#9: February 23 – March 1

February 23, 1945 – Soldiers Raise the American Flag on Iwo Jima

During World War II, American soldiers were in a big battle on an island called Iwo Jima. After a hard fight, six brave Marines climbed a tall hill and raised the American flag. A photographer took a picture of them, and it became one of the most famous photos ever! Today, there’s a statue of it in Washington, D.C. Listen to Episode 47: The War in the Pacific (this episode covers the Battle of Iwo Jima).

Fun fact: The famous Iwo Jima flag-raising was actually the second one that day! The first flag was too small, so they replaced it with a bigger one. 

February 26, 1919 – The Grand Canyon Becomes a National Park

Have you ever seen a super deep and colorful canyon? The Grand Canyon is so huge that it could fit 1,000 football fields across! On this day, it became a national park so everyone could visit and enjoy its beauty. People love hiking there, riding donkeys down the trails, and even rafting in the river at the bottom!

Fun fact: There are over 1,000 caves in the Grand Canyon, but only 335 have been documented. The Cave of the Domes is the only cave open to visitors. 

February 28, 1849 – The First Gold Seekers Arrive in California

Long ago, people heard that gold was found in California, and thousands of people rushed there, hoping to get rich. These people were called “forty-niners” because many arrived in 1849. They used shovels, pans, and even their hands to dig for gold in rivers and mountains. This event was called the California Gold Rush, and it helped California grow into a big and important state!

Fun fact: During the California Gold Rush, over 300,000 people traveled to California from all over the world to find gold.

February 28, 1953 – DNA Discovery 

Scientists James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the double-helix structure of DNA.  This amazing find helped scientists understand how traits are passed from parents to children and led to many important medical discoveries!

Fun fact: Did you know that if you stretched out all the DNA in your body, it could reach the sun and back 600 times? DNA is super tiny, but there’s so much of it packed inside your cells. Charles Darwin did not know about DNA when he came up with his theory of evolution. HERE IS AN INTERESTING BOOK ALL ABOUT DNA!

March 1, 1872 – Yellowstone Becomes the First National Park

Yellowstone was the first national park in the world! It has bears, bison, waterfalls, and a famous geyser called Old Faithful, which shoots water high into the sky about every 90 minutes. People travel from all over to see the park’s amazing nature.

Fun fact: Yellowstone is home to the largest hot spring in the U.S., called the Grand Prismatic Spring! It has bright rainbow colors because of tiny microbes living in the hot water.