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| FDR signed the "Beer Permit Act" (Wikipedia) |
Note: Fads come and go, but people will have their beer! Find out about "New Beer's Eve" and the end of Prohibition in the U.S.
Get Ready: Overall, do you think the consumption of alcohol has a positive or a negative effect on a society?
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| Herbie Hancock performs on International Jazz Day in Havana, Cuba (Wikipedia) |
Note: Find out how American jazz rose from its humble beginnings to become an important force in international relations.
Get Ready: Do you like jazz? Do you think it's an important element in international relations?
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| Water-throwing on Songkran in Thailand (Wikipedia) |
Note: New Years is one of the world's most widely celebrated holidays, and it's celebrated in a wide variety of ways! As an example, notice the flinging of water in some Buddhist countries.
Get Ready: Have you ever been in a "water fight"? What was it like?
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| Thomas Jefferson (Wikipedia) |
Note: April celebrants include the Buddha, Thomas Jefferson, a founder of modern Puerto Rico, numerous Scandinavian royals, and an African king.
Get Ready: Skim through the birthday celebrants (in bold) in this lesson. Which of them seem important to you? Which is/are the least important?
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| Queen Elizabeth II (Wikipedia) |
Note: April birthdays (in 2017) included 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, whom some Muslims believe to be Muhammad's first successor; and Queen Elizabeth, whom some believe to be the ruler of England! Find out more in this lesson on BUZZWORDS!
Get Ready: What do you think of the role of Queen Elizabeth and other "royals" in their own culture? How about on the world stage?
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| During Tomb-Sweeping Day in Singapore (Wikipedia) |
Note: From the foolishness of April 1st, we pivot to the "grave" activity of sweeping the ancestral tombs, in Chinese culture.
Get Ready: Do you have any annual (or regular) activity in which you celebrate or remember your ancestors?
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| Locksley Hall, inspiration for a line about love in the springtime (Wikipedia) |
Note: It's spring! Write a poem, listen to some jazz, donate your organs, or volunteer!
Get Ready: Have you ever written any poetry? Are you good at it? (Share some in the comments!)
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| The Last Supper took place in Holy Week, the last week of Lent before Easter (Wikipedia) |
Note: The most important Christian holiday is not Christmas, as you might guess, but Easter, which also inspired a number other traditional observances, including Lent.
Get Ready: Do you do anything special for Easter or Lent?
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| Set-up for bathing the Baby Buddha on his birthday (Wikipedia) |
Note: Most Buddhists celebrate three events in the life of the Buddha: his birth, enlightenment, and death--though different cultures celebrate them according to very different schemes.
Get Ready: What do you know about the life and teachings of the Buddha? Where and when did he live? What is the point of what he said?
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| Hindu goddess Radha celebrating Holi (Wikipedia) |
Note: Where did we get the tradition of "pranking" people on April Fools? This may once have been the date of New Years, a "liminal time" when the usual rules of polite society are suspended.
Get Ready: Have you ever "pranked" anyone--that is, played a trick on them?
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