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NATIONAL AMERICAN EAGLE DAY

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Each year on June 20th, National American Eagle Day honors our national symbol, raising awareness for protecting the Bald Eagle. The day also encourages the recovery of their natural environments while providing educational outreach.

The Bald Eagle is both the national bird and the national animal of The United States of America and appears on its Seal.

In the latter 20th century, the Bald Eagle hovered on the brink of extinction in the continental United States. Eventually, populations recovered and on July 12, 1995, the species was removed from the U.S. Federal Government’s List of Endangered Species and transferred to the List of Threatened Species. In June of 2007, as the species continued to thrive, the American Eagle was withdrawn from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife in the Lower 48 States.

Eagle Habitat and Facts

The Bald Eagle’s range includes most of Canada, Alaska, all of the contiguous United States, and northern Mexico. They nest near large bodies of open water where abundant food supplies and old-growth trees abound.

Opportunistic feeders, Bald Eagles survive mainly on fish, swooping down and snatching them from the water. Their nests are the largest nests of any North American bird and the largest tree nests ever recorded for any animal species. The largest recorded eagle’s nest was found in St. Petersburg, Florida. It measured 9.5 feet in diameter and 20 feet deep and weighed in at nearly 3 tons. 

These majestic raptors tally up quite a list of facts. A fully grown female Bald Eagle has a wingspan of 2 meters (7 feet) and weighs 3 to 7 kilograms (7 to 15 pounds). Male eagles are slightly smaller. They also mate for life and live between 20-30 years. As a power bird of prey, an eagle’s sharp sense of sight joins powerful muscles, piercing talons, and beak, making them primed for the hunt. 

Although the raptor is also known as the Bald Eagle, the name derives from an older meaning of “white-headed.” The bird isn’t bald at all. The adult eagle is mainly brown with a white head and tail.

NATIONAL AMERICAN EAGLE DAY HISTORY

The American Eagle Foundation sponsors National American Eagle Day to raise awareness about the American Eagle, its habitats, and conservation efforts. For more information, visit www.eagles.org. 

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalAmericanEagleDay

Join the celebration by learning more about the American Eagle. Whether you visit a nature preserve or learn about conservation, be sure to invite someone to join you. You can also learn about the American Eagle in other ways, too:

While you’re exploring, share your experiences by using #NationalAmericanEagleDay and post on social media.  

Election Day in the United States

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Election Day in the United States of America is the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. It can fall on or between November 2 and November 8. It is the day when popular ballots are held to select public officials. These include national, state, and local government representatives at all levels up to the president.

On Election Day, citizens of the United States of America can vote by popular ballot for candidates for public offices at local, state, and national levels. In even-numbered years, federal elections are held, while in years divisible by four, presidential elections are held. Elections for local and state officials may be held in odd- or even-numbered years, depending on local and state laws.

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The way in which people vote depends on the state in which they live. In Oregon, all votes are cast by post and all votes have to be received at a given time on Election Day. In the state of Washington, nearly all people vote by post and the envelopes containing the voting papers have to be postmarked with the date of Election Day. In other states, people vote at voting stations, where long queues can form.

History

In 1792, a law was passed allowing each of the states to conduct presidential elections at any point in the 34 days before the first Wednesday in December. This was the date when the meetings of the Electors of the U.S. president and vice-president, known as the Electoral Colleges, were held in each state. A date in November or early December was preferable because the harvest would have been finished, but the most severe winter storms would not have begun.

As long distance communication improved and became quicker with the advent of trains and telegraphs, allowing each state to conduct its elections at any point in a period of more than a month became outdated. The results of the elections that were announced earliest could influence the outcomes of elections held later in the permitted period.

In 1845, the United States Congress chose a single date for all national elections in all states. The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November was chosen so that there would never be more than 34 days between Election Day and the first Wednesday in December. Election Day is held on a Tuesday so that voters will not have to vote or travel on Sunday. This was an important consideration at the time when the laws were written and is still so in some Christian communities in the United States.

Today….

No matter who or how, it is more important than ever to make our voices heard. So make sure you get yours in. Check with family, friends, and neighbors to remind them or even help if needed. Share #IVotedToday on social media.

BILL OF RIGHTS DAY – December 15

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Bill of Rights Day (by Presidential Proclamation)

Now, Therefore, I, Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States of America, do hereby designate December 15, 1941, as Bill of Rights Day.  And I call upon the officials of the Government, and upon the people of the United States, to observe the day by displaying the flag of the United States on public buildings and by meeting together for such prayers and such ceremonies as may seem to them appropriate.

The Constitution outlines our rights.

To view the official proclamation – http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=16046

The first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution make up the Bill of Rights.  Passed by Congress on September 25, 1789, these rights place limits on government power.

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Did you know?

  • The bill was introduced by James Madison. He later became the 4th President of the United States.
  • The Bill of Rights initially had 12 proposed amendments. One concerned the number of constituents for each Representative. The other addressed the compensation of a Congressman. Neither was ratified.
  • In 1992, the compensation of a Congressman was ratified 203 years later and is now the 27th amendment.
  • The Bill of Rights is displayed in The Rotunda of the National Archives Building in Washington, DC.
  • There were 14 copies of the Bill of Rights; one for each of the 13 states to sign and one for the federal archives. Only 12 copies survive today.

HOW TO OBSERVE #BillOfRightsDay

Display the flag of the United States on public buildings. Read the Bill of Rights. See if you can pass a quiz about the Bill of Rights.  Use #BillOfRightsDay to post on social media.

Today many of our rights are under siege. Though it may not feel like it directly, many of our fundamental rights as defined in the bill of rights are being chipped away. No matter what political side you are on every one should know and want to protect these rights. If we dont we could end up as countless others who have learned the hard way. Places like Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea, and many others are examples of why America has stood by these rights for hundreds of years.

BILL OF RIGHTS DAY HISTORY

President Franklin D. Roosevelt designated Bill of Rights Day on December 15 in 1941.

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