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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

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.