August
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August is the eighth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. [1]
This month was originally named Sextilis in Latin, because it was the sixth month in the ancient Roman calendar, which started in March about 735 BC under Romulus. It became the eighth month either when January and February were added to the beginning of the year by King Numa Pompilius about 700 BC or when those two months were moved from the end to the beginning of the year by the decemvirs about 450 BC (Roman writers disagree). It was renamed in honor of Augustus in 8 BC because several of the most significant events in his rise to power, culminating in the fall of Alexandria, which fell in this month. Lore claims August originally had 29 days in the Roman Republican calendar. Augustus took two days from February and gave it to August when Sextilis was renamed in his honor.[2] See Month lengths how this commonly believed lore was proven wrong.
August's flower is the gladiolus or poppy, and its birthstone is the peridot.
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[edit] Other names
- In Arabic, the month is called أغسطسص ʾUġusṭuṣ or آب ʾĀb; usage varies from place to place and person to person.
- In Croatian, the month is called kolovoz
- In Dhivehi, the month is called Augastu
- In Dutch the month is called Augustus
- In Estonian the month is called august
- In Finnish, the month is called elokuu, meaning "month of reaping" or literally, "month of life".
- In French, the month is called août derived from the Latin augustus.
- In Greek, the month is called Avgoustos (Αύγουστος')
- In Hungarian, the month is called augusztus
- In Bahasa Indonesia, the month is known as Agustus
- In Irish, August is known as Lúnasa, a modern rendition of Lughnasadh, from the god Lugh.
- In Japanese, the month is called hachigatsu (八月), meaning, simply, "eighth month."
- In Latvian, the month is called Augusts
- In Lithuanian, the month is called rugpjūtis
- In Polish, the month is called sierpień, meaning "month of sickle".
- In Portuguese, Spanish and Italian, the month is called agosto.
- In Romanian, the month is called august
- In Russian, the month is called avgust (авгуcт)
- In Swedish, the month is named augusti, literally plural of the Latin augustus - "the venerable".
- In Thai, the month is called Sing-ha-kom representing the Singha (lion)
- In Turkish, the month is called Ağustos
- In Welsh, the month is called Awst
[edit] Events in August
- In the pagan wheel of the year August begins at or near Lughnasadh in the northern hemisphere and Imbolc in the southern hemisphere.
- Some of Ireland's most famous battles have been fought in this month. They include: the Second Battle of Athenry (1316); the battle of Knockdoe (1504); the Battle of the Yellow Ford (1596); the First Battle of Curlew Pass (1599); the Battle of Dungans Hill (1647); the Battle of Castlebar (1798), and the Battle of the Bogside (1969).
- August 1, Swiss National Day, a public holiday in Switzerland
- August 6, 1825 Bolivia's independence day.
- August 6 National Salvadoran-American Day in the United States.
- In 1945 the end of the Second World War was brought about following the August 6 bombing of Hiroshima and August 9 bombing of Nagasaki in the first and only use of nuclear weapons against people. Emperor Hirohito declared Japan's unconditional surrender on August 15.
- August 9, 1965 Singapore separated from the Federation of Malaysia and became independent.
- August 10, 1822 Ecuador became an independent country.
- August 14, 1947 Pakistan became independent (included East Bengal region as a whole).
- August 15, Catholic, Feast of the Assumption
- August 15, 1769 Corsica, birth of Napoleon Bonaparte
- August 15, 1945 Korea became an independent country.
- August 15, 1947 India became an independent country.
- August 17, 1945 Indonesia became an independent country.
- August 19, 1945 Vietnam's August Revolution succeeded.
- August 20, 1083 Hungary's Saint Stephen canonized (1001 CE), thus becoming the first of the canonized confessor kings. St. Stephen's day is a national holiday in Hungary as well as an observed holiday for many Hungarian-Americans and other Hungarians around the world.
- August 21, 1959 Hawaii became the 50th state of the United States of America. The third Friday of August was designated Statehood Day, a state holiday.
- August 25, 1825 Uruguay became independent from Brazil.
- August 31, 1957 Malaysia became an independent country.
[edit] Monthlong events in August
- Edinburgh Festival is an internationally famous arts festival that takes place during August
- National Immunization Awareness Month
- National Psoriasis Awareness Month
- Women's Small Business Month
- In many European countries, August is the holiday month for most workers
- The Philippines celebrates August as the Buwan ng Wika ("Language Month")
- In the United States, August is National Back to School month. Some US School districts and systems return to school in August.
- In the United States, August is National Goat Cheese Month.[3]
[edit] Weeklong events in August
- During the first week of August in Wales, the National Eisteddfod of Wales is held, in which many aspects of Welsh art and culture are celebrated.
- The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is held the first full week in August each year.
- The middle week of August is the peak of the Perseid meteor shower.
[edit] Other August events
- The first full weekend in August each year, Twinsburg, Ohio celebrates Twins Days.
- High School fall sports practices and band practices begin across the United States.
- August is the only month without a major (religious or federal) holiday in the United States.
[edit] Daily events in August
Last Sunday
- The Philippines celebrates National Heroes Day in commemoration of the First Cry of the Philippine Revolution on August 23, 1896.
[edit] Corresponding months
- In common years, no other month starts on the same day of the week as August. In leap years, however, February does.
[edit] References
- ^ "August." Encyclopedia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 23 Sep. 2008 [[1]].
- ^ Duncan, David Ewing. Calendar: Humanity's Epic Struggle To Determine a True and Accurate Year. New York: Avon Books, 1998.
- ^ Bober, Mike. Celebrate National Goat Cheese Month with Local Favorites. DC Foodies. [[2]]
[edit] Further reading
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