#1 August was once the sixth month of the year. In the original ten-month Roman calendar, the month went by the name of Sextilis, meaning “the sixth month” in Latin. It wasn’t until around 700BC that August was rudely shoved back in the order of months when January and February were added to the beginning of the year by King Numa Pompilius.
#2 August has also changed its number of days multiple times. In the ten-month Roman calendar, the months all had either 30 or 31 days, totaling 304 days in the year. Not only did Pompilius add January and February to the calendar, but he also reduced the number of days in August down to 29. It wasn’t until Julius Caesar introduced the Julian calendar that it was left with 31 days, and it’s stayed the same ever since!
#3 August is also a little bit unique, most of the time at least. In a standard year, there is no other month that begins on the same day of the week as August. In a leap year however, August begins on the same day of the week as February.
#4 Many countries in Europe see August as a holiday period. So much so in fact, that you’ll find major European cities such as Paris almost completely empty of locals. Don’t get your hopes up too much though, these cities are still packed full of tourists at this time of year!
#5 In the northern hemisphere, August is considered to be the last month of summer. In the southern hemisphere, it’s the opposite of course, so it’s the last of the winter months!
#6 Back in the days of the Anglo-Saxons the month was called Weod Monath. Its translation of “weed month” is quite literal – in this month weeds and other plants grow the fastest in the northern hemisphere.
#7 On the 1st of August Lammas day is celebrated as the first day of harvest in the UK. Traditionally it was the day in which harvested wheat would be baked into bread and given to the church. The bread was used as the Communion bread for a special mass to celebrate the beginning of the harvest. This tradition ended when Henry XIII broke away from the Catholic Church.
#8 On the 6th of August 1762 the first-ever sandwich was created, at least with such a name. It was named after the Earl of Sandwich when he requested a dish involving meat between two pieces of bread. As the story goes, he requested it as he was in the middle of a gambling game and didn’t want to interrupt it.
Those born in August are brought into this world under one of two star signs. If you were born before #9 the 22nd of August, you’re considered to be a Leo. If you’re born on the 23rd or later, you’re a Virgo. Leos are said to be very proud people who display great leadership. Virgos, on the other hand, are analytical and hardworking people, while still being kind and loyal.
#10August was a big month for the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. It was on the 28th of August 1963 that Martin Luther King Jr gave his famous “I have a dream” speech to 250,000 people on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. Considered to be one of the most iconic speeches in the history of the US, King’s speech called for the end of racial discrimination and for equal rights to all.
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