by Madison Moench
(Edited by: Abbie, MIKE, arren)
Officially known as Washington’s Birthday, Presidents’ Day is a widely celebrated federal holiday that happens every 3rd Monday of February. However, have you ever wondered why America celebrates Presidents Day on the 3rd Monday in February rather than on the 22nd of February, Washington’s actual birthday?
The first President of the United States, George Washington, was born on the 11th of February in 1731. Due to the Julian calendar being used by the British Empire at the time, Washington changed his birthday to the 22nd of February 1732 in 1752 when the British Empire switched to the Gregorian calendar.
It wasn’t until the 31st of January 1879 when, in the 3rd session of the 45th Congress of the United States, an act to amend section 993 of the Revised Statutes of the United States declared George Washington’s Gregorian calendar birthday, the 22nd of February, a holiday to the workers in the District of Columbia. This act was later expanded in 1885 by the 48th Congress in their 2nd session so that all other on-duty Government employees celebrated the holiday.
Then on January 1st, 1971, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act moved the holiday to the 3rd Monday in February, making it impossible for the holiday to take place on Washington’s actual birthday. Despite an early draft of the Act calling to change the name of the holiday to “Presidents’ Day,” the proposal of this name change failed and the name officially remained as “Washington’s Birthday.”
Even though the holiday was never named after Abraham Lincoln officially, many people also celebrate his birthday as part of the holiday thanks to his contributions during the Civil War.