Educational Travel Blog | From Sea to Shining Sea

Veterans Day

President Obama lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery during a ceremony earlier today. photo credit: Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images

Though the sacrifices and dedication of our nation’s veterans affect our lives in big and small ways each and every day, Veterans Day marks a time when the nation comes together to remember and honor those who have served our country.

History of Veterans Day

Veterans Day had its beginning at the end of World War I. The 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month of 1918 marked the armistice between the Allied nations and Germany. This day was celebrated as Armistice Day each year to commemorate the end of what was then called "The Great War" and became an official federal holiday in 1938. In the years following WWII and the Korean War, the day became known as Veterans Day to honor and recognize all those who have served.

Read more on the history of Veterans Day and watch this video:

Find out more about the men and women who serve in the United States military in U.S. Veterans: By the Numbers from ABC News.

Read about how Veterans Day celebrations have changed throughout the years in an article from National Geographic.

Honoring Our Veterans

View photos and videos submitted from people across the country on CNN’s Honor A Veteran. 

See photos of veterans throughout the years in uniform on the Department of Veterans Affairs flickr page.

Learn about five simple ways to honor our heroes this Veterans Day from the VFW.

Participate in “A Nation Thanks You” on Facebook.

Read about how to help veterans throughout the year in a post from veteran Brian McGough.

The Hope Diamond: An American Legend

photo courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution

For more than 50 years the Hope diamond has been part of the collection at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. In fact, the diamond was donated by jeweler Harry Winston to the museum 53 years ago today.

The Hope Diamond By the Numbers

45.52	current weight in carats
112.1875	original weight of the stone
1× 7/8× 15/32	dimensions in inches (length by width by depth)
1.1 billion	approximate number of years ago the diamond was formed deep within the Earth
17th	century in which the diamond is thought to have been mined from a diamond deposit in India
1668	year in which French merchant sold Jean Baptist Tavenier sold the diamond to Louis XIV of France
unknown	number of owners of the diamond
1949	year in which Harry Winston Inc purchased the Hope diamond
1 million dollars	amount of insurance Harry Winston put on the diamond when he sent it through certified mail to the Smithsonian. (Watch a video about how the diamond arrived at the institution.)
4	number of times the Hope diamond has left the Smithsonian since it received the stone in 1958

Curse of the Hope Diamond?

The beheading of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI during the French Revolution. The tragic death of an heiress’ 9-year-old son. A family fortune squandered on a showgirl. All these have been blamed on the curse of the Hope diamond. Learn more about the stone’s owners and their fates. (Most of them actually faired quite well.)

Something old gets something new

A year ago, the Hope diamond got a new modern setting. Many of us are familiar with the setting in which the diamond is encircled by 16 other smaller (well, by comparison to the Hope diamond they are small!) diamonds and hangs from a necklace also adored with white diamonds. And two years ago the Smithsonian showed the stone without a setting for the first time in history.

Hope Diamond Lesson Plans

Make a classroom mineral display inspired by famous stones with this lesson plan from the Smithsonian.

From PBS, explore how legends embody cultural ideals through the legend of the Hope diamond.

Carbon makes the world go round—from stunning diamonds to human tissues, explore the elements of chemistry when carbon combines with this lesson plan from the Discovery Channel.

 

 

 

Teachers, StoryCorps wants to hear your story!

In September, StoryCorps, the national non-profit oral history project, launched a National Teachers Initiative. The initiative celebrates the amazing work teachers do every day and the lives they shape by recording, sharing and preserving their stories.

After a patient told neurosurgeon Lee Buono to thank the teacher who inspired him, he called up Al Siedlecki. photo credit: StoryCorps

"Every day teachers all across the country are igniting curiosity, inspiring passions and opening doors for our children," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "Through the National Teachers Initiative, StoryCorps is doing what more of us need to – shining a spotlight on what ought to be the country’s most respected and important profession.”

Other special initiatives have included the September 11th Initiative and the Griot Initiative, a collection of African American stories and voices. The National Teachers Initiative is StoryCorps’ first-ever occupation-specific initiative. Read more on the StoryCorps National Teachers Initiative from ABC News.

How it works
Interview pairs for the National Teachers Initiative may consist of two teachers interviewing one another, friends discussing the impact an important teacher had on their lives, a student or former student interviewing a memorable teacher, or other relevant pairings. As with all StoryCorps interviews, participants will receive a CD copy of the interview and a second copy will be archived in the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress for future generations. Select National Teachers Initiative interviews will be edited for national broadcast on NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday throughout the 2011–2012 school year. Read the full StoryCorps National Teacher Initiative press release.

Have a story you want to tell?
Check out where the StoryBooth will be next or find our how to bring StoryCorps to your community. There are also several national and local partnerships for the National Teachers Initiative.

Want to listen?
Hear stories from the National Teachers Initiative and find other StoryCorps stories.

National Teachers Initiative Tour Schedule: 2011-2012
The National Teachers Initiative is scheduled to record stories in the following cities, with more cities to be added throughout the school year:

• Zanesville, OH
• Orlando, FL
• New York City
• Portland, OR
• Fort Riley, KS
• Albuquerque, NM
• Mobile, AL
• Baltimore, MD
• McComb, MS
• New Orleans, LA

Today in History: Residents of Washington, D.C., Cast Ballots in Their First Presidential Election

Nearly 50 years ago today, residents of Washington, D.C., cast ballots in a very special presidential election—their first!

Voters wait in a line in the Shaw neighborhood of Washington, DC. Photo credit: AFP/Tim Sloan

On November 3, 1964, the denizens of our nation’s capital exercised their right to vote in the presidential race between Lyndon Johnson and Barry Goldwater.

Passed in 1961, the 23^rd Amendment gave presidential voting rights to the citizens of Washington, D.C. For more than 150 years, the right had been denied because the District of Columbia is under the jurisdiction of Congress and was not a state.

Suffrage for Washingtonians
The election of 1964 was a step in the long road of suffrage for Washingtonians. The first legislation to give capitol city residents the vote was introduced in 1888. Sixteen more bills were set before Congress in the following years, but none passed. The passage of the 23^rd Amendment gave Washington, D.C., residents the right to vote in Presidential elections, but no voting representation in Congress, which remains true to this day. Citizens of Washington, D.C., do have a non-voting representative to the House, as well as the ability to elect their own mayor and council.

Washington, D.C., and the president
It is a bit ironic to think that the people who live in the city that plays such a visible role in the presidency, couldn’t vote for the Commander and Chief for more than half of our country’s history. Washington, D.C., is not only the president's home, but the city plays a huge role in welcoming in each new president. Inauguration is an incredible time in our nation's capital. The days leading up to and following the inauguration ceremonies are filled with excitement. And Inauguration Day itself is unlike any other day in Washington, D.C. No matter who takes the Oath of Office, Inauguration Day is an exciting, special time for Americans.

In fact, we are busy preparing for Inauguration 2013. We take pride in helping students across the country get out and explore America, but being able to give students the chance to be a part of history at Inauguration Day is a very special occasion for us. So check out our Inauguration 2013 tours, and find out how you can be part of the crowd for Inauguration Day 2013.