Tag: France

Current Event Connection, Geography In the News, Main

Forecasting ‘The Longest Day’

WORLD Why was the Normandy invasion so successful? According to Supreme Allied Commander Dwight Eisenhower, “Because we had better meteorologists than the Germans!” (USA Today) Use our resources to remember D-Day. Discussion Ideas According to the USA Today article, D-Day was delayed a day due to “heavy seas, high winds, and thick cloud cover.” Why would each of these weather patterns deter the invasion? Read … Continue reading Forecasting ‘The Longest Day’

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Current Event Connection, Geography In the News, Main

Wolves’ Return to French Alps Not Always Welcome

WORLD The return of indigenous wolves to the French Alps has been a victory for conservation—and a catastrophe for the local shepherding community. Wolves have killed at least 20,000 sheep in the past five years, threatening an historic, sustainable agricultural lifestyle. (New York Times) Use our resources to better understand herding in the Alps. Discussion Ideas Read our encyclopedic entry on herding. What type of … Continue reading Wolves’ Return to French Alps Not Always Welcome

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Main

Five for Friday: Notable Independence Day Celebrations

Although the Fourth of July may feel like a very American celebration, it represents a very worldly ideal, independence.  All around the world, every month of the year, countries celebrate their sovereignty with flag-raising, parades, fireworks, and much more.  
The process of gaining independence, and its celebration, is broadly defined.  In various countries, such as the United States, Independence Day commemorates independent statehood gained over a former colonial power, such as Great Britain.  In other states, such as Slovenia, Independence Day acknowledges a state’s break from being part of another nation or state, such as Yugoslavia.  In rarer cases, Independence Day assumes the end of a military occupation, war, or another state’s control of a country’s foreign affairs.
Independence Day celebrations vary greatly in their celebrations, festivities, and traditions.  In our Five for Friday series, we explore some cool, quirky, and unusual independence day celebrations worldwide. 
1. Greece
March 25
Separation of church and state?  Not on Greek Independence Day!  Marking the start of the Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1821, March 25 is a double holiday, also celebrating the religious Feast of the Annunciation.  An unusually festive day, it is celebrated with festivals and parades while dressed in traditional Greek costumes, waving the customary white and blue of the Greek nation.
GreekChangingOfGuard_PaulFreifeld.JPG
Traditional Greek changing of the guard in front of parliament, Athens.
Photo courtesy of Paul Freifeld, MyShot.

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Classroom Ideas

How about time-off instead of lay-offs?

800px-Office.JPGIn Europe, companies have traditionally turned to requiring that their employees take shorter workweeks, longer vacations and more time off when faced with an economic downturn… which is of course, very divergent from the United States model of cost-cutting. Even when not faced with a recession, France has a standard 35 hour workweek and Britain offers 6 weeks of paid vacation per year. However, if you are reading this from the U.S., I’m going to guess that you personally know someone who worked well over 40 hours per week but has now been laid off–and I’m sure you have seen the damage that it causes. But is one work environment intrinsically better than the other?

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