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The Continental Congress ratified preliminary articles of peace ending the Revolutionary War with Great Britain on April 15, 1783. International intrigue and intense negotiation preceded the formulation of these preliminary articles.

There shall be a firm and perpetual peace between his Britannic Majesty and the said States,...wherefore all hostilities both by sea and land shall then immediately cease.
The United States in Congress assembled...Now know ye, that we the United States in Congress assembled, have ratified and confirmed...the said articles... Broadside printed by David C. Claypoole, Philadelphia, 1783. Documents from the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention, 1774 to 1789. Rare Book & Special Collections Division

The June 1, 1781, entry in the Journals of the Continental Congress notes "that Congress have received undoubted intelligence...that the Courts of Vienna and Petersburg have offered their mediation to the belligerent powers for the re-establishment of peace..." A few days later, on June 15, 1781, the Congress issued "instructions to honourable John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, Henry Laurens and Thomas Jefferson, ministers plenipotentiary on behalf of the United States to negotiate a treaty of peace." Although Jefferson did not go to Europe to negotiate, he eventually shepherded the treaty through Congress and later drafted the legislation for the political organization of the western lands acquired by the treaty.

Premiere Assemblée du Congrès. François Godefroy, engraver; Illus. in: Essais historiques et politiques sur les Anglo-Américains.../par M. Hilliard d'Auberteuil...Bruxelles: 1782, v.3 (atlas of plates, ports.), p.[2]. Rare Book & Special Collections Division

Formal discussions of peace began in Paris in April 1782. France, allied with the U.S. since 1778, along with Spain and the Netherlands also sought to end hostilities with Great Britain and pressured the U.S. to seek peace only in alliance. Regarding a British offer to negotiate directly with its former colony the French warned:

...treating separately with America...this had always been the chimerical and favourite idea of England; and that so long as it subsisted there would perhaps be no possibility of treating seriously about the conditions of a peace. That their negotiations would only be an artifice to scatter divisions among the allies, and retard their exertions for continuing the war...
Entry for Tuesday, September 24, 1782, in Journals of the Continental Congress. A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875.

From the beginning, Congress instructed the U.S. commissioners:

...to make the most candid and confidential communications upon all subjects to the ministers of our generous ally, the King of France; to undertake nothing in the negotiations for peace or truce without their knowledge and concurrence; and ultimately to govern yourselves by their advice and opinion...
Entry for Friday, June 15, 1781, in Journals of the Continental Congress. A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875

The Americans determined, however, that Europe's secret diplomacy and intrigues did not facilitate peace for the U.S. and concluded a separate preliminary treaty with Great Britain. Care was yet taken to ensure that the final formal treaties (U.S. and Great Britain, France and Great Britain, Spain and Great Britain) were all signed on the same day, September 3, 1783. "We were better tacticians than was imagined," said John Adams.1

The treaty's main terms guaranteed U.S. independence from Britain and acquisition of territory that lay between the thirteen colonies and the Mississippi River. This territory, ceded to Britain under a previous Treaty of Paris which concluded the French and Indian War in 1763, became known as the Northwest Territory.

Today, April 15, is Tax Day. From its beginnings the United States raised revenue. Whiskey and tobacco taxes provided much of the government's early revenue. But, financing the Revolutionary War was expensive and the young United States struggled to raise funds from the thirteen states:

Resolved, That these United States be called on to pay in their respective quotas of fifteen millions of dollars in the year 1779, and of six millions of dollars annually for 18 years from and after the year 1779, as a fund for sinking the emissions and loans of these United States to the 31st day of December, 1778, inclusive.
In Congress, January 13, 1779: We cannot review the progress of the revolution which has given freedom to America, without admiring the goodness and gratefully acknowledging the interposition of Divine Providence.... Philadelphia: Printed by John Dunlap, [1779]. Documents from the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention, 1774 to 1789. Rare Book & Special Collections Division

Public Tax Worker, Washington, D.C. Carl Mydans, photographer, Jan. 1936. Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Black-and-White Negatives. Prints & Photographs Division

An income tax was first collected during the Civil War from 1862 to 1872. During the administration of President Grover Cleveland, the federal government again levied an income tax, enacted by Congress in 1894. However, the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional the following year. As a result, supporters of an income tax embarked on the lengthy process of amending the Constitution. Not until the Sixteenth Amendment was ratified in 1913 was Congress given the power "to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several states, and without regard to any census of enumeration."

Homer S. Cummings, chairman of the Democratic National Committee during the Woodrow Wilson administration, counted the income tax among the most notable accomplishments of the Democratic Party. Provision for an income tax, he observed in " Achievements of the Democratic Party," in American Leaders Speak: Recordings from World War I and the 1920 Election, relieved the law "of the reproach of being unjustly burdensome to the poor."

Arthur Botsford, interviewed in " Connecticut Clockmakers," an American Life Histories: Manuscripts from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936 to 1940 interview, had a different point of view. "If you got money in the bank, they want to know just how much, and how much interest is comin' on it, and everything else. It may be only two dollars, and if you got money in the bank, they want to know."

Lost Money!! Alton, Illinois, 1840. Printed Ephemera: Three Centuries of Broadsides and other Printed Ephemera. Rare Book & Special Collections Division

On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson put on his first Brooklyn Dodgers uniform (number 42) and broke the Major League Baseball "color line". Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey signed a contract with Robinson to play for the team on October 23, 1945. Robinson then spent a year on a minor league team to sharpen his skills. Rickey, who called the move baseball's "great experiment," chose Robinson because of his excellent athletic record and strength of character. The first player to "cross the color line" would have to be able to withstand intense public scrutiny and to avoid confrontation even when met with insults and hostility.

Robinson was a well-rounded athlete, having competed in college baseball, football, basketball, and track. He had served in the Army and was active in the Civil Rights Movement. Robinson was a professional player for the Kansas City Monarchs, an all-black team in the Negro American League.

America is...more interested in the grace of a man's swing, in the dexterity of his cutting a base, and his speed afoot, in his scientific body control, in his excellence as a competitor on the field...than they are in the pigmentation of a man's skin...
Speech by Branch Rickey for the "One Hundred Percent Wrong Club" Banquet, Atlanta, Georgia, January 20, 1956. Baseball, the Color Line, and Jackie Robinson, By Popular Demand: Jackie Robinson and Other Baseball Highlights, 1860s-1960s

Jackie Robinson in Kansas City Monarchs uniform, Breaking the Color Line: 1940-1946, Baseball, the Color Line, and Jackie Robinson, By Popular Demand: Jackie Robinson and Other Baseball Highlights, 1860s-1960s. Prints & Photographs Division

Pittsburgh Courier, Washington Edition, Saturday, April 19, 1947. Baseball, the Color Line, and Jackie Robinson, By Popular Demand: Jackie Robinson and Other Baseball Highlights, 1860s-1960s. Prints & Photographs Division

Not only was Robinson able to quell opposition to his presence on the field, but he quickly won the respect and enthusiasm of the fans. He finished his first season batting .297 and led the National League in stolen bases with 29, earning baseball's first Rookie of the Year Award. Two years later in 1949 he won the National League's Most Valuable Player Award, leading the league with a .342 batting average and 37 stolen bases.

Lobby Card Promoting "The Jackie Robinson Story," Showing Minor Watson as Dodgers president Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson as himself. Copyright by Pathe Industries, 1950. By Popular Demand: Jackie Robinson and Other Baseball Highlights, 1860s-1960s. Prints & Photographs Division

Off the field, Robinson was the subject of everything from songs to a feature-length film about his life. He even starred as himself in the movie, "The Jackie Robinson Story." Released in 1950, it was one of the first films to portray a black man as an American hero.

In 1955, after getting close several times, Robinson finally played on a world-champion team when the Dodgers beat the Yankees in the World Series. He retired from baseball after the 1956 season with a lifetime batting average of .311 and the distinction of having stolen home an incredible 19 times. A legend even in his day, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame External in 1962, his first year of eligibility.

The Ball Game. Thomas A. Edison, Inc., 1898. America at Work, America at Leisure: Motion Pictures from 1894-1915. Motion Picture, Broadcasting & Recorded Sound Division
Photographed from one camera position behind home plate, the film shows a baseball game in progress. The action includes two players running toward the camera; one uniform is distinguishable as Newark, New Jersey.

Learn More

The collection By Popular Demand: Jackie Robinson and Other Baseball Highlights, 1860s-1960s draws on manuscripts, books, photographs, and ephemera from the Library's collections which tell Robinson's story and the story of the history of the sport. View the special presentation Baseball, the Color Line, and Jackie Robinson to see these artifacts of America's national pastime. See the collection's annotated bibliography to read more about Jackie Robinson's life and this era of baseball.

See the special presentation Early Baseball Pictures, 1860s-1920s in the collection By Popular Demand: Jackie Robinson and Other Baseball Highlights, 1860s-1960s to find pictures and stories of the game.

Browse the collection Baseball Cards to see baseball greats pictured in this collection of 2100 early baseball cards.

Search across the collections on baseball to find more images and stories about the great American pastime. See, for example, the photograph The Brooklyn Baseball Club [1913] in the collection Panoramic Photographs.

Search Today in History on baseball for features on legendary players in baseball history such as Cy Young, Satchel Paige, and Connie Mack and on other important baseball events such as the first World Series.

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The Continental Congress ratified preliminary articles of peace ending the Revolutionary War with Great Britain on April 15, 1783. International intrigue and intense negotiation preceded the formulation of these preliminary articles. There shall be a firm and perpetual peace between his Britannic Majesty and the said States,...wherefore all hostilities both by sea and land shall then immediately cease.

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Make music online to celebrate

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The tools are easy to use and produce fascinating artwork. The six [now nine] activities based on the work of real artists make brilliant use of the iPad.

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Play with sounds and create your own band!

Rock out with Toca Band!

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Read reviews, compare customer ratings, see screenshots, and learn more about Toca Band. Download Toca Band and enjoy it on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

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Sing, hum, rap, strum. Capture your musical ideas—anytime, anywhere. Share and collaborate with friends, or with the world.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/take-creative-vocal-recorder/id887834536?mt=8

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Create your own music with Sketch-a-Song! Our colorful, intuitive interface makes it fun and easy for anyone to make music in seconds.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sketch-a-song-kids/id766925471?mt=8

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Create, record and share your mix.

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Incredibox is a music app that lets you create your own music with the help of a merry crew of beatboxers. Choose your musical style among 9 impressive atmospheres and start to lay down, record and share your mix.

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Write the music you always wished you could.

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We create software and interactive learning material to help musicians write amazing melodies and chord progressions and gain a deep understanding for how music works.

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Mix your own celebration music.

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Girl Talk in a Box lets you interact with your music. While a song is playing, you can take control, speeding it up, slowing it down, skipping beats and so on. To get started pick a song from theGallery of songs or your favorite song.

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A fun place to create music for your original celebration songs.

http://virtualpiano.net/

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Cake With Number - Customize This Template

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http://www.factmonster.com/dayinhistory

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- Phillies beat Pittsburgh 23-8
- Greatest tank battle in history ends with Russia's defeat of Germany at Kursk, almost 6,000 tanks take part, 2,900 lost by Germany
- René Pleven forms French government
- Albania drops diplomatic relations with People's Republic of China
- Bob Milacki and 3 other Baltimore Oriole pitchers no-hit A's 2-0
- Senior Players Championship Men's Golf, TPC of Michigan: Larry Gilbert wins his lone career major title by 3 strokes from Isao Aoki, Bob Dickson, Jack Kiefer and Dave Stockton

More Historical Events "
- Carolina Gisolf, Dutch high jumper (Olympic silver, 1928), born in Holland
- Antonio Roma, football goalkeeper (42 caps), born in Buenos Aires, Argentina (d. 2013)
- Stephen Jo Bladd, American drummer (J Geils Band - "Centerfold"; "Freeze Frame"), born in Boston, Massachusetts
- Sezen Aksu, Turkish singer
- Danni Boatwright, American model/beauty queen (Miss Teen USA 1992 2nd runner-up), born in Tonganoxie, Kansas
- Christopher Bauman, American professional wrestler (d. 2005)

More Famous Birthdays "
- Peter Parler, German architect (b. 1330)
- John S. Bowen, American Major General (Confederate Army), dies at 32
- Warwick Armstrong, cricketer (50 Tests 1901-21, 2863 runs), dies at 68
- Red Buttons [Aaron Chwatt], American comedian (The Red Buttons Show), and Academy Award-winning actor (Sayonara; The Poseidon Adventure), dies from cardiovascular disease at 87
- Cory Monteith, Canadian actor and musician, dies of heroin and alcohol overdose at 31
- Thomas Berger, American novelist, dies at 89

More Famous Deaths "
Sandra Bland dies in jail after traffic stop confrontation

On July 10, 2015, Texas State Trooper Brian Encinia pulls over a 28-year-old Black woman, Sandra Bland, for failing to signal a lane change. After a heated encounter, he arrests her and takes her to a nearby jail. Three days later, on the morning of July 13, she is found dead in her cell, ...

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This Day in History | Junior safe search for kids using Google SafeSearch

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Phillies beat Pittsburgh 23-8 - Greatest tank battle in history ends with Russia's defeat of Germany at Kursk, almost 6,000 tanks take part, 2,900 lost by Germany - René Pleven forms French government - Albania drops diplomatic relations with People's Republic of China - Bob Milacki and 3 other Baltimore

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From the Kid World Citizen Blog

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Activities to help kids learn about celebrations from around the world, religious holidays, and local festivals. Multicultural and geography lessons for children in preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school.

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Celebrate Your Family With A Family Tree

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Celebrate Your Family With A Family Tree

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They can type into the family tree online and then print it off or use in digital projects.

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It's easy to create a family tree using our form just for kids: Click the link below to download the file (get your mom's or dad's permission first!) and open it in Adobe Reader, a free program for viewing PDFs. If you don't have Reader, you can get it from Adobe.

To fill out the tree, just click in the boxes and type in names and dates. Don't worry if you can't fill in all the boxes-you can ask your parents or grandparents to help with information you don't know. You can print out your completed tree or save it to your computer.

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Build Your Family Tree It's easy to create a family tree using our form just for kids: Click the link below to download the file (get your mom's or dad's permission first!) and open it in Adobe Reader, a free program for viewing PDFs. If you don't have Reader, you can get it from Adobe.

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Party and Birthday Celebration Ideas At School 

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Party and Birthday Celebration Ideas At School 

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Pinterest Wall

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Pinterest is a visual discovery tool that you can use to find ideas for all your projects and interests.

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Winning Ideas for Celebrating Birthdays at School 

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Winning Ideas for Celebrating Birthdays at School 

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Scholastic article & resources

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Scholastic article & resources

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Celebrating the tastes, sights, sounds, "feels," and smells of special times.

PERHAPS THE PLACE that family traditions start is not in one specific activity but simply in the joy of shared experiences. And maybe the best way to talk about these traditions at group time is to help children open up to their own sensory memories.

Warm Cinnamon and Fresh Oranges

While children are sitting in a circle, invite them to close their eyes and imagine someone, or everyone, in their family preparing a favorite dish - perhaps for a special occasion or even a traditional weekly meal. "What colors do you see? Can you smell anything cooking? Can you taste anything? Pretend you are reaching out and touching something. What does it feel like?" This imaginary journey can open children's minds to sensory memories. They may suddenly offer images as you go along or share them after they've had time to just imagine. Whichever way, be sure to create an experience chart together, listing children's thoughts and experiences inspired by each of the five senses.

Older children may like to try using the words and images on your experience chart to create a poem. Here's an example one kindergarten class printed and illustrated as a family gift.

Come Share My Traditions

Consider bringing to group time a collection of sensory-experience props, some involving your own family traditions. A cinnamon stick, a fresh orange, bells, a green pine bough may come to mind. You'll find that children are fascinated to learn about your traditions and experiences. Photos of family gatherings at holidays and other special events are great to share and help expand children's concept of traditions. Be sure to include lots of pictures of you when you were little. Most children can't believe you ever were a baby!

Let's Share Yours

Send home a note letting parents and other family members know that you have been talking about family traditions and are hoping that they will help their child share something from home - an object, a photograph, or even an activity. Let families know that a tradition can mean anything they do together in their own unique way - a special dessert or meal, a holiday custom, a story told over and over at special times. Some children may want to bring a family member to your program to share a tradition. Be sure to let family members know that they can call you to ask any questions or talk over anything special they're considering. You may also need to talk ahead of time to ensure the appropriateness of the activity and to offer your help with the preparations and organization.

Schedule only three or four children a day to share their special family show-and-tell, so there will be enough time for all children to engage in real conversations -- talking about why this special sharing has become a tradition and asking lots of questions. Encourage extended-family members to visit. Sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and special family friends can add their own unique perspectives. Older adults may want to share family traditions-from "way back."

A Very Important Reminder

Before you begin to talk about families and family traditions, take time to think about children's specific home lives. Remember, every family is different. Those who celebrate the same holidays may do so in very different ways, thus establishing very different traditions. Some families may be the only ones to celebrate specific holidays, and also have traditions that are all their own. Other families may not celebrate any holidays but still have their own traditions. Whatever the case, make sure that every child feels accepted and, at the same time, not at all pressured to share. Your goal is to honor children and their families in supportive ways. And then, through shared experiences, conversations, and quiet observations, children will learn a bit more about themselves and come to respect and appreciate the importance of varied traditions.

Sharing With Toddlers

Though toddlers aren't ready for group time discussions about family traditions, sharing a family member can be a delight! So plan a time when parents, siblings, and extended-family members are invited to visit your program. Most toddlers will enjoy showing off these special people. Just remember to schedule very few at one time, and ask them if they'd like to do something very simple, like show a few family pictures, share a short storybook, or sing a song with children. The trick is to keep any activity or visit relaxed, natural, simple, and short. No need to gather children in a group. Each visitor will be an automatic toddler "magnet" as soon as he or she sits down!

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Group Time: Sharing Family Traditions | Scholastic

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Celebrating the tastes, sights, sounds, "feels," and smells of special times. PERHAPS THE PLACE that family traditions start is not in one specific activity but simply in the joy of shared experiences. And maybe the best way to talk about these traditions at group time is to help children open up to their own sensory memories.

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Pinterest Wall full of ideas.

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Cardmaking for Children - Simple Ideas for Cards

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Cardmaking ideas for children.
To use as seen, or to adapt to their given circumstances with the materials chosen or available.

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Capstone Celebrates Milestone 25th Anniversary in 2016

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Capstone Celebrates Milestone 25th Anniversary in 2016

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Capstone Celebrates Milestone 25th Anniversary in 2016

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Jan. 13, 2016 - Capstone, a leading publisher of children's books and digital products and services, celebrates its 25 th Anniversary in 2016. Among the publisher's yearlong celebration at conferences and online includes special promotions and giveaways for customers, exclusive events with an open house party at its headquarters office in North Mankato this summer, a Mayoral Proclamation for "Capstone Day," and a national contest for educators and booksellers to win a trip to key industry conferences in 2017.

"What a joy the last 25 years have been! Over the years Capstone expanded and evolved, but has always stayed true to its core mission of inspiring children's imagination and igniting their curiosity. I would like to thank all of our partners - the librarians, teachers, administrators, parents, and booksellers - who have let us know when we got it right, and when we missed the mark. Their guidance and support has been invaluable, and I am so honored to share this milestone with them," said Robert Coughlan, Capstone Principal and Founder.

Capstone began publishing books in 1991 with a list of 48 titles and has grown to an expansive publishing house with more than 15,000 plus titles. Focusing on long term growth and innovation, Capstone utilized emerging technologies to transform a print only publishing business into one offering platform solutions, hybrid models, and apps that support the educational experience. Over the last several years, Capstone's market presence expanded from a library only business to one that reaches the classroom, the district, the home, and internationally.

Investments in technology led to the development of: myON™ reader, a personalized learning environment with over 6 million kids in 8,500 schools reading with it; literacy and research solutions PebbleGo™ for PreK-2, and PebbleGo Next™ for grades 3-6; and Capstone Interactive, a collection of more than 5,000 interactive e-books. In 2015, there were 60 million user sessions for these three products.

An important focus in Capstone's corporate giving program is investing in literacy education for children. Capstone strives to be a community leader by supporting literacy programs, expanding educational opportunities, and caring for the environment. In 2012, Capstone launched the Capstone Literacy Center in Mankato, Minn., to help struggling readers in grades 1-5. The program has since grown to include an additional satellite location and now offers an online interactive program called Capstart for enrolled students. Capstone's Employee Volunteer Time program encourages and empowers employees to give back to their communities with volunteer time which is paid for by the company.

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About Capstone

Capstone is a leading publisher of children's books, digital solutions and services, literacy programs, and K-12 professional development resources. Capstone creates content in a variety of print, digital and media formats for school libraries, classrooms, and at home reading. For more information, visit www.myCapstone.com.

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Capstone Celebrates Milestone 25th Anniversary in 2016

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Capstone, a leading publisher of children's books and digital products and services, celebrates its 25th Anniversary in 2016. Among the publisher's yearlong celebration at conferences and online includes special promotions and giveaways for customers, exclusive events with an open house party at its headquarters office in North Mankato this summer, a Mayoral Proclamation for "Capstone Day," and a national contest for educators and booksellers to win a trip to key industry conferences in 2017.

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On August 25, 2016, the National Park Service turns 100!

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As the official charitable partner of the National Park Service, we provide resources for the national parks. Support this uniquely American idea.

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Origami Poppers - Make Your Own Birthday Party Supplies

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How to fold an origami popper using my FREE printable origami paper. ---------- Origami: Popper Designed By: Traditional Origami Style: Non-square (1 sheet of paper - no scissors, no glue) Made By: Heather Paper Designed By: Heather Lynne Shida ---------- Don't have origami paper? Want a fun way to make cool designs for your origami?