American Holidays - Exodus Books

Store Location

Technically, American holidays aren't holidays. The word holiday means "holy day," and the only paid federal festival that even approaches that description is Thanksgiving. Independence Day, Labor Day, Washington's Birthday, etc. might be holy according to the dogma of the civil religion, but as Christians we reserve adjectives like holy and sacred for Christ and His Church.

That doesn't mean we can't celebrate along with our countrymen. Liberty, justice and equality are American distinctives, and we thank God we live in a country where they're upheld (at least for the most part). To hold our freedom lightly would be ungrateful on our part, so we celebrate it humbly when we have the chance.

Our favorite distinctly American holiday is Thanksgiving. Given the circumstances of its first celebration it's a little ironic that it's a federal holiday, but we aren't complaining. You can read more about it in our Thanksgiving category. We also like Independence Day because Civil War reenactments are fun and fireworks are super rad, but we've given it the full treatment elsewhere.

Many of the other holidays observed by our federal government are less well known or universally celebrated. (We aren't talking about Christmas or New Year; those aren't distinctly American.) Who even knew Columbus Day was a holiday? Well, if you work at the post office or a bank you probably knew, but most of us are quite unaware.

Which is kind of a shame. While we wouldn't support Martin Luther King, Jr.'s theology, celebrating his birthday isn't a celebration of him so much as a memorial to the Civil Rights movement and the struggle of the black community to achieve equal rights and standing as citizens. Insofar as his efforts were a rallying point for many, the holiday bears his name.

Celebrating the birthdays of Columbus and George Washington is almost a no-brainer: without Christopher we wouldn't even be here, and without ol' Georgie we wouldn't be ruled by a president. Those may be broad strokes to paint in, but few nations in the world owe so much to two distinct individuals for their existence.

Of course, millions of others have helped build this land. Memorial Day remembers those Americans who've died in war, while Veterans Day honors everyone who's served in the armed forces; Labor Day is a tip of the hat to the workers of America, the solid constituency that built Chicago, ranched Colorado, and found gold in the middle of Alaska.

There aren't a lot of specifically American traditions. We like to rally around the ones we do have to promote cameraderie and peace, and these holidays provide just that opportunity. If you aren't into celebrating state-sponsored festivals, that's fine. But the fact that you can have that opinion and still enjoy your freedom says a lot for our country, and we're willing to show our gratitude a few times a year.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.

Did you find this review helpful?

Parent Categories

Just for Fun

Holidays

American Holidays

Subcategories

Independence Day

- American Revolution (1765-1783)

Thanksgiving

- Pilgrims at Plymouth

79 Items found Print

Active Filters:

3rd grade (Ages 8-9),

Used Books & Materials

	Almost Home A Story Based on the Life of the Mayflower's Mary Chilton Daughters of the Faith by Wendy G. Lawton from Moody Press Historical Fiction for 3rd-6th grade in Daughters of the Faith (Location: SER-DAU) $7.99 $5.00 (4 in stock)
	America America America Prose and Poetry about the Land, the People, and the Promise by Kenneth Seeman Giniger (Editor), Illustrated by Leonard Everett Fisher from Franklin Watts for 3rd-Adult in Vintage Anthology Collections (Location: VIN-ANTH) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	American Revolution Revolution! by R. G. Grant from Raintree Steck-Vaughn Publishing for 3rd-6th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? by Jean Fritz & Margot Tomes from Scholastic Inc. Biography for 2nd-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $2.00 (1 in stock)
	Arrow Over the Door by Joseph Bruchac from Puffin Books for 3rd-6th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $6.99 $4.00 (3 in stock)
	Battle of Valcour Bay Triangle Histories: The Revolutionary War by Scott Ingram from Blackbirch Press for 3rd-6th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Ben Franklin See and Read: Beginning to Read Biography by Estelle Friedman, illustrated by James Caraway from G.P. Putnam's Sons for 1st-3rd grade in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS) $12.00 (1 in stock)
	Concise Illustrated History of the American Revolution from Eastern Acorn Press for 3rd-7th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Crispus Attucks: Black Leader of Colonial Patriots Childhood of Famous Americans by Dharathula H. Millender from Aladdin Paperbacks for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Crossing How George Washington Saved the American Revolution by Jim Murphy from Scholastic Press for 3rd-6th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $7.00 (2 in stock)
	Daily Life in the Pilgrim Colony 1636 by Paul Erickson from Clarion Books for 3rd-5th grade in Oversized History Books (Location: HISW-OVER) $8.50 (1 in stock)
	Declaration of Independence by Carole Marsh from Gallopade International for 2nd-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Declaration of Independence Documenting U.S. History by Elizabeth Raum from Heinemann-Raintree for 2nd-5th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Eliza Pinckney Weekly Reader Heroes of the Revolution by Susan & John Lee from Children's Press for 2nd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $3.50 (1 in stock)
	Family Read-Aloud Holiday Treasury by Selected by Alice Low, Illustrated by Marc Brown First Ediition from Little, Brown & Company for Kindergarten-4th grade in Picture Book Treasuries (Location: PIC-TRE) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Famous Figures of the American Revolution from Figures in Motion for Kindergarten-6th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $12.00 (3 in stock)
	From Colonies to Country with George Washington - Book Only My American Journey by Deborah Hedstrom from Multnomah Books in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $2.00 (1 in stock)
	From Colonies to Country with George Washington - Set from Unknown Publisher for 3rd-6th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	George Washington You Never Knew by James Lincoln Collier from Scholastic Inc. for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	George Washington's Breakfast by Jean Fritz from PaperStar Books Biography for 1st-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $6.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	George Washington, Spymaster How the Americans Outspied the British and Won the Revolutionary War by Thomas B. Allen from National Geographic for 3rd-6th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	How Many Days to America? A Thanksgiving Story by Eve Bunting for 1st-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	How Our Nation was Born: The American Revolution by Carole Marsh from Gallopade International for 2nd-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	If You Lived at the Time of the American Revolution If You Were There by Kay Moore from Scholastic Inc. Non-Fiction for 2nd-5th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	If You Lived in Colonial Times If You Were There by Ann McGovern from Scholastic Inc. Non-Fiction for 2nd-5th grade in Colonial America (1690-1765) (Location: HISA-17COL) $4.00 (4 in stock)
	If You Sailed On the Mayflower If You Were There by Ann McGovern, illustrated by J.B. Handlesman from Four Winds Press Non-Fiction for 2nd-5th grade in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS) $12.00 (1 in stock)
	Jennie Lee, Patriot by Anne Emery from Westminster Press for 3rd-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $24.00 (1 in stock)
	John Hancock Weekly Reader Heroes of the Revolution by Susan & John Lee, illustrated by Chuck Mitchell from Children's Press for 2nd-6th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Johnny Tremain A Story of Boston Revolt by Esther Forbes, illustrated by Lynd Ward from Houghton Mifflin for 3rd-4th in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $10.00 (1 in stock)
	Justin Morgan Had a Horse G&D Famous Horse Stories by Marguerite Henry from Grosset & Dunlap for 3rd-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Justin Morgan Had a Horse by Marguerite Henry, illustrated by Wesley Dennis 1958^th edition from Rand McNally for 3rd-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $12.00 (1 in stock)
	King George's Head Was Made of Lead by F. N. Monjo from Coward McCann for 2nd-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $12.00 (1 in stock)
	Life of Washington In Words of One Syllable by Josephine Pollard from Beautiful Feet Books Biography for 3rd-8th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $10.95 $7.50 (1 in stock)
	Meet George Washington Second Series Landmark / Step Up reprints by Joan Heilbroner from Random House Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $6.99 $3.00 (2 in stock)
	Meet George Washington by Joan Heilbroner First Scholastic Printing 2001 from Scholastic Inc. Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $2.50 (1 in stock)
	Meet the Pilgrim Fathers by Elizabeth Payne from Random House Books for Young Readers for 2nd-5th grade in Step Up Books (Location: VIN-STEP) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Meet Thomas Jefferson Second Series Landmark / Step Up reprints by Marvin Barrett from Random House Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $4.99 $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Mighty Mastiff of the Mayflower by Peter Arenstam, illustrated by Karen Busch Holman from History Press for 3rd-6th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Molly Pitcher: Young Patriot Childhood of Famous Americans by Augusta Stevenson from Aladdin Paperbacks Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $8.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
	N.C. Wyeth's Pilgrims by Robert D. San Souci from Chronicle Books for Kindergarten-5th grade in Pilgrims at Plymouth (Location: HISA-17PIL) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	N.C. Wyeth's Pilgrims by Robert D. San Souci from Scholastic Inc. for Kindergarten-5th grade in Pilgrims at Plymouth (Location: HISA-17PIL) $2.00 (1 in stock)
	Nathan Hale America's First Spy Hidden History: Spies by Aaron Derr, Illustrated by Tami Wicinas from Red Chair Press for 2nd-5th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	New England Soldiers of the American Revolution Glorious uniforms to color by Marko Zlatich, Illustrations by Donna Neary from Bellerophon Books for 2nd-6th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $1.50 (1 in stock)
	On the Mayflower Voyage of the Ship's Apprentice and a Passenger Girl by Kate Waters from Scholastic Inc. Non-fiction for 1st-3rd grade in Pilgrims at Plymouth (Location: HISA-17PIL) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	On the Mayflower by Kate Waters from Scholastic Inc. for 1st-4th grade in Pilgrims at Plymouth (Location: HISA-17PIL) $8.50 (1 in stock)
	Our America... The Pilgrim Adventure by Susan Kilbride for 3rd-5th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Patrick Henry The Founding Fathers by Stuart A. Kallen from ABDO Publishing Co. for 2nd-5th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Paul Revere First Biographies by Jan Gleiter and Kathleen Thompson, Illustrated by Francis Balistreri from Steck-Vaughn Company for 1st-3rd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Phoebe and the General Now titled Phoebe the Spy by Judith Berry Griffin from Weekly Reader Historical Fiction for 3rd-6th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Phoebe the Spy Originally titled Phoebe and the General by Judith Berry Griffin from Puffin Books Historical Fiction for 3rd-6th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $6.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Phoebe the Spy by Judith Berry Griffin from Scholastic Inc. for 3rd-6th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $2.00 (1 in stock)
	Picture Book of John Hancock by David A. Adler, Michael S. Adler from Holiday House for 2nd-5th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Picture Book of Patrick Henry by David A. Adler; illustrated by John & Alexandra Wallner 1^st edition from Holiday House for Kindergarten-4th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $6.50 (1 in stock)
	Pilgrim Boy (old) by Matilda Nordtvedt 2^nd edition from A Beka Books for 3rd grade in A Beka Phonics & Reading (Old Editions only) (Location: OABK-REA) $4.00 (17 in stock)
	Pilgrim Boy (really old) by Matilda Nordtvedt from A Beka Books for 3rd grade in Clearance: Readers (Location: ZCLE-READ) $2.00 (9 in stock)
	Pilgrim Voices Our First Year in the New World by Connie Roop, Peter Roop, eds. from Walker and Company for 2nd-6th grade in Pilgrims at Plymouth (Location: HISA-17PIL) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Primary Source History of the American Revolution Fact Finders by Sarah Powers Webb from Capstone Press for 3rd-5th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Profiles of Valor Character Studies from the War of Independence 2017 Printing from Learning Parent for 3rd-6th grade in Biography Anthologies (Location: BIO-ANTH) $12.00 (1 in stock)
	Sarah Morton's Day A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl by Kate Waters from Scholastic Inc. Non-fiction for Nursery-3rd grade in Pilgrims at Plymouth (Location: HISA-17PIL) $7.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
	Spy! by Anna Myers from Walker and Company for 3rd-6th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Squanto Friend of the Pilgrims by Clyde Robert Bulla from Scholastic Inc. Biography for 3rd-5th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Squanto's Journey The Story of the First Thanksgiving by Joseph Bruchac Reprint from HMH Books for Young Readers for Kindergarten-3rd grade in Pilgrims at Plymouth (Location: HISA-17PIL) $7.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Stink Alley by Jamie Gilson from HarperCollins in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF) $10.00 (1 in stock)
	Stories of the Pilgrims by Margaret Pumphrey 2^nd edition from Christian Liberty Press for 2nd-4th grade in CLP Phonics & Reading (Location: REA-CLP) $14.50 $8.00 (2 in stock)
	Stories of the Pilgrims (old) by Margaret Pumphrey Revised Edition from Christian Liberty Press for 2nd-5th grade in Old Edition Reading (Location: OREAD) $3.50 (2 in stock)
	Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dalgliesh from Simon and Schuster Historical Fiction for 1st-3rd grade 1955 Caldecott Honor Book in Pilgrims at Plymouth (Location: HISA-17PIL) $8.99 $5.50 (2 in stock)
	Thomas Jefferson A Picture Book Biography by James Cross Giblin from Scholastic Inc. for Preschool-3rd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Three Young Pilgrims by Cheryl Harness from Aladdin Paperbacks Biography for 1st-4th grade in Pilgrims at Plymouth (Location: HISA-17PIL) $7.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Tom Jefferson: Third President of the United States Childhood of Famous Americans by Helen Albee Monsell from Aladdin Books Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Turkeys, Pilgrims, and Indian Corn by Edna Barth from Sandpiper Books for 3rd-4th grade in Pilgrims at Plymouth (Location: HISA-17PIL) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	United States History: Puritans & Pilgrims Colonial Life! The Time Traveler Series by Jane Pofahl Activity from T.S. Denison & Company for 3rd-6th grade in Pilgrims at Plymouth (Location: HISA-17PIL) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	What Was the First Thanksgiving? What Was? by Joan Holub, illustrated by Lauren Mortimer 1^st edition from Grosset & Dunlap for 3rd-6th grade in Pilgrims at Plymouth (Location: HISA-17PIL) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	When Washington Crossed the Delaware A Wintertime Story for Young Patriots by Lynne Cheney from Simon & Schuster Macmillan for Preschool-3rd grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $10.00 (1 in stock)
	When Washington Crossed the Delaware A Wintertime Story for Young Patriots by Lynne Cheney from Simon & Schuster Macmillan for Preschool-3rd grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Where Was Patrick Henry On the 29th of May? by Jean Fritz 1^st edition from Putnam Juvenile for 3rd-6th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $3.50 (1 in stock)
	Will You Sign Here, John Hancock? by Jean Fritz from Scholastic Inc. Biography for 2nd-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $2.00 (1 in stock)
	William Bradford, Pilgrim Boy by Bradford Smith from Beautiful Feet Books Biography for 3rd-5th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $10.95 $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Winter of Red Snow The Revolutionary War Diary of Abigail Jane Steward Dear America by Kristiana Gregory from Scholastic Inc. Fictional historical journal for 3rd-6th Grade in Dear America Books (Location: SER-DEAR) $6.00 (3 in stock)
	Yankee Doodle A Revolutionary Tail by Gary Chalk from DK Publishing for Preschool-3rd grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $7.50 (1 in stock)

Shop

Support

Hours & Directions

Connect