From Arizona

- By Rashmi Menon

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• Labor Day
• The Community College
• Hiking the Grand Canyon - II
• Hiking the Grand Canyon - I
• The Niagara Falls
• Desert Dogs
• The Sears Tower
• The Navajo Code Talkers
• Driving Through McDonalds
• The Mighty Desert Warrior
• The Big Roundup
• Serving the Americans
• Martin Luther King Day
• Harvard University and Other Ivy League Schools
• Winter Wonders
• Las Vegas
• Let's Give Thanks!
• Fall Colours
• Halloween
• The Collared Peccary
• Hurricane Isabel
• Wonders of Yellowstone
• A Trip Under the Sea
• The Legend of the Kokopelli
• The Great Lakes of North America

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Serving the Americans

It's the third Monday in February and Americans are busy preparing for a grand fiesta to honor two of America's greatest leaders. How would you like to join in the party and wish President George Washington and President Abraham Lincoln Feliz Cumpleanos?
According to some historians, George Washington, America's first president, was born on 22nd February, 1732. In 1796, during the last full year of his presidency, Americans decided to honor him by celebrating his birthday as a public event. Eventually, Washington's birth-date became a federal holiday in the US, and Americans celebrated the day by organizing balls, receptions and parades.
Later, when Abraham Lincoln became the president of the USA, Americans realized that he was also born in February. After his tragic assassination in 1865, some states decided that it would be appropriate to honor this fallen hero. The holiday that was officially known as Washington's Birthday, now came to be known as President's Day. In 1968, American lawmakers decided to simplify the holiday calendar and give federal employees a few standard three-day holiday weekends in the year. President's Day, therefore, came to be observed on the third February of every year.
As Americans celebrate President's Day once again, let us take the opportunity to gather a few interesting facts about other famous men who have served as presidents of the United States of America!

Did You Know…

· John Adams was the first president to live in the White House.

· President Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909) was the person who made "White House" the official name of the president's house in 1901. He was the also the first president to ride in a car.

· Grover Cleveland was the only president who got married while residing in the White House.

· Presidents Washington, J. Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, J. Q. Adams, Jackson, and W. Harrison were British citizens by birth.

· Presidents Adams, Jefferson, and Monroe all died on the 4th of July (America's Independence Day)

· Nine years after leaving the presidency, President Taft was appointed chief justice of the Supreme Court.

· President Abraham Lincoln's mother died from drinking the milk of a cow that had eaten some poisonous mushrooms.

· Legend has it that President Lyndon Johnson gave electric toothbrushes as presents to guests, so that they would think of him every time they brushed their teeth.

· President Jimmy Carter was famous for his ability to read fast. He could read two thousand words per minute.

· President Ronald Reagan was the oldest elected president. He was 69 when he took office.

· John F. Kennedy was the youngest elected president. He was 43 when he took office.

Notes:
Fiesta = Party
Feliz Cumpleanos = Spanish for Happy Birthday

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