How Statehood Day is Celebrated in Five States - Important Information for U.S. History Classes

Each of the fifty states has an official birthday - the day which it became an official member of the United States. This birthday is traditionally known as "Statehood Day". Unfortunately, while many states celebrate their statehood, the date often passes silently without much enthusiasm. U.S. History teachers, elementary school teachers, and other groups have an excellent opportunity, however, to embrace their particular state's birthday by including it in their lessons. This article shares details how five particular states celebrate Statehood Day and offers ideas for teachers to use this information in their classes.

A recent announcement shed light upon Michigan's Statehood Day celebration. The Michigan Historical Museum will host the annual event on January 22, 2011, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The state's birthday party is designed for families to mark January 26, 1837, the date that Michigan became the 26th state. This party is not unique to this year. In fact, Michigan celebrates its statehood every year.

Teachers have the opportunity to accentuate this important state holiday by taking groups of students such as the student council or student leaders to represent their school district at state sponsored celebrations. Students could take photos or write about the event, then either share the details at an assembly or make a bulletin board sharing what they learned. It would be an excellent event to finalize a state history project as well.

These lesson ideas would work for several other states, too. Indiana's state website helps facilitate this learning process by hosting an annual essay competition titled, "What Indiana Means to Me." The Indiana state website posts the winning essays. It is a great way to include English class students in an appreciation for their state history. The website also posts videos of past Indiana Statehood Day competitions, historical documents, and trivia questions.

The third Friday of August marks Hawaii's celebration of its statehood. However, this day is marked with controversy since a large percentage of native Hawaiians lived there prior to 1959. According to the Time and Date website, in 2006, several native independence activists disrupted a Statehood Day celebration. The day, formerly known as Admission Day, is typically a quiet celebration due to its controversial nature. Leaders have announced that either the day should be more widely celebrated or stopped altogether. Studying this in more depth could provide a strong modern ethics debate topic.

It took Utah forty-seven years to be accepted as a state after it first applied. In the end, the process required the LDS church to declare that church members would no longer practice polygamy. Now Utah celebrates its Statehood Day with style in various cities. A newspaper article was published in the Deseret News on January 4, 2010, describing more particulars of Utah's historical celebrations.

Finally, Arizona celebrated its February 14th Statehood Day in 2010 at the Arizona State Capitol Museum. Students in grades seven through twelve entered writing samples in the Polly Rosenbaum writing contest. The winners were announced at the ceremony. The Arizona State Library website posted its program for historical purposes. However, other state leaders may wish to refer to the program for ideas on how to host its own Statehood Day celebration.

Whichever state students and teachers reside within, politics and history has influenced them as citizens. Public schools have been shaped primarily by state legislation. Honoring the history of one's state could lead to some excellent educational discourse.

Resources:
Michigan.gov
Indiana State Website
Time and Date Website
Deseret News
Arizona State Library