Hi Puzzlers,
Yesterday was Election Day and I am happy to report I did my civic duty and cast my vote. I am one of those people who always drag their kids with them so they can see the election process first hand. On the drive over my daughter started asking all kinds of questions regarding Election Day. Why is it always held in November on a Tuesday? When did women get to vote? Why do I have to be 18 to vote? (Oh no, having a flash back from the “Need to Know Everything” post). So began my search for the answers and here is what I found.
November was the perfect month for young America. During this time American society was mostly agrarian, which meant that by November farmers would have already finished up with the fall harvest and November was early enough to avoid any major winter storms.
Tuesday was chosen because people traveled long distances by horse and buggy to get to the polls. Sunday could not be used as a travel day because it would interfere with church services. The first day of the month could not be used as most businesses did their end of the month work on the first of each month. Also, November 1st is All Saints Day, a Roman Catholic holy day of obligation and Wednesday was when most towns had their farmers’ market.
Yesterday was Election Day and I am happy to report I did my civic duty and cast my vote. I am one of those people who always drag their kids with them so they can see the election process first hand. On the drive over my daughter started asking all kinds of questions regarding Election Day. Why is it always held in November on a Tuesday? When did women get to vote? Why do I have to be 18 to vote? (Oh no, having a flash back from the “Need to Know Everything” post). So began my search for the answers and here is what I found.
November was the perfect month for young America. During this time American society was mostly agrarian, which meant that by November farmers would have already finished up with the fall harvest and November was early enough to avoid any major winter storms.
Tuesday was chosen because people traveled long distances by horse and buggy to get to the polls. Sunday could not be used as a travel day because it would interfere with church services. The first day of the month could not be used as most businesses did their end of the month work on the first of each month. Also, November 1st is All Saints Day, a Roman Catholic holy day of obligation and Wednesday was when most towns had their farmers’ market.
“In colonial times, New Jersey permitted women to vote but that right was subsequently taken away. In 1869 Wyoming gave women the right to vote. By 1914, all states west of the Rockies, except New Mexico, had adopted full suffrage. Finally in 1920, the 19th Amendment gave all women the right to vote.”
The legal voting age was changed from 21 to 18 in 1971. Young people at this time were being drafted into the Vietnam War and campaigned rigorously to change it: “old enough to fight, old enough to vote.”
WOW! America definitely has some great history!
Happy Puzzling!
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