. CAMEL 16. LEAST 17. HORSE Down -- 1. GOBI 2. NICEST 3. SEA 4. YURTS 5. LANDLOCKED 8. ICE 11. PIE 13. ZEBRA 15. ACT