Here’s an advance look at 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, January 10

TDIGH: London Underground Opens
The London Underground opened in 1863, making it the oldest underground railway in the world.
Map: London Underground maps from 1931 to today
Context: GeoStory on public transportation around the world.
Activity: What makes a good subway map? Read this article and answer the discussion questions.
Wednesday, January 11

TDIGH: Grand Canyon Becomes a National Monument
President Theodore Roosevelt named the majestic gorge a national monument in 1908; it became a national park in 1919.
Map: The Grand Canyon
Background: What is a canyon?
Activity: Watch this short video about the Grand Canyon.
Thursday, January 12
TDIGH: Earthquake Devastates Haiti
The magnitude 7.0 earthquake that hit the small Caribbean nation in 2010 killed more than 200,000 people.
Map: Earthquakes around the world since 1900
Background: Video: Earthquakes 101
Activity: Read and discuss this photo essay about Haiti, which includes photographs by young Haitians.
Saturday, January 14

TDIGH: Initial Idea for Japanese-American Internment
A month after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt formally introduced the idea of interning Japanese-Americans.
Visual: Video – Picturing Japanese American Internment: Dorothea Lange
Background: The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
Activity: Explore arguments for and against the internment of Japanese Americans using this interactive.
Sunday, January 15
TDIGH: Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King, Jr.
Through his powerful speeches and commitment to nonviolence, Dr. King advanced the civil rights movement in the U.S. and challenged injustice worldwide.
Visual: Photos and posters documenting MLK’s life
Background: ‘I Have a Dream’ speech and short bio or Video about his life
Activity: Write a found poem about the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.