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Free Veterans Day Bell Ringer

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World War I, called “The Great War” back then, ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in France. But the fighting had actually stopped earlier, on November 11, 1918, when an armistice (a temporary stop to fighting) between the Allied nations and Germany began. That’s why November 11 is remembered as the day World War I ended.  In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson declared November 11 the first Armistice Day to honor those who fought and died in the war. People marked the day with parades, gatherings, and a pause in business at 11:00 a.m. In 1938, Congress made Armistice Day a national holiday to celebrate peace and honor World War I veterans.

After World War II and the Korean War, there were many more American veterans to honor. So, in 1954, Congress changed the name of the holiday from Armistice Day to Veterans Day to celebrate all U.S. veterans—from any war. President Dwight D. Eisenhower made the first Veterans Day proclamation that same year. Later, in 1968, a law was passed to move some holidays, including Veterans Day, to Mondays so workers could have three-day weekends. But this change caused confusion and wasn’t popular. So, in 1975, President Gerald Ford signed a law returning Veterans Day to its original date—November 11—starting in 1978.  Today, Veterans Day is celebrated every year on November 11, no matter what day of the week it falls on. It is a day to honor and thank all American veterans for their bravery, love of country, and service to protect our freedom.

 

Here is a FREE Bell Ringer to use in your class on Veterans Day: 

History of Veterans Day Bell Ringer

Free Bell Ringer on Constitutional & Absolute Monarchs

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A Constitutional Monarch is a king or queen whose power is limited by laws or a constitution. This means they must share power with a group, such as a parliament, that helps make decisions for the country. The ruler cannot do whatever they want; they have to follow the law in terms of what power they actually have as monarch. For example, King William III and Queen Mary II of England, who ruled from 1689 to 1702, agreed to the English Bill of Rights, which gave more power to Parliament and less to the monarchs. This created a government where the king and queen had to work with representative Members of Parliament instead of ruling alone. An Absolute Monarch is a ruler who has total control over their country. They make all the laws, command the army, and decide how people live without needing anyone’s permission. For example, King Louis XIV of France, who ruled in the 1642 to 1715, believed he was chosen by God by Divine Right to rule and that his word was law. He forced many Nobles to live in the Palace of Versailles to control them. Another example is Catherine the Great of Russia, who ruled from 1762 to 1796, expanded her empire and made important decisions by herself. She initially thought about freeing the serfs, peasants who worked lands they could never own, but went against this and crushed serf revolts against her rule. 

 

Here is the FREE Bell Ringer you can use in class!

FREE BELL RINGER: Absolute vs. Constitutional Monarchs

Free Bell Ringer on the Assassination of Henry the 4th

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Here is a FREE BELL RINGER to help teach this topic: Just click the link below: 

FREE Bell Ringer On Henry the 4th

During the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther asserted that the Catholic Church had drifted away from the message of Christianity and led many to split from the Catholic Faith. The Catholic Church disagreed with Luther and claimed he was the true agitator toward unity.  Luther’s followers formed Protestant Churches throughout Europe and taught the Bible alone was the sole authority for Christians, not the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. France was a Catholic nation and often experienced military engagement with Protestant factions. John Calvin was a Protestant theologian who gained a massive following in Europe and taught that God predestined who would be saved in the afterlife. In France, followers of Calvinist beliefs were called Huguenots. In 1572, the French government launched a brutal attack against the Huguenots known as the Saint Bartholomew’s Day Massacre. The Huguenots also attacked Catholics throughout France during these various conflicts. Yet, eventually, King Henry the 4th (1553-1610) of France determined to give religious freedom to the Huguenots. Through endorsing the Edict of Nantes (1598), France recognized the right of the Huguenots to worship as they wished. Due to his leniency toward the Huguenots, many Catholic factions saw Henry as a traitor to Catholicism. Numerous unsuccessful assassination attempts were made against him by these factions. Francois Ravaillac (1578-1610) assassinated Henry in 1610. Henry’s son, Louis the 13th, took over as monarch. Above is a depiction of the assassination of Henry the 4th.

 

Free Worksheet On The Scientific Revolution

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In the 1500s, many people believed that Earth was the center of the universe, an idea taught by ancient thinkers like Aristotle and Ptolemy. This belief, called the geocentric theory, said that the Sun, stars, and planets all moved around Earth. But during the Scientific Revolution, people started questioning these old ideas and began using observation and experiments to understand the world better. Nicolaus Copernicus suggested that the Sun, not Earth, was at the center of the solar system, which became known as the heliocentric theory. Later, Johannes Kepler used math to prove that planets move in oval-shaped paths around the Sun. Galileo used a telescope to observe space and discovered moons orbiting Jupiter, which showed that not everything revolves around Earth. Even though the Catholic Church disagreed and forced Galileo to say he was wrong, the new ideas about space kept spreading.

As more scientists looked to nature and tested their ideas, they began developing a process called the scientific method to solve problems. Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes were key thinkers who helped shape this method using observation and reason. Isaac Newton later explained gravity and showed that the universe worked according to natural laws, which he believed were created by God. Scientific discoveries grew in other areas too—like with the invention of the microscope and thermometer, which helped people see germs and measure temperature. Doctors like Andreas Vesalius studied the human body more closely, and Edward Jenner created the first vaccine to protect people from smallpox. These discoveries changed how humans understood both the Earth and themselves.

Here is a FREE WORKSHEET on the Scientific Revolution! Just click below. 

FREE WORKSHEET The Scientific Revolution

Free Wordsearch on Magellan

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Ferdinand Magellan was a famous explorer from Portugal who lived in the 1500s. He is best known for leading the first expedition to sail all the way around the world. Although he didn’t make it all the way himself, his crew completed the journey after he died. Magellan wanted to find a westward route to the Spice Islands, which were very valuable at the time. In 1519, he set sail with five ships and about 270 men. The trip was long and dangerous, and they faced storms, hunger, and even battles. Magellan was killed in the Philippines during a fight with local people. Still, when one of his ships reached the port from where it started, it became the first ship to circumnavigate the globe. 

 

Here is a FREE WORDSEARCH to use in class on the topic! 

FREE Magellan Wordsearch