Learn about Labor Day in the US
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| Hi everyone, I'm Alisha. |
| Labor Day is celebrated nationwide in the US on the first Monday in September. It's been celebrated since 1894 at the federal level, and it's the only US federal holiday dedicated to American workers. The holiday arose from a time of political crises in the US, and partially in reaction to a particularly bloody strike. |
| Labor Day was adopted as an alternative to International Workers' Day. Do you know why? |
| We’ll show you the answer at the end of this video. |
| Labor Day celebrates the American worker. It's also the unofficial end of the summer vacation and recreation season. In most US school districts, summer vacation ends right after Labor Day. The celebrations are informal and the main purpose of the holiday is really to give people a day off of work and to recognize what working men and women contribute to the nation. |
| Every Labor Day in the US, you'll smell plenty of barbecues firing up and see a lot of people having informal gatherings in parks and in their own backyards. In addition to celebrating laborers, this day means that summer is drawing to a close. In touristy cities, you'll start to see cars driving away and people returning to their homes. Parades are sometimes held to commemorate the day, as well. |
| Labor Day is also significant for professional sports as it's the official beginning of the professional football season in the United States. On the Thursday immediately after Labor Day, sports fans tune in to the very first pro football game of the year. For post-secondary students, college or university starts right after the holiday, and college football is in full swing soon after Labor Day, as well. |
| Put away your white shoes! Wearing white shoes after Labor Day and before Memorial Day is considered a faux pas by some fashion-conscious Americans. This, however, is now a rather out-of-date custom. |
| And now here's the answer to the quiz. |
| Do you know why Labor Day was adopted as an alternative to International Workers' Day? |
| Labor Day was offered as an alternative to International Workers' Day due to the political nature of the latter. Fearing the political influence of the communist movements just starting up in Europe, Congress and President Grover Cleveland needed to reach out to the American labor force. They rushed Labor Day through as a holiday—it was already celebrated in several states—to offer reconciliation with the labor movement and to head off the influence of the more radical worker's movements in Europe. |
| How was this lesson? Did you learn something interesting? |
| Is there a day similar to Labor Day in your country? |
| Please leave a comment at EnglishClass101.com |
| Until next time! |
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