Kids News - Social Studies for Kids

After years of intense public pushback, the now-shuttered Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus finally announced the retirement of their Asian elephant performers in 2016. While the decision was a resounding victory for animal lovers and activists, it raised a new issue. The mighty pachyderms were raised in captivity and lacked the skills to survive in the wild. Now, thanks to Florida-based White Oak Conservation, the animals have a new home — one where they can roam freely....

National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed annually in the US from September 15th to October 15th. The event honors the histories, cultures, and contributions of American Latinx and Hispanic communities. This includes all residents from — or descendants of someone from — Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. The commemoration began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week. It was expanded to a month by President Ronald Reagan in 1988....

The 2021 US Open Women's Singles final between 18-year-old Emma Raducanu and 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez was one of the most anticipated Grand Slam tournaments in recent history. It was the first all-teenage final since the 1999 US Open and the first major final — men or women — since 1968 to feature two unranked players....

The pandemic-delayed Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, which took place from Aug. 24 to Sept. 5, 2021, attracted a record number of competitors. A total of 4,403 athletes — 2,550 male and 1,853 female — competed across 22 sports and 23 disciplines. Here are a handful of the incredible men and women whose determination and grit shattered stereotypes and exhibited the amazing opportunities that can come from following your dreams....

The longest war in American history has ended. On August 31, 2021, a US aircraft carrying the remaining US officials in Afghanistan lifted off from Kabul, ending the nation's almost 20-year presence in the country. The chain of events leading to the long, drawn-out war began early on September 11, 2001....

Rosh Hashanah, or Jewish New Year, will be celebrated from sundown on September 6, 2021, through sundown on September 8, 2021. The two-day observance, which starts on the first day of Tishrei — the seventh month on the Jewish calendar — commemorates the creation of the world....

Snipping off the sides of an acclaimed painting to fit an assigned space would be unheard of in modern times. But that is exactly what was done to one of Rembrandt van Rijn's most famous works, The Night Watch, almost 300 years ago. Now, Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum has finally managed to restore the painting to its original glory with the help of artificial intelligence (AI)....

For most people, Friday the 13th is just another day on the calendar. However, for the superstitious, it is the unluckiest day of the year. The irrational fear of Friday the 13th is called friggatriskaidekaphobia. It affects over twenty million people in the US and many more worldwide. Some of the anxiety can be blamed on the namesake movie series. However, the day's bad reputation began long before the film's hockey-masked villain, Jason Voorhees, made his debut in 1980....

Graphic novel lovers rejoice! Saturday, August 14, 2021, is Free Comic Book Day (FCBD). This means you can walk into any one of the 2300+ participating retailers and obtain a copy, or two, of the 50 comic books specially published for the event for free! The annual celebration usually takes place on the first Saturday in May. However, this year it was postponed to August due to the COVID-19 pandemic....