On Some Significant Historical Dates
Every country celebrates certain dates that respectively commemorates significant events in its history, usually independence from its previous conqueror or colonializer. Here are some of them.
Canada Day (July 1), or the National Day of Canada, is a federal statutory holiday that celebrates the anniversary of the enactment of the British North America Act 1867 (today called the Constitution Act 1867) on July 1, 1867. It united three colonies into a single country called Canada within the British Empire.
Philippine Independence Day (June 12) is an annual national holiday in the Philippines, commemorating the Philippine Declaration of Independence from Spain on June 12, 1898. Since 1962, it has been the country’s National Day.
Eritrean Independence Day (May 24) is an annual public holiday in Eritrea, commemorating the reinstatement of Eritrea’s independence from Ethiopia. On May 24, 1991, Eritrean People’s Liberation Front forces moved into the capital Asmara, reinstating independence, following a 30-year-long battle against the Ethiopian military regime.
American Independence Day (July 4), commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States, commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from Great Britain.
National Day of the People’s Republic of China is a public holiday in the People’s Republic of China, celebrating the founding of the country on October 1, 1949, with a ceremony at Tiananmen Square. The Central People’s Government passed the Resolution on the National Day of the People’s Republic of China on December 2, 1949, and declared October 1 as the National Day.
South Korean Independence Day (March 1) commemorates the March 1st Movement in 1919, when 33 Korean nationalists and students declared in Seoul their nation’s independence from Japan. It started a nationwide civil protest and was a catalyst for the establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea on April 13, 1919.
Bastille Day (French National Day) (July 14) is the name given to the national day of France. It commemorates the beginning of the French Revolution with the Storming of the Bastille in Paris on July 14, 1789. The medieval fortress and prison in Paris known as the Bastille represented royal authority in the center of Paris. The prison contained only seven inmates at the time of its storming but they symbolized the abuses of the monarchy.
The Last Leaf
So, the next time you participate in any of these celebrations or you have friends or coworkers who hailed from any of these countries, feel free to greet them on the said dates with a sense of confidence, knowing now the reason for such special days.
