Kids News - Social Studies for Kids

Hispanic Heritage Month is marked annually in the United States from September 15 to October 15. This national celebration began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week. It was expanded to cover an entire month in 1988. The observance honors the histories, cultures, and contributions of Hispanic and Latin-American communities. This includes those whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America....

For non-believers, Friday, September 13, 2024, will simply mark the start of a well-deserved weekend. However, others may not share this sentiment. Millions of people worldwide consider Friday the 13th the unluckiest day of the year. The origins of the day's fearsome reputation remain unclear, but experts have some theories....

September 11, 2001, began as a serene autumn morning in New York City. However, within a few hours, this tranquility was shattered by the deadliest terrorist attacks in US history. This unprovoked act of violence was planned and executed by members of the Islamic extremist organization al-Qaeda. The tragedy resulted in the deaths of 2,977 innocent people and altered life as we knew it forever....

North America's Great Lakes — Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario — were once a hub of maritime activity. Thousands of ships used the inland waterways to move cargo and passengers between cities. Among them was the Adella Shores, a wooden steamship that mysteriously vanished in the icy waters of Lake Superior in May 1909....

On August 22, 2024, Lucara Diamond revealed the discovery of a massive 2,492-carat diamond in Botswana. The gemstone is the second biggest one ever found and the largest one found in the Southern African nation. The largest diamond discovered to date is the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond. It was found in South Africa in 1905....

In AD 79, Mount Vesuvius erupted, burying the city of Pompeii and nearby areas in thick volcanic ash. Among them was Herculaneum, a small seaside resort on the west coast of central Italy. Nearly 2,000 years later, the ancient city's beach has been excavated and restored. It was opened to the public on June 19, 2024....

Archaeologists have found 35 glass bottles dating back to the 18th century in George Washington's Mount Vernon home. Twenty-nine bottles were intact and contained perfectly preserved cherries and berries, likely gooseberries or currants. The exciting discovery, announced on June 13, 2024, was made during the excavation of six storage pits in the cellar. The exercise is part of a $40 million revitalization project to preserve the historic Virginia mansion for future generations....

US Vice President Kamala Harris was formally certified as the Democratic Party's presidential nominee for the November election on August 6, 2024. The 59-year-old emerged as the top contender on July 21, 2024, after President Joe Biden decided not to seek a second term. Notably, Harris is the first Black and South Asian woman to be nominated for president by a major political party....

On July 31, 2022, Jessin Fisher (10), his brother Liam (7), and cousin Kaiden Madsen (9) went fossil-hunting in the Hell Creek Formation in the North Dakota Badlands. The area is rich in dinosaur bones, and the trio hoped to find a few. Little did they know that they were about to stumble upon one of only a handful of juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex (T. rex) skeletons ever found!...