Seminar 9

1. Federal holidays in the United States

In the United States, a federal holiday is a calendar date that is recognized and designated by
the federal government of the United States as a national holiday. Every year on a U.S. federal holiday,
non-essential federal government offices are closed, stock market trading is usually suspended, and every
federal government employee is paid for the holiday. The U.S. government recognizes 11 federal
holidays annually.
Federal holidays are designated by the United States Congress in Title V of the United States
Code (5 U.S.C. § 6103).[1] Congress only has authority to create holidays for federal institutions
(including federally-owned properties), employees, and the District of Columbia. Although not required,
as a general rule of courtesy, other institutions, such as banks, businesses, and schools may be closed on
federal holidays. In various parts of the country, state and city holidays may be observed concurrently
with federal holidays.
Most of the 11[13] U.S. federal holidays are also state holidays. A holiday that falls on a weekend is
usually observed on the closest weekday (e.g. a holiday falling on a Saturday is observed on the
preceding Friday, while a holiday falling on a Sunday is observed on the succeeding Monday). [14] The
official names come from the statute that defines holidays for federal employees.

Date Official Name[1] Details

Celebrates beginning of the Gregorian calendar year. Festivities

include counting down to 12:00 midnight on the preceding
January 1 night, New Year's Eve, often with fireworks display and party.
New Year's Day
(Fixed) The ball drop at Times Square in New York City has become a
national New Year's festivity. Traditional end of Christmas and
holiday season.[15]

Honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., civil rights leader, who was
actually born on January 15, 1929; combined with other holidays in
January 15– several states. Some cities and municipalities hold parades; and more
21 Birthday of Martin recently, the 1994 King Holiday and Service Act, which was passed
(Floating Luther King, Jr. to encourage Americans to transform the King Holiday into a day of
Monday) citizen action volunteer service, has gained in popularity (sometimes
referred to as a National Day of Service or American Civil Rights
Day). The holiday is observed on the third Monday of January.

Washington's Birthday was first declared a federal holiday by an

1879 act of Congress. The Uniform Holidays Act, 1968, shifted the
date of the commemoration of Washington's Birthday from February
22 to the third Monday in February (between February 15 and 21,
February 15–
meaning the observed holiday never falls on Washington's actual
21 Washington's
birthday). Because of this, combined with the fact that
(Floating Birthday
President Lincoln's birthday falls on February 12, many people now
Monday)
refer to this holiday as "Presidents' Day" and consider it a day
honoring all American presidents. However, neither the Uniform
Holidays Act nor any subsequent law changed the name of the
holiday from Washington's Birthday to Presidents' Day.[1]
 Honors the nation's war dead from the Civil War onwards; marks the
May 25–31
unofficial beginning of the summer season. (traditionally May 30,
(Floating Memorial Day
shifted by the Uniform Holidays Act 1968). The holiday is observed
Monday)
on the last Monday in May.

June 19 Juneteenth National Commemorates the anniversary of the date on which emancipation
(Fixed) Independence Day was announced in Texas.

Celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence from

July 4 British rule, also called the Fourth of July. Fireworks celebrations are
Independence Day
(Fixed) held in many cities throughout the nation. On the day before this
holiday, the stock market trading session ends three hours early.

Honors and recognizes the American labor movement. 52% of

September 1–
Americans celebrate Labor Day as the unofficial end of summer,
7 [16]
Labor Day although roughly 40% of employers require some employees to
(Floating
work on the holiday.[17] The holiday is observed on the first Monday
Monday)
in September.

Columbus Day honors Christopher Columbus, whose exploration of

the Americas in the years 1492 to 1504 marked the beginning of the
October 8–14 European exploration and colonization of the Americas. The holiday
(Floating Columbus Day is observed on the second Monday in October, and is one of two
Monday) federal holidays where stock market trading is permitted. In some
areas it is instead a celebration of Indigenous Peoples,
or Italian culture and heritage; traditionally October 12.

Honors all veterans of the United States armed forces. It is observed

on November 11 to recall the end of World War I on that date in
November 11 1918 (major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the
Veterans Day
(Fixed) 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 when
the Armistice with Germany went into effect); it is one of two federal
holidays where stock market trading is permitted.

November 22– Traditionally celebrates the giving of thanks for the autumn harvest.
28 Traditionally includes the sharing of a turkey dinner. The holiday is
Thanksgiving Day
(Floating observed on the fourth Thursday in November. On the day after this
Thursday) holiday, the stock market trading session ends three hours early.

The most widely celebrated holiday of the Christian year, Christmas

is observed as a commemoration of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.
December 25
Christmas Day Commonly celebrated by Christians and non-Christians alike with
(Fixed)
various traditions. On the day before this holiday, the stock market
trading session ends three hours early.
 2. Ethnic and religious observances

The United States is a nation of many religions and ethnic groups. Many of these have feast days, holy days
or special customs related to their religion or to their nation of origin.

People of both the Jewish and Moslem faiths, for example, observe all of their traditional holy days, with
employers showing consideration by allowing them to take days off so they can observe their traditions.

Some customs which hark back to traditions of other countries lend a great deal of color to American life.
The celebration of Mardi Gras - the day before the Christian season of Lent begins in late winter - is a
tradition in New Orleans, a major southern city located in the state of Louisiana. The celebration, marked by
a huge parade and much feasting, grew out of old French traditions, since Louisiana was once part of
France's New World empire. In various places, other ethnic groups sponsor parades or other events of great
interest, adding pageantry and merriment to American life. Just a few examples:St. Patrick's Day in the
United States is a time of celebration for people of Irish descent and their friends. One of the biggest
celebrations takes place in New York City, where a parade is held on the Irish patron saint's feast, March
17.In areas where Americans of Chinese descent live, and especially in the Chinatown sections of New York
City and San Francisco, California, people sponsor traditional Chinese New Year's celebrations with feasts,
parades and fireworks. "Octoberfest" featuring German music, dancing and food are held wherever large
groups of German-Americans live.

African Americans have begun to observe Kwanzaa, a holiday based on the African celebration of the first
harvest of the year, December 26 through January 1. Developed in 1966, by a black studies professor at
California State University, Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa celebrates the unity and development of the African
community. Founded upon the "Nguzo Saba," or the seven principles of unity, self-determination, collective
work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith, Kwanzaa encourages African
Americans to think about their African roots in addition to their present-day life in America. African
Americans will exchange gifts as rewards for their achievements; and they will light the "Mishumaa Saba"
or seven candles to remind them of the seven principles which unite them.

Ethnic Observances

Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday

Month: January
Date: 3rd Monday
African-American/Black History Month
Month: February
Dates: All Month
Women's History Month
Month: March
Dates: All Month

"Days of Remembrance" for Victims of the Holocaust

Month: April/May
Dates: Sunday to Sunday for week incorporating Yom Hashoah
Asian American and Pacific Heritage Month
Month: May
Dates: All Month
LGBT Pride Month
Month: June
Dates: All Month

Women's Equality Day

Month: August
Date: 26th
National Hispanic Heritage Month
Month: September/October
Dates: 15 September - 15 October

National American Indian Heritage Month

Month: November
Dates: All Month

Religious observances

Buddhist
Buddha's Enlightenment Day -- Also called Rohatsu or Bodhi Day. The day many Buddhist traditions
celebrate the enlightenment of the Buddha. This is an extremely important day in the Buddhist calendar.
December 8, 2021

Vesak Day -- There are a variety of cultural traditions celebrating Buddha's Birthday. Many Buddhist
cultures celebrate the birth, Awakening, and death of the Buddha on Vesak Day. May 15, 2022

Christian catholic/ protestant

Ash Wednesday -- This day marks the beginning of Lent, a six week period of prayer and fasting in
anticipation of Easter. March 2, 2022.
Good Friday -- The day Jesus was crucified. April 15, 2022

Easter Sunday -- The celebration of Jesus being raised from the dead. April 17, 2022

Hindu
Diwali -- Festival of Lights. This holiday is typically celebrated by families sharing various traditional
rituals in their homes. November 4, 2021

Holi -- Festival of Spring or Festival of Colors. This day is typically celebrated by families in India,
Nepal, and other parts of Asia by partaking in various regional traditions. March 8, 2022

Jewish
Rosh Hashanah -- Jewish New Year. It is the beginning of a ten-day period of introspection and
reflection. September 7-8, 2021

Yom Kippur -- Day of Atonement. It is the holiest day of the Jewish calendar marked with fasting,
worship, and repentance. September 16, 2021

Sukkot -- Festival of Booths. Commemorates the wandering in the desert of the Israelites as well as the
fall harvest. While the festival of Sukkot lasts for 8 days, the first day is considered a day of rest. September
21, 2021
 Passover -- Festival of Passover. It commemorates the Exodus of Jews from slavery in Egypt. While the
Passover lasts for 8 days, the first night is the most significant and the first day is considered a day of rest.
April 16, 2022

Muslim
Eid al-Fitr -- Marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting, and the holiest month in Islamic tradition.
It literally means "breaking the fast." May 13, 2021

Eid al-Adha -- Festival of Sacrifice. Commemorates the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son
Ishmael. God provided a sheep to sacrifice in Ishmael's place. July 20, 2021

Ashura -- Shi'a Muslims commemorate the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, Muhammad's grandson.
According to Sunni Muslims, Muhammad fasted and asked others to do so on this day as well. August 19,
2021
Ramadan -- The ninth month of the Islamic lunar year and is the time in which Muslims observe fast from
sunrise to sunset. Sunday, April 3-Sunday, May 1, 2022
3. Separation of Church and State

The First Amendment was adopted in 1791, the establishment clause applied only to the federal government,
prohibiting the federal government from any involvement in religion. By 1833, all states had disestablished
religion from government, providing protections for religious liberty in state constitutions. In the 20th
century, the U.S. Supreme Court applied the establishment clause to the states through the 14th Amendment.
Today, the establishment clause prohibits all levels of government from either advancing or inhibiting
religion.

The establishment clause separates church from state, but not religion from politics or public life. Individual
citizens are free to bring their religious convictions into the public arena. But the government is prohibited
from favoring one religious view over another or even favoring religion over non-religion.

The first use of the “wall of separation” metaphor was by Roger Williams, who founded Rhode Island in
1635. He said an authentic Christian church would be possible only if there was “a wall or hedge of
separation” between the “wilderness of the world” and “the garden of the church.” Any government
involvement in the church, he believed, corrupts the church.

Then in 1802, Thomas Jefferson, in a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association, wrote: “I contemplate with
sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should
‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building
a wall of separation between Church and State.”

The Supreme Court has cited Jefferson’s letter in key cases, beginning with a polygamy case in the 19th
century. In the 1947 case Everson v. Board of Education, the Court cited a direct link between Jefferson’s
“wall of separation” concept and the First Amendment’s establishment clause.

4. The dominant religion in the USA

The most popular religion in the U.S. is Christianity, comprising the majority of the population (73.7% of
adults in 2016).[28] According to the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies newsletter
published March 2017, based on data from 2010, Christians were the largest religious population in all 3,143
counties in the country.[29] Roughly 48.9% of Americans are Protestants, 23.0% are Catholics, 1.8%
are Mormons (members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).[28] Christianity was introduced
during the period of European colonization. The United States has the world's largest Christian population.[5]
According to a 2012 review by the National Council of Churches, the five largest denominations are:[30]

 The Catholic Church, 68,202,492 members

 The Southern Baptist Convention, 16,136,044 members
 The United Methodist Church, 7,679,850 members
 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 6,157,238 members
 The Church of God in Christ, 5,499,875 members
The Southern Baptist Convention, with over 16 million adherents, is the largest of more than
200[31] distinctly named Protestant denominations.[32] In 2007, members of evangelical churches comprised
26% of the American population, while another 18% belonged to mainline Protestant churches, and 7%
belonged to historically black churches.[33]
A 2015 study estimates some 450,000 Christian believers from a Muslim background in the country, most of
them belonging to some form of Protestantism.[34] In 2010 there were approximately 180,000 Arab
Americans and about 130,000 Iranian Americans who converted from Islam to Christianity. Dudley
Woodbury, a Fulbright scholar of Islam, estimates that 20,000 Muslims convert to Christianity annually in
the United States.[35]
5. The Land of many faiths

Religion in the United States is diverse, with Christianity and specifically Protestantism being the
majority religion, although declining at rapid pace. Various religious faiths have flourished within the United
States. Just over 40% of Americans report that religion plays a very important role in their lives, a proportion
unique among developed countries. Freedom of religion in the United States is guaranteed in the First
Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Historically, the United States has always been marked by religious pluralism and diversity, beginning
with various native beliefs of the pre-colonial time, though Protestantism has long been the predominant and
majority religion.
The United States has the world's largest Christian population and, more specifically, contains the largest
Protestant population in the world. Christianity is the largest religion in the United States, with the various
Protestant Churches having the most adherents. The United States has been called a Protestant nation by a
variety of sources. In 2019,
Christians represent 65% of
the total adult population,
43% identifying as
Protestants, 20% as
Catholics, and 2% as
Mormons. People with no
formal religious identity
form 26% of the total
population. When
consolidating all Christian
denominations into one
religious grouping, Judaism
is the second-largest religion
in the U.S., practiced by 2%
of the population, followed
by Hinduism, Buddhism, and
Islam, each with 1% of the
population. Mississippi is the
most religious state in the
country, with 63% of its
 adult population described as very religious, saying that religion is important to them and attending religious
services almost every week, while New Hampshire, with only 20% of its adult population described as very
religious, is the least religious state.
6. Religious education in the USA

In the United States, religious education is often provided through supplementary "Sunday school",
"Hebrew school", or catechism classes, taught to children at their families' places of worship, either in
conjunction with worship services or some other time during the week, after weekday school classes. Some
families believe supplementary religious education is inadequate, and send their children to private religious
schools, called parochial schools when Catholic, day schools or yeshivas when Jewish. Many faiths also offer
private college and graduate-level religious schools or seminaries, some of which are accredited as colleges.
Under U.S. law, religious education is forbidden in public schools, except from a neutral, academic
perspective.[61] However, in a minority of communities, released time is granted once a week to make
religious education more convenient without violating the separation of church and state. For a teacher or
school administration to endorse one religion is considered an infringement of the "establishment clause" of
the First Amendment. The boundaries of this rule are frequently tested, with court cases challenging the
treatment of Eastern religion meditation programs for students, traditional religious holidays, displays of
religious articles and documents such as the Ten Commandments, the recitation of the Pledge of
Allegiance (which since 1954 has described the U.S. as "one nation under God"), and whether prayer should
be accommodated in the classroom.
The American Sunday school system was first begun by Samuel Slater in his textile mills in Pawtucket,
Rhode Island, in the 1790s. Notable 20th-century leaders in the American Sunday School movement include:
Clarence Herbert Benson, Henrietta Mears, founder of Gospel Light,[19] Dr. Gene A. Getz,[20] Howard
Hendricks, Lois E. LeBar, Lawrence O. Richards and Elmer Towns.[citation needed]
Philanthropist Lewis Miller was the inventor of the "Akron Plan" for Sunday schools, a building layout
with a central assembly hall surrounded by small classrooms, conceived with Methodist minister John Heyl
Vincent and architect Jacob Snyder.
John Heyl Vincent collaborating was Baptist layman B. F. Jacobs, who devised a system to encourage
Sunday school work, and a committee was established to provide the International Uniform Lesson
Curriculum, also known as the "Uniform Lesson Plan". By the 1800s 80% of all new members were
introduced to the church through Sunday school.[21]
In 1874, interested in improving the training of Sunday school teachers for the Uniform Lesson Plan,
Miller and Vincent worked together again to found what is now the Chautauqua Institution on the shores
of Chautauqua Lake, New York.
Sunday school teachers are usually lay people who are selected for their role in the church by a
designated coordinator, board, or a committee. Normally, the selection is based on a perception of character
and ability to teach the Bible rather than formal training in education. Some Sunday school teachers, however,
do have a background in education as a result of their occupations.

Exercise 1. Who are the people commemorated on the following days and what is their role in the
country's history?
 Martin Luther King Day
Martin Luther King Day is a federal holiday held on the third Monday of January. It celebrates the life and
achievements of Martin Luther King Jr., an influential American civil rights leader. He is most well-known
for his campaigns to end racial segregation on public transport and for racial equality in the United States.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a public holiday. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and
most businesses are closed.
Martin Luther King Day is a relatively new federal holiday and there are few long standing traditions. It is
seen as a day to promote equal rights for all Americans, regardless of their background.
 Presidents' Day
Presidents’ Day, officially Washington’s Birthday, in the United States, holiday (third Monday in
February) popularly recognized as honouring George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. The day is
sometimes understood as a celebration of the birthdays and lives of all U.S. presidents.
 Columbus Day
Columbus Day is a national holiday in many countries of the Americas and elsewhere, and a federal holiday
in the United States, which officially celebrates the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the
Americas on October 12, 1492.
Exercise 2. Who are the people commemorated on the following days and what is their role in the
country's history?
Holiday Historical background Modern traditions

Memorial Day Memorial Day commemorates all men and 1. Attend A Ceremony. Many towns have
women who have died in U.S. military parades and ceremonies on Memorial Day
service. It's not to be confused with and some events even conclude with a
Veterans Day, which celebrates the service memorial service.
of U.S. military veterans, or with Armed
2. Decorate with Flags. For many years, it
Forces Day, which honors men and women
has been a tradition to decorate graves of
currently in service. Memorial Day began a
fallen soldiers with flags on Memorial
few years after the Civil War, in 1868.
Day.

3. Thank A Veteran.

4. Participate in our National Moment of

Remembrance.

5. Buy A Poppy (мак). During the days

leading up to Memorial Day, members of
the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars)
accept donations for poppies.

Independence Independence Day, also called Fourth of Independence Day is commonly associated
Day July or July 4th, in the United States, the with fireworks, parades, barbecues,
annual celebration of nationhood. carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball
It commemorates the passage of the games, family reunions, political speeches,
Declaration of Independence by the and ceremonies, in addition to various other
Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. public and private events celebrating the
history, government, and traditions of the
 United States.

Labor Day Observed the first Monday in September, Labor Day is still celebrated in cities and
Labor Day is an annual celebration of the towns across the United States with parades,
social and economic achievements of picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays and
American workers. The holiday is rooted in other public gatherings. For many
the late nineteenth century, when labor Americans, particularly children and young
activists pushed for a federal holiday to adults, it represents the end of the summer and
recognize the many contributions workers the start of the back-to-school season.
have made to America’s strength,
prosperity, and well-being.

Veterans' Day Veterans Day is intended to honor and thank It is marked by parades and church
all military personnel who served the United services and in many places the American flag
States in all wars, particularly living is hung at half mast. A period of silence lasting
veterans. two minutes may be held at 11am.

Veterans Day occurs on November 11 every

year in the United States in honor of the
“eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the
eleventh month" of 1918 that signaled the
end of World War I, known as Armistice
Day.

Thanksgiving The holiday is a moment to give thanks and Families and friends get together for a meal,
spend time with relatives and friends, and it which traditionally includes a roast turkey,
is steeped in traditions. stuffing, potatoes, vegetables, cranberry sauce,
gravy, and pumpkin pie. In some cities and
The holiday's origins are thought to date
towns, there are parades during the
back to 1621. English colonists called
Thanksgiving weekend.
Pilgrims are said to have invited
Wampanoag Indians to share a meal to
celebrate their first harvest, which they had
planted with the help of the Indians.