August Birthdays
It happened in August...
August signs & symbols
Name that August Tune
Fact or Fiction: August Edition
100
August 15, 1769- I'll keep this short- This French emperor was born on the island of Corsica.
A) Henry IV B) Georges Pompidou C) Napoleon Bonaparte D) Hugh Capet
Napoleon Bonaparte
Originally an officer in King Louis' Army, he rose to become Emperor amid the political chaos that followed the French Revolution. He built a half-million strong Grand Army which utilized newly invented modern tactics and improvisation in battle to sweep across Europe and acquire an empire for France. However, after defeats in Russia and later by the British, he went into exile on the island of St. Helena off the coast of Africa. On May 5, 1821, he died alone on the tiny island abandoned by everyone.
100
August 24, 79 A.D. - Vesuvius, an active volcano in southern Italy, erupted and destroyed this infamous city
A) Rome B) Syracuse C) Ostia Antica D) Pompeii
Pompeii
100
The August birth flowers, gladiolus and this flower, both symbolize remembrance. These two summer bloomers come in a variety of colors and make for great cut flowers.
Poppy
100
Many a light lad may kiss and fly
A kiss gone by is bygone
Never have I asked an August sky
Where has last July gone?
Never have I wandered through the rye
Wondering where has some guy gone
Many a new day will dawn
Before I do
Many a New Day
"Many a New Day" is a song from the musical Oklahoma!, written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. It was introduced by Joan Roberts in the original Broadway production. In the 1955 film, the song is performed by Shirley Jones and appears on the soundtrack album.
100
Fact or Fiction: In August 1762 the sandwich, as we know it, was created when the Earl of Sandwich requested meat between two pieces of bread.
Fact!
Do we call a sandwich a sandwich because of the 4th Earl of Sandwich? Yes. Was he the first person to come up with the idea? Not at all.
The truth is, we don’t know who invented the sandwich, but it has existed in various forms for thousands of years.
200
August 27th 1910- This iconic woman was born (as Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu) in Skopje, Yugoslavia.
A) Sister Mary B) Sister Agnes C) Mother Theresa D) Mother Angelica
Mother Theresa
She founded a religious order of nuns in Calcutta, India, called the Missionaries of Charity and spent her life working to help the poor and sick of India.
200
August 14, 1935 - President Roosevelt signed this act establishing the system which guarantees pensions to those who retire at age 65.
A) Hepburn Act B) Social Security Act C) The New Deal D) Federal Emergency Relief Ac
Social Security Act
The Social Security system also aids states in providing financial aid to dependent children, the blind and others, as well as administering a system of unemployment insurance.
200
Dubbed by the Ancient Egyptians “The Gem of the Sun”, August's birthstone is a truly rare and ancient stone, found in volcanic lava or in fallen meteorites.
A) Jade B) Sapphire C) Peridot D) Emerald
Peridot!
It comes as no surprise that the light lime-colored Peridot gem is associated with light and cosmic extra-terrestrial powers.
200
I'm as corny as Kansas in August, I'm as normal as blueberry pie. No more a smart little girl with no heart, I have found me a wonderful guy!
A Wonderful Guy
Doris Day
200
Fact or Fiction: August has always been the 8th month of the year
FICTION: August was once the sixth month of the year!
In the original ten-month Roman calendar, the month went by the name of Sextilis, meaning “the sixth month” in Latin. It wasn’t until around 700BC that August was rudely shoved back in the order of months when January and February were added to the beginning of the year by King Numa Pompilius.
300
August 20th, 1833 the 23rd U.S. President was born in North Bend, Ohio. He was the grandson of the 9th President.
A) William Henry Harrison B) James Polk C) Franklin Pierce D) Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison
300
Light a candle in the wind. On this day (August 5th), this actress/ icon was found dead in her Hollywood apartment.
Marilyn Monroe
300
These are the two zodiac signs for August:
Leo (July 23 – August 22) and Virgo (August 23 – September 22)
300
Under stars chilled by the winter Under an August moon shining above You'd be so nice, you'd be paradise To come home to and love
You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
300
FACT OR FICTION: August has also changed its number of days multiple times- from 30 to 29 to 31
FACT:
In the ten-month Roman calendar, the months all had either 30 or 31 days, totaling 304 days in the year.
Not only did Pompilius add January and February to the calendar, but he also reduced the number of days in August down to 29.
It wasn’t until Julius Caesar introduced the Julian calendar that it was left with 31 days, and it’s stayed the same ever since!
400
August 25th, 1918 This American conductor and composer was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Considered one of the finest conductors in American music history, his works included West Side Story, On the Town, and the opera Candide.
A) Leonard Bernstein B) John Philip Sousa C) James Horner D) Alan Menken
Leonard Bernstein
400
August 1, 1944 - This young lady penned her last entry into her diary. "[I] keep on trying to find a way of becoming what I would like to be, and what I could be, if...there weren't any other people living in the world."
Anne Frank
400
Leos (people born from July 23rd to August 22) are symbolized by this regal animal, which can also be considered symbolic of August.
Lion
400
All that summer we enjoyed it Wind and rain and shine That umbrella we employed it By August she was mine
Bus Stop
The Hollies
400
Fact or Fiction: Today (August 5th) is National Underwear Day.
FACT: According to NationalToday.com, National Underwear Day was originally created by the brand Freshpair in 2003, as a campaign promoting a positive body image. Although men were part of the initiative as well, the focus was more on women, and how society perceives their body image
500
August 18th, 1774- This American explorer was born near Charlottesville, Virginia. Along with William Clark, they explored the American West, and in 1805, after a journey of over 18 months, reached the Pacific Ocean.
A) Meriwether Lewis B) Sacajawea C) Daniel Boone D) Davy Crockett
Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809)
500
August 6, 1962 - This Carribean nation achieved independence after centuries of British and Spanish rule.
A) Jamaica B) Haiti C) The Bahamas D) Aruba
Jamaica
Following the abolition of slavery in the 1830s, Jamaica remained a British colony.
500
True or False: August is the most popular birth month.
True
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides birth rate by month data, showing July through October tends to be the most popular birth months in the United States. August is the overall most popular month for birthdays, which makes sense, considering a late August birthday means December conception.
500
First day of August Last rain was in May When the rainmaker came to Kansas In the middle of a dusty day
The rainmaker said to the people "Tell me what you are prepared to pay" And the rainmaker said to the people "Now I'll conjure up a rain today."
The Rainmaker
The Cryan' Shames
500
Fact or Fiction: According to the census August was the 55th most popular boy name in the United States in 2021
Fiction:
It was 121st. However, it is apparently a relatively common name for boys in Denmark. In 2021, it was the 6th most popular name for boys!