A Month for Remembrance: The History of August
August is named after Augustus Caesar, the first Roman emperor and one of the most influential political leaders in history. Born Gaius Octavius Thurinus, Augustus became emperor in 27 BC, following the assassination of his great-uncle and adoptive father Julius Caesar, who had named him as heir to his position. During his reign, Augustus ended civil wars and restored peace to Rome following years of internal discord and violence; he also reformed the government and strengthened Rome’s military in preparation for future conflicts both within the empire and with foreign powers.
What happened in Aug of 1885
On August 3, 1885, the last spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway was driven in at Craigellachie, British Columbia. The building of the CPR was a massive undertaking spanning six years and costing over $25 million. More than 15,000 workers labored on the project, many of them immigrants from China. It was Canada's first transcontinental railway and connected the country from east to west.
What happened in Aug 1869
On August 10th, 1869, a large crowd of people had gathered near the Union Pacific Railroad's eastern terminus in Promontory, Utah Territory. They were there to witness the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States. The project had taken over four years to complete and involved the work of over 20,000 men. On that day, two locomotives - one from the Union Pacific and one from the Central Pacific - met at Promontory Point, signaling the end of a long and difficult journey.
Other important dates that are in the month of August
In the United States, the month of August is a time to remember those who have fought for our country's freedom. On August 1st, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed and on August 29th, 1858, the first transatlantic cable was completed, connecting America with Europe. On August 6th, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan and on August 9th, 1945, they dropped another one on Nagasaki. This led to the end of World War II. Also in this month, we celebrate Women's Equality Day on August 26th to commemorate the passage of the 19th Amendment which gave women the right to vote. Other important dates include National Children's Day on August 2nd, Unification Day in Germany on October 3rd, and Shichi-Go-San or Seven-Five-Three (the 7th day of the 7th month, 5 years old) on November 15th.
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