It’s hard to image watching bombs burst overhead and not taking cover, but somehow all that noise inspired Francis Scott Key to pen a poem in 1814. Stranded by the British on a sloop at Fort McHenry during the War of 1812, Key was forced to watch as the Brits bombed during the Battle of Baltimore. He was a lawyer but dabbled in poetry and was so taken with the efforts of his America that he wrote “Defence of Fort McHenry”. He set it to the tune of a popular British drinking song “The Anacreontic Song”, which was already popular in the United States. Key’s poem was eventually renamed, “The Star Spangled Banner”.

“The Star Spangled Banner” was recognized for official use by the Navy in 1889. President Woodrow Wilson signed an Executive Order in 1916 naming it the national anthem but this honor did not really become official until it was adopted by Congressional resolution on March 3, 1931, signed by President Herbert Hoover.

Ah, a day to celebrate being a girl! Hina Matsuri, or Doll Festival or Girls’ Festival in Japan is set aside just for that purpose. People pray for the happiness and healthy growth of girls. Families with young daughters mark this day by setting up a display of dolls inside the house. 

They are usually arranged on a five or seven-tiered stand covered with a red carpet and are shown with peach blosooms. At the top are the Emperor and Empress. The next step contains three court ladies (sannin-kanjo), followed by five musicians (gonin-bayashi), two ministers (udaijin and sadaijin), and three servants ending the bottom row in a five-tiered display. They offer rice crackers and other food to the dolls. Other customs include drinking sweet sake and eating chirashi sushi. The doll festival has its origin in a Chinese custom in which bad fortune is transferred to dolls and then removed by abandoning the doll on a river.

From 1836 to 1846 Texas was an official country, owing to The Texas Declaration of Independence which was signed on on March 2, 1836. The people of Texas, tired of the mistreatment and corruption of the Mexican government, came together to form their own republic. A convention was called on March 1, 1836 and overnight the declaration was written and adopted the next day. This all happen as the Battle of the Alamo raged on.

The bloody confrontation between Mexican forces and rebel Texans began on Feb. 23, 1836 and continued until March 6, when the Mexican army stormed the Alamo and killed all but a few women and slaves. Dying most famously was the American frontiersman Davy Crockett, who some say was hanged by Mexican commander Santa Anna after the battle. Justice was served one month later however, on April 21 at the Battle of San Jacinto. Santa Anna’s army was defeated by Sam Houston’s outnumbered army, used the now-famous battle cry, “Remember the Alamo!

At the same time Texas declared independence, other Mexican states also decided to secede from Mexico and form their own republics. The state of Yucatán formed the Republic of Yucatán, which was recognized by Great Britain, and the states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas joined together to form the Republic of the Rio Grande. Several other states also went into open rebellion, including San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, Durango, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco and Zacatecas. All were upset with Santa Anna abolishing the 1824 Constitution, disbanding Congress, and changing the structure of government from a federal structure to a centralized one. Texas, however, was the only territory to be successful in detaching itself from Mexico.

Texas Independence Day is a state holiday. Celebrate with a heaping portion of authentic Texas Chili, recipe courtesy of the Bush’s Bean folks.

INGREDIENTS
1 pound lean top round steak, cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 (15 ounce) cans BUSH’S® BEST Pinto Beans
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
In a large pan, cook meat in oil until browned on all sides; drain.
Add remaining ingredients; stir to combine. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and cook for 30 to 40 minutes or until meat is tender.

For a country with such a party reputation, it’s hard to believe that beer could not be bought. But Beer Day in Iceland celebrates the return of the brew, which happened on March 1, 1989. This holiday marks the end of the 75-year-long prohibition of beer that had been on place since 1915. The ban was partly lifted after Spain refused to buy Iceland’s main export of fish unless Iceland bought Spanish wines. In 1933, prohibition was repealed - except for beer. Politicians and other prohibitionists continued to lobby for the beer ban citing the many problems this readily available alcohol can cause. Ironically, in the absence of beer the national alcoholic drink became brennivin, a distillation of potatoes containing about 40 percent alcohol. It is often called the Black Death.Celebrate with your family by making homemade root beer. Many recipes are available on-line. Here’s step-by-step instructions.

There were not many dictators as colorful as Ferdinand Marcos of the Phillippines, with election rigging, embezzlement and his wife Imelda’s roomful of shoes. He was even accused of masterminding the assassination of political rival Ninoy Aquino. But those were the 1980’s. Eventually the power of the people triumphed, and a three-day, fairly non-violent revolution toppled the 20-year Marcos regime on Tuesday, February 25, 1986. Later that day Ninoy Aquino’s widow Corazon was sworn in as President, an office won two weeks before on February 7. There was mass confusion and fraud in those elections. The Philippine official government agency declared Marcos the winner, a move that angered the people so much they began to revolt. People Power Day commemorates this uprising, better known as People Power Revolution. A monument honoring the revolution was erected in a square in the capital city of Manila.

Every year Thailand recognizes one of its own as National Artist. Since 1985, the honors have been presented on February 24, “National Artist Day” in Thailand. This is the birth date of Thai artist Buddha Loetla Nabhalai, or King Rama II. Nabahalai was King of Siam (1809–1824) who brought in a renaissance of Thai arts and culture, especially in literature.
Each National Artist is given a plaque of honor and a golden insignia.

He/She also receives:
- a monthly stipend;
- medical coverage;
- financial assistance in case of accident;
- a set of gifts when in sickness or on important occasions;
- insurance premium against accident occurred during official trips to publicize his/her works;
- death benefits (a contribution for cremation, funeral and religious rites expenses);
- financial contribution for post-mortem publication of books publicizing his/her works; and travel benefits for expenses incurred during official trips.

Each year on February 22, the Girl Scouts participate in activities, games and projects with global themes to honor their sister Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in other countries. Girls are encouraged to design activities that increase cultural awareness and emphasize the positive similarities between U.S. Girl Scouts and their sisters throughout the world.

World Thinking Day was first created in 1926 at the fourth Girl Guide/Girl Scout International Conference, held at Girl Scouts of the USA’s Camp Edith Macy (now called Edith Macy Conference Center). Conference attendees decided that there should be a special day when Girl Scouts and Girl Guides all around the world think of each other and give thanks and appreciation to their “sister” Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.

The delegates chose February 22 as the date for Thinking Day because it was the mutual birthday of Lord Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scout movement, and his wife Olave, who served as World Chief Guide.

The theme for 2008 is ‘Think about water’, focusing on water’s importance to health and on the issues of access to clean water and water conservation. 

This is also cookie time for many Girl Scouts. Celebrate with some creative ways to use some of your favorites, including these Thin Mint Brownies.
Ingredients
1 cup evaporated milk
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. butter
3 cups Thin Mint cookies crushed into crumbs
½ cup nuts (chopped)
Directions
Mix together milk, marshmallows, chocolate chips, sugar and salt in microwaveable bowl. Bring to a boil in microwave. Stir well and cook in microwave an additional 2 minutes at medium high heat. Remove from microwave. Add butter, vanilla, and chopped nuts. Break Thin Mint cookies into crumbs and add to mixture. Pack into a 9 in square pan. Refrigerate to harden. Cut into 2 inch squares.

Leave it to the US government to make a holiday confusing. The holiday originated as the celebration of George Washington’s birthday on Feb. 22. This was the first federal holiday to honor a US citizen and was commonly celebrated by reading Washington’s farewell address. This tradition began during the Civil War as a reminder of the principals the country was founded on.

But then folks got antsy with the celebration, thinking that it should coincide with a weekend so they could have a three-day holiday. On January 1, 1971 the Uniform Monday Holiday Act took affect, moving Memorial Day, Washington’s Birthday, and Veterans Day from fixed dates to designated Mondays and created a new holiday, Columbus Day, which also falls on a Monday.

George Washington’s Birthday: 3rd Monday in February (formerly Feb. 22) Memorial Day: last Monday in May (formerly May 30) Columbus Day: 2nd Monday in October (formerly not a federal holiday, but observed on Oct. 12 in some states) Veterans Day: 4th Monday in October (formerly Nov. 11, and moved back to Nov. 11 in 1978)

But don’t believe all those commercials that make it sound like this is a day to honor both Presidents Lincoln and Washington. A draft of the Uniform Holidays Bill of 1968 would have renamed the holiday “Presidents’ Day” to honor both, but when signed into law on June 28, 1968 it was simply called Washington’s Birthday. And though Lincoln’s birthday is not a federal holiday many states and communities honor him on his birthday, February 12.

So many languages on this earth have disappeared due to the dominance of one culture over another. International Mother Language Day, also known as Language Martyrs’ Day in Bangladesh, recognizes the diversity of countries and the tradition of language. The date was chosen to commemorate a Feb 21, 1952 uprising against the Pakistani states governments decision to name Urdu as the national language of Bangladesh, even though East Pakistan’s Bengali speaking people were the majority. Five students died in the protest. Today, International Mother Language Day is observed yearly in UNESCO member states and at its headquarters to promote linguistic and cultural diversity.

Down with Autocracy, free Democracy
Shommilito Shangskritik Jote, 1988.
Subject: 21 February 1952, “Language Martyrs’ Day”

It was a dark day in American history when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, forcing 120,000 Japanese American citizens and legal residents into internment camps during World War II solely based upon their Japanese descent.

After the country of Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, there was much prejudice against anyone who even resembled Japanese. Many second generation Americans whose family had come from Japan were unfairly targeted as a threat to America and were forced to leave their jobs, their friends and their homes to go live in what were basically concentration camps. In later years the Act that Roosevelt signed was recognized for what it was, racism and wartime hysteria. In 1988 President Reagan signed a reparation agreement that officially apologized and provided each surviving camp member with $20,000 in compensation.
The anniversary of this order is February 19. It is a time to remember this history lesson and urge respect for all people in America, no matter what the country were they came from is doing.