#10: March 2 – 8

March 2, 1904 – Dr. Seuss is Born

On March 2, 1904, a very special boy named Theodor Seuss Geisel was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. Little did anyone know, he would grow up to become the famous Dr. Seuss, the writer of some of the silliest, most wonderful books ever. He loved to draw funny pictures, make up goofy words, and create fanciful worlds filled with cats in hats, elephants who hear tiny voices, and Grinches who try to steal Christmas!

Fun fact
Dr. Seuss wasn’t really a doctor; he just added “Dr.” to his name for fun because his dad wanted him to be one. Instead of helping people feel better with medicine, he made people happy with his books.

March 3, 1931 – “The Star-Spangled Banner” Becomes the National Anthem

“The Star-Spangled Banner” officially became the national anthem of the United States. The song was written by Francis Scott Key in 1814 after he saw the American flag still flying after a big battle. He was so inspired that he wrote a poem about it, which later became the song we sing today. Before 1931, the U.S. didn’t have an official national anthem. Now, people sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at big events like sports games and celebrations to show their love for our country.

Fun Fact: The U.S. national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” has four verses, but we usually only sing the first one! Listen to Episode 147: The Story of the Star Spangled Banner.

March 4, 1861 – Abraham Lincoln Becomes President

On March 4, 1861, Abraham Lincoln became the 16th president of the United States. The country was divided, and a big war was about to start. Lincoln wanted to keep the nation together and bring peace. Even though the Civil War began soon after, he worked hard to end slavery and unite the country. Today, he is remembered as a great leader who changed history.

Fun Fact:  Abraham Lincoln was the tallest U.S. president, standing at 6 feet 4 inches. He also loved wearing a tall hat, where he sometimes kept important papers. Some people say he even used it as a portable filing cabinet! Listen to the Real Cool History for Kids episode about how Abraham Lincoln guided our nation at the beginning of the Civil War.

March 5, 1963 – Hula Hoop is Patented

On March 5, 1963, the Hula Hoop was officially patented. The Hula Hoop is a big, round plastic ring that people spin around their waist, arms, or legs by moving their body. It became super popular in the 1950s and 1960s, with millions of kids and adults having fun with it. Even though people have used hoops for fun and exercise for hundreds of years, this special plastic version was created by Arthur Melin, one of the founders of the toy company Wham-O. Today, Hula Hoops are still a fun way to play and stay active. 

Fun Fact: The longest recorded time for hula hooping is over 100 hours nonstop! You can listen to an episode about the history of another fun toy – the yo-yo – here!

March 8, 1928 – The First Seeing Eye Dog in America 

In 1928, a man named Morris Frank got a special dog named Buddy to help him get around because he was blind. Buddy was the first seeing eye dog in America. She helped Morris walk safely and do things on his own. People were amazed at how smart and helpful Buddy was. This led to more guide dogs being trained to help blind people, making life easier for them.

Fun Fact: Seeing eye dogs are so smart that they can do something called intelligent disobedience. This means if their owner tells them to walk forward but it’s not safe, the dog will refuse to move to protect them.