This Month in History 9-10-18
Hi Everyone! :D Welcome to a new school year and a new article! In this monthly article, I will consider various people and events from history and explore their importance.
This month's featured person and event are: Major-General Joshua L. Chamberlain and Labor Day.
Major-General Joshua L. Chamberlain Edit
Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was born on September 8,1828, in Brewer, Maine.
He was the oldest of five children.
In 1848, Chamberlain entered Bowdoin College and graduated in 1852.
In 1855, he married Fannie Adams.
Together they had five children, but only two survived to adulthood.
In 1862, a year into the American Civil War, Chamberlain offered his military services to the governor of Maine and was made the Colonel of the 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
When the war ended in 1865, he had been promoted to Major-General.
After the war, Chamberlain served four terms as governor of Maine and later became the President of Bowdoin College.
Also, he received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his valor at the Battle of Little Round Top on July 2, 1863.
Chamberlain died in 1914 at the age of eight-five.
Labor Day Edit
In the United States, the first Monday of September is set aside to celebrate the social and economic accomplishments of American workers. This national holiday, known as Labor Day, was first celebrated on September 5,1882, in New York City.
Fun Facts:
1. The celebration of Labor Day began at the local level, spread to other states, and was eventually recognized at the national level.
2. On June 28, 1894, Congress passed an act, signed by President Grover Cleveland, which made the first Monday of September a national holiday.
"Let us each Labor day, hold a congress and formulate propositions
for the amelioration of the people. Send them to your Representatives
with your earnest, intelligent endorsement, and the laws will be changed." -Chairman Lawrence McGann
That's all for this month! If you have any possible topics for a future article, please contact me through FirstClass. -Emily
Sources:
"The First Labor Day." Historical Highlights, http://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1851-1900/The-first-Labor-Day/ "History of Labor Day." U.S. Department of Labor, https://www.dol.gov/general/laborday/history "Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain." Biography, https://acws.co.uk/archives-biography-chamberlain