Most people like Presidents Day for having the day off of school. Others like it for its history. But what is this holiday all about?

“I like to learn new facts about presidents I didn’t know before,” said Mrs. Boyd, fifth grade reading teacher. 

It all started in the year 1885 when our very first president, George Washington’s birthday was made a federal holiday. Before that, in the year 1800, it was a remembrance to him following his death in the year 1799. About a century later in the year 1971, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act wanted more three day weekends for all the nations workers moving the holiday to February 3 on a Monday. They then called it President’s Day and when they did this, they also started to recognize our 16th president Abraham Lincoln’s birthday as well. This year, this holiday took place on Monday, February 21. 

This holiday is not just important for remembering Abraham Lincoln and George Washington but is also important to remember all the presidents on this day and what they have done for our country to make it great. For example, Franklin D. Roosevelt got us out of the Great Depression or Theodore Roosevelt helped make laws to protect and preserve the great outdoors. These are just a few.