By Emily Connor
Many people in the U.S. are enjoying a three-day weekend—a work- and school-free Presidents’ Day.
The holiday originated as a celebration of George Washington’s birthday (February 22) and was officially declared a federal holiday by an act of Congress in 1879.
The holiday was officially assigned the third Monday in February by the “Uniform Monday Holiday Act” in 1971. Interestingly, this means the holiday is never actually celebrated on Washington’s birthday!
Here are three other lesser-known presidential facts in celebration of this Presidents’ Day. Learn something new even if school isn’t in session!
Mount Rushmore’s Female Face?
The iconic sculpture of four-revered U.S. Presidents in a granite cliff side in South Dakota’s Black Hills could have had a very different profile.
In 1937, a bill was introduced into Congress petitioning for a likeness of Susan B. Anthony to be included in the sculptures on Mount Rushmore. A clause in the appropriations bill funding the project, however, stipulated federal funds could only be used for carvings already underway and the bill came to nothing.
Learn more about this fast fact with a short video from Mount Rushmore National Memorial here, and download and print your own Mount Rushmore coloring page here.
Why is the Oval Office…oval?
The president’s official office, the Oval Office, owes its shape to more than simple architectural taste. Teddy Roosevelt oversaw renovations of the space during his term, and the shape of an already existing “Blue Room” inspired the designs for the new presidential office.
The Blue Room’s ovoid shape was actually chosen to suit a “levee,” a social tradition common in the time of George Washington. During a levee, guests of the president would enter the room, bow to the president, and, after introductions were made, form a circle and await a formal greeting from him. The shape of the Blue Room was meant to accommodate and accentuate the power of the executive during this ritual.
Learn more about the Oval Office from the White House, and download and print your own Oval Office coloring page here.
Who’s the President now?
During the annual State of the Union address given by every U.S. President, it may seem as though every member of the government is present.
There is, however, one notable absence—the “designated survivor.”
This somewhat morbid tradition started during the Cold War due to fears of a nuclear attack. It is meant to ensure the succession of power should a catastrophic and deadly event befall the Capitol. Were such an event to occur, the survivor (or, less gloomily, the successor) would become Acting President of the United States under the Presidential Succession Act.
This system is not always clear-cut. For example, although then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton did not attend the State of the Union in 2010, it was public knowledge she was at a conference in London. This prevented her from serving as the successor, even though she would have become Acting President in the event of a disaster because she was higher in the line of succession than the designated survivor.
Want more presidential particulars? Check out our Window into the White House video, or search National Geographic Education here for all things presidential!
These Presidents were some of the greatest leaders our country has ever seen. Educators should do more to instill these qualities in their students. Their wisdom is priceless.
These Presidents left us a great legacy. I wish schools would do more to teach students how to replicate and live like these great leaders!
This was a great post. I think public schools need to do more to teach students how these great leaders were so instrumental to the success of our country