Here’s an advance look at a some of the “This Day in Geographic History” (TDIGH) events coming up this week. For each date, we’ve matched it with a map or visual, background information, and a classroom activity so you can plan ahead.
Tuesday, October 11
TDIGH: Happy Birthday, Eleanor Roosevelt!
The longest-serving first lady in American history, Eleanor Roosevelt was a dedicated advocate for minorities and women.
Audio: Listen to Marian Anderson’s 1939 performance on the National Mall (which was possible due to the support of Eleanor Roosevelt and her husband, FDR).
Background: Timeline of Eleanor’s life
Activity: Watch Eleanor interview President Kennedy on her show “Prospects of Mankind with Eleanor Roosevelt.”
Wednesday, October 12
TDIGH: Columbus Makes Landfall in the Caribbean
Though intending to find a trade route to Asia, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus landed in what is now the Bahamas instead.
Map: The Bahamas
Background: Info about Columbus’ voyage
Activity: Read and discuss this article about the common misconceptions of Columbus Day.
TDIGH: Gore Wins Nobel Peace Prize
In 2007, former Vice President Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), were recognized for their work in raising awareness about man-made global warming.
Background: Check out our resources on climate change
Activity: Test your climate change knowledge with this quiz.
Thursday, October 13
The imaginary line that marks 0 degrees longitude and divides the Earth into the Eastern and Western hemispheres was agreed upon in 1884.
Visual: Interactive globe
Background: What is a hemisphere and how are they defined?
Activity: Solve a map puzzle using latitude and longitude.
Sunday, October 16
Though abolitionist John Brown’s 1959 raid failed to incite a slave revolt, it did help ignite the U.S. Civil War.
Map: Battles of the U.S. Civil War
Background: Timeline of slavery in the U.S.
Activity: Read Frederick Douglass’ speech about John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry. According to Douglass, what did John Brown achieve?