Culture Guide USA – June
June marks the beginning of summer, a warm season with plenty of fun in the sun. It’s the perfect time for vacation, visits to beaches, and grilling burgers and hot dogs outside. American kids finish a school year and take a break until fall. Join us and learn about these traditions. Plus, read about the American flag and two special American women. Finally, travel with us to one of America’s greatest national parks.
School Vacation Begins
Rock star Alice Cooper said it best: School’s Out for Summer! It’s every kid’s favorite time
of the year. When that last bell rings, students rush out of school, happy to have no classes, projects, or homework for two months. During vacation, many kids play sports, hang out with friends, explore parks, and have fun at summer camps. Many families travel together while their kids are out of school.
Flag Day
On June 14, Americans celebrate Flag Day. This holiday marks the date when America chose its red-white-and-blue flag, more than 200 years ago. The flag was created during the American Revolution, when the 13 American colonies rebelled against the British Empire. Many believe a young woman named Betsy Ross was hired by George Washington to design the first American flag. It had 13 stars and stripes to represent the original 13 colonies. But did Betsy Ross actually design the first flag? Why were the colors red, white, and blue? Why stars and stripes? No one knows for sure.
Women in Flight
It was June when two American heroes, Amelia Earhart and Sally Ride, flew to new heights. Their feats were 50 years apart, yet both women made record-setting flights. Earhart was the first woman to fly over the Atlantic Ocean. Ride was the first American woman in space.On December 28, 1920, Amelia Earhart boarded a plane for the first time. “By the time I had got two or three hundred feet off the ground,” she claimed, “I knew I had to fly.”
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park was the first national park in America – and the first in the world! Located in Wyoming, it was established in 1872 by President Ulysses S. Grant. Yellowstone has the world’s largest collection of hot springs. In fact, it was founded to protect these springs. Yellowstone’s greatest and most popular hot spring is Old Faithful, which shoots more than 4,000 gallons of boiling water 100 feet into the air every 90 minutes.
