By Megan Lardie
November brings us Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving Day. It also brings Election Day in the United States. This year Election Day is on Tuesday, November 7th.
I am sure you have started to see election signs in yards around your neighborhood and countless commercials on the television. Some of you may be lucky enough to have the day off school because your building is used as a polling site!
Why Tuesday? It goes back to the farmers. In the 1800s, most citizens were farmers and lived very far from their polling place. It often took people at least a day to get to their polling place (remember, the car had not been invented yet), so lawmakers felt they needed to allow a two-day window for Election Day.
Sundays were church days and Wednesdays were market days for farmers. This is how Tuesday was decided. Americans have been voting on Tuesday since 1845, when a federal law was passed to make the first Tuesday following the first Monday Election Day. Before this law, states could hold elections any day they wanted if it was within a 34-day period before the first Wednesday in December.
And why November? Again, because of the farmers. Spring and early summer are the planting seasons, and late summer and early fall are when the crops are harvested. So early November was picked so that Election Day would be after the harvest but before the harsh winter weather.
Who is allowed to vote has changed several times during American history. At first, only white male landowners were allowed to vote and be elected to hold office. Since the first election in 1789, amendments (changes) have been made to include more people in the voting process.
In the United States, you need to be 18 years old and a U.S. citizen to vote. It is so important to exercise your right to vote! It is a privilege that many others around the world do not have.
In The Republic of Ireland, voting is very simple. It chooses its leaders through a system called Proportional Representation with a Single Transferable Vote. Voters are handed a ballot with the names, faces, and political parties of all candidates running for election.
The voter just puts a 1 next to their favorite, a 2 next to the next favorite, and continues down the ballot. It is fairer than how voting takes place in the United States.
Note: Last November, I wrote about Daylight Savings time. Unfortunately, the Sunshine Protection Act has not been passed, so we will keep changing our clocks in the fall and spring for the foreseeable future!
Kids in the Kitchen Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Ingredients
· ½ lb Bacon cut into bit sized pieces
· 2 large carrots diced
· 3 celery stalks diced
· 1 medium onion diced
· ⅓ cup butter
· 4 garlic cloves minced
· ⅓ cup flour
· 3 cups chicken stock
· 4 cups milk
· 8 ounces cream cheese cut into cubes
· 5 large Russet potatoes cut into small cubes
· 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese plus more for garnish
· salt and pepper to taste
green onions
Directions
- In a large pot on medium heat cook bacon until crispy, remove and drain on paper towels. Set aside for garnish
- In the same pot, toss all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease and add carrots, onions, and celery and cook for 5 minutes or just until softened.
- Add butter and garlic and melt on low heat, add flour, and cook for 1 minute whisking constantly to cook the flour just a bit.
- Stir in the chicken stock, milk, and cream cheese, and add the diced potatoes. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Add in the cheddar cheese and add more salt for taste if needed.
- Serve hot and top with more cheese, bacon, and green onions.
Literature Corner
For Which We Stand
By Jeff Foster
If you have ever wanted a book that explains our government in a way that you can understand, give this a read. It answers all your questions like: What exactly is the Electoral College? Who can vote? What is the Constitution? Why was the Declaration of Independence written?
This book, written by a teacher, gives the complete backstory on how our government works and how people have worked with and protested our government to improve the lives of all American citizens. For ages 8-12
If You Go with Your Goat to Vote
By Jan Zauzmer
What happens when you go with your grown-up to vote? This shows young children what to expect on Election Day and hopefully inspires them to always have their voice heard. For ages 2-5, 32 pages.
Q. What happened when Ben Franklin told a joke to the Liberty Bell?
A. It cracked it up.
Q. What did they say when they saw Abraham Lincoln in line at the polling place?
A. You look great for your age!
Effort
Nothing is done without effort = T
Ada gan iarracht (pron: taw-dah gonn ear-ock)
See this and all of Megan’s Kid’s Craic Columns Here:
Speech by Mary Lou McDonald at “Preserving Our Past, Rising to Our Future” Moore St conference
Megan Lardie
*Megan is a Reading Intervention educator with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. She has a BA from Hiram College and BA+ from Ashland University. She resides in Avon Lake with her husband, Joe, and their five children. She can be reached at [email protected].
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