20 Whacky P-Day Facts

Source 1: National Parks Foundation — This source is reputable because it included an author and is also run and conducted by the U.S. government so you expect that work to be accurate. Sometimes.

1. Holiday was established in 1885 in honor of President George Washington’s Birthday.
2. President’s Day is still referred to as Washington’s Birthday by the U.S. federal government.
3. Washington’s birthday is February 22, 1732
4. Thanks to the 1968 Uniform Monday Holiday Act, Presidents Day is celebrated on the third Monday in February.

Source 2: Ducksters —This source was largely reputable simply because it included a works cited that showed where all information was derived from.

1. Many states refer to it as President’s Day, but some still call it Washington’s Birthday.
2. Lincoln’s birthday is also around the same time.
3. Lincoln’s birthday was celebrated in many states, but it was never an official federal holiday.

Source 3: Britannica — This is easily the most credible source I used just due to its big name and its reputation. An editor and an author are included to fact check.

1. In 1968 Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill, which moved a number of federal holidays to Mondays.
2. This change was intended to allow American workers a number of three-day weekends throughout the year.
3. The name was changed due in part to store’s wanting to use President’s Day marketability.
4. Presidents’ Day is sometimes considered to be a celebration of all U.S. presidents.
5. Presidents’ Day is usually marked by public ceremonies in Washington, D.C., and throughout the country.

Source 4: SoftSchools — This site is solid because it is so vast and used widely as a teacher’s aid. Registration is required to download which adds credibility and its popularity in schools speaks or its credibility.

1. George Washington was the first president of the U.S.
2. In the 1700s, George Washington’s birthday was celebrated while he was still alive.
3. Washington was born in 1732 and died in 1799.
4. Washington was president from 1789–1797.
5. Retailers use Presidents’ Day as a day to sell off old stock.
6. Schools often organize lessons and other activities for their students in the days leading up to the holiday.
7. Cherries are very popular when making desserts for celebrating George Washington’s birthday.

Source 5: OfficeHolidays — I determined this as a viable source after seeing a lot of the information duplicated on multiple sites. They also have a large following over various social media and have been referenced in other articles.

1. Four presidents were born during February: Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, George Washington, and William Harrison.