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Presidents' Day

The United States has at least one holiday in every month except August.  On the third Monday of February, Americans celebrate the birthday of two former presidents.  They are George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.  You may have heard of them.  They were both famous U.S. presidents and they both have birthdays in February.  Even though they are different days, we celebrate both of them on the same day.

George Washington was born February 22, 1732.  He was the first president of the United States, elected by unanimous vote in 1789.  He is sometimes referred to as The Father of Our Country.  He was one of the people who fought in the Revolutionary War and later helped write the the United States Constitution.  There is a famous story about George Washington when was a young boy.  It says that he chopped down his father's cherry tree with an ax.   When his father asked, "Who did this?"  young George replied "I cannot tell a lie.  I did it."  Many children have heard this story and are encouraged to always tell the truth.

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809.  He became president in 1860.  His presidency was difficult.  The states in the north and the south were divided because of slavery.  White people in the south owned black people.  The north did not like it.  A civil war began between the two sides.  In the end, the northern states won and President Lincoln helped to free the slaves.  He gave a very famous speech about how everybody had the right to be free and how all people were equal.  After the civil war, Abraham Lincoln went to see a play.  While he was there, he was assassinated.

Both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were very famous presidents in the United States.  Today you can see their faces on American money.  George Washington is on the one dollar bill and Abraham Lincoln in on the five dollar bill.  Many schools and some cities are named after each president.  And the State of Washington and Washington D.C. were both named after President Washington.

Review

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