Patriotic Holidays of the United States: An Introduction to the History, Symbols, and Traditions Behind The Major Holidays And Days Of Observance

Table of Contents......Page 7
Foreword......Page 9
Preface......Page 11
Chronology of the Establishment of Holidays and Observances......Page 17
Patriotic Holidays of the United States......Page 19
Patriotism in the United States: An Introduction to American Patriotism, Holidays, Government, Political Parties, National Symbols, and Mottoes......Page 21
Armed Forces Day......Page 49
Citizenship Day......Page 65
Columbus Day......Page 75
Election Day and Inauguration Day......Page 85
Emancipation Day and Juneteenth......Page 99
Flag Day......Page 119
Independence Day......Page 129
Labor Day......Page 177
Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday......Page 187
Memorial Day......Page 209
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day......Page 221
Patriot Day......Page 229
Thanksgiving......Page 239
Veterans Day......Page 251
Washington’s Birthday......Page 267
Appendix: Primary Sources......Page 277
Excerpts from the Journal of Christopher Columbus (1492)......Page 279
The Mayflower Compact (1620)......Page 280
The Declaration of Independence (1776)......Page 282
The Constitution of the United States (1787), The Bill of Rights (1791), and Amendments to the Constitution (1795-1992)......Page 286
Sarah Ridg [Schuyler] Recalls President George Washington’s Birthday and Inauguration Day (1809)......Page 309
A Letter from Sarah Josepha Hale to President Abraham Lincoln about the Creation of Thanksgiving (1863)......Page 312
The Emancipation Proclamation (1863) and the 13th Amendment (1865)......Page 314
Bishop H. M. Turner Recalls the Issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation (1863)......Page 317
Fourth of July Celebrations in Oregon (1867, 1870s)......Page 320
Memorial Day Observances in Washington, D.C. (ca. 1870, 1885)......Page 322
A Columbus Day Program by Francis Bellamy (1892)......Page 326
The Pullman Workers’ Strike (1894)......Page 329
President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Speech after the Attack on Pearl Harbor (1941)......Page 336
Flag Laws and Regulations (1942; amended 1998)......Page 338
President George W. Bush Addresses the Nation after the Attacks of September 11 (2001)......Page 349
U.S. Representative William Lacy Clay Discusses the 40th Anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington (2003)......Page 354
U.S. Representative John Conyers Jr. Reflects on the Significance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day (2004)......Page 360
Bibliography......Page 365
Web Sites......Page 381
Photo and Illustration Credits......Page 391
Index......Page 395