Hey, did you know April is the best time to watch shooting stars in the sky? It’s because of the nice weather and the Easter celebrations happening around this time. Do you want to learn more about why April is so special? Let’s look at its history and entertaining facts!
- We know this is the fourth month of the year, according to the calendar we use today, called the Gregorian calendar. In the past, it was the fifth month in another calendar called the Julian calendar.
- April used to have just 29 days, but Julius Caesar added a 30th day when he created the Julian calendar.
- April gets its name from the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite.
- The word “April” originally came from “Aprilis,” which means to open up. It’s believed that it refers to the time when trees and flowers start to bloom.
- Small animals that sleep through the winter in the Northern Hemisphere start waking up and coming out of their homes in April.
- April is when birds fly to the north and find homes for the summer to have babies.
- Bees and butterflies start collecting nectar from the first flowers of the season.
- Some locations begin planting crops in April, while others are harvesting. April is also known as Humor Month, so now is a great time to chuckle!
- If you’re born in April, your birthstone is the diamond. The zodiac signs for April are Aries (March 21 – April 19) and Taurus (April 20 – May 20).
- The birth flowers for April are the sweet pea and the daisy.
- In April, many famous people were born, like Leonardo da Vinci, Shakespeare, and Queen Elizabeth II.
- On April 14, 1912, the big Titanic ship crashed into ice and sank on its first journey.
- On April 30, 1789, George Washington became the first President of the United States.
- Long ago, in Ancient Rome, April was special for the goddess Venus.
- April 1st is referred to as April Fools Day. Nobody knows precisely where it originated, however some believe it originates from Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Nun’s Priest’s Tale.”
- On April 11, 1970, Apollo 13 was launched but faced problems two days later. That’s when the famous line “Houston, we’ve had a problem here” was said, though people often say it a bit wrong today.
- After a 1,500-year a break, the first modern Olympics were held on April 6, 1896, in Athens.
- On April 26, 1986, the Chernobyl nuclear power facility in Ukraine exploded, forcing everyone within 300 miles to evacuate their homes.
- Ford showed off their first Mustang on April 17, 1964, priced at $2,368.
- The first battle of the Revolutionary War, Lexington and Concord, began on April 19, 1775.
- NASA informed us about America’s first spacemen on April 9, 1959.
- Noah Webster got the first Webster Dictionary’s rights on April 14, 1828.
- The United States Library of Congress started on April 24, 1800.
- Our first President, George Washington, began his job on April 30, 1789.
- Cassia fistula, which is also known as The Golden Shower Tree, Indian Laburnum or Kanikonna, blooms in April. It grows naturally in India and Southeast Asia, and it’s Kerala’s official state flower.
April isn’t just about April Fool’s Day; there’s more to it! It’s a pleasant day, for sure, but April rains are unique. Remember that when it rains in April, it produces flowers in May! So, if April’s rain makes you feel down, know that there’s always something nice coming your way!
