🎉 Celebrations and Modern History
Roman objects reveal life in ancient ScotlandA new exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland explores Roman life in lands that are now Scotland. Objects reveal beliefs, travel and everyday comforts.- 🏺 Two sandstone altars were found in 2010 beneath a cricket pavilion at Inveresk.
- 🏺 The altars were dedicated to the gods Mithras and Sol.
- 🏺 Careful conservation has helped keep the fragile sandstone from crumbling.
- 🏺 Leather shoes worn by women and children show traces of everyday life.
- 🏺 Remains at Inveresk include part of a Roman heating system beneath a floor.
America celebrates its 250th birthdayParades, concerts and fireworks took place across the country.- 🎆 The United States is celebrating a very special 250th birthday this week!
- 🗽 Cities across the country are having parades, concerts, and fireworks.
- 🎉 Los Angeles hosted a big concert with famous singer Queen Latifah.
- 🛡️ Because so many people are celebrating, extra safety helpers are on duty.
- 🇺🇸 It's one of the biggest birthday parties America has ever had.
A Juneteenth museum will finally be built in TexasThe museum will honour Opal Lee, "the Grandmother of Juneteenth".- 🏗️ A brand new museum all about Juneteenth is finally going to be built in Fort Worth, Texas, after many years of waiting.
- 🗓️ Juneteenth is the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Texas found out they were free, it is now a very important US public holiday.
- 🎭 The museum will have huge galleries, a theatre with 250 seats, and even a food hall with local chefs.
- 💵 The museum leaders have already raised $50 million of the $70 million needed, and the city of Fort Worth gave $15 million to help.
- 👵 The building will honour Opal Lee, a 99 year old activist called "the Grandmother of Juneteenth" who spent her life making sure people remembered this special day.
What was it like to live in Old Babylon?At its peak, the Old Babylonian Empire rose to be one of the biggest civilizations the world had seen, but what was daily life like? Along with the pioneering legal code of Hammurabi, a wealth of tablets provide rich details on how Babylonians settled disputes, managed family life, and celebrated festivals.- 🏠 People in Babylon lived in houses with a courtyard. Families were very important, and they sometimes adopted kids to help at home or continue the family name.
- 📜 King Hammurabi made special rules called the Code of Hammurabi so everyone knew what was fair and what was not.
- 🛠️ Kids often learned their parents' jobs, like baking, weaving, or building. Merchants sold things, and craftsmen made things by hand.
- 🎶 Babylonians liked music, dancing, games (like dice), and big New Year festivals to celebrate their god Marduk.
- 🌾 Babylon was a huge, busy city with people from many places. It had markets, temples, and big towers called ziggurats.
The History of FireworksFireworks may seem like a very American tradition, especially on the 4th of July. But fireworks go back many years before the first American Independence Day celebration, which took place in 1777, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.- 📜 Fireworks have a long history! They were first made about 2,000 years ago in China, using bamboo that popped when heated.
- 💥 The word Baozhu means exploding bamboo! People in China later added gunpowder and metal pieces to make the fireworks sparkle more during celebrations.
- 🌍 Fireworks spread to Europe in the 1200s, and when people moved to North America, they brought fireworks with them!
- 🎇 America's first big July 4th party was in 1777. People fired cannons and used fireworks to celebrate independence, just like Founding Father John Adams hoped!
- 🚫 Fireworks can be dangerous! So it's safest to let experts handle them. You can still enjoy watching a cool fireworks show with your family!
