Social Science Questions & Answers

On June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed legislation that had been rushed through Congress, declaring Labor Day a national holiday, to be observed the first Monday in September. When did Congress vote Labour Day a federal holiday? Since 1883, Labor Day had been celebrated at local and state levels. Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the …

International Workers’ Day is the big celebration on the world level and it is celebrated to commemorate the 4th of May of 1886, the Haymarket affair (Haymarket Massacre) in the Chicago. It is the big event of that year when workers were on the general strike for their eight-hour workday and police were doing their job of dispersing the general …

Which state first granted Labour Day legal status as holiday? Oregon passed on February 21, 1887 the first legislation in the country to officially recognize the “workingman’s holiday”. Labor Day was first celebrated five years earlier, on Tuesday, September 5, 1882 in New York City. The Central Labor Union urged other labor organizations to recognize the holiday, which was moved …

Why France celebrate Labour Day or May Day? Strangely enough, it started in the USA. On 1 May 1886 American Labor Unions organized a strike in favor of limiting working hours to an eight-hour day. In 1889 the 2nd Socialist International decided to may May 1st a special day for demonstrations. But it was a right-wing government that consolidated the …

When will the Earth die? As you have already seen, the very existence of the Earth, and all the other planets in the solar system, depends upon the Sun. You have seen how the Sun provides enormous amounts of energy by the change of the gas hydrogen into the gas helium. But as with any other ‘engine’ the fuel, that …

Animals first appeared on earth about 430 million years ago, but did not begin to resemble the ones we know today until 360 million years later. Sharks however were already abundant about 340 million years ago. It seems that the first land animals were insects such as scorpions and millipedes. But they were greatly different from today’s insects. Next to …

Vishwamitra (विश्वामित्र) was the guru of Lord Rama. He took prince Rama and Lakshmana to forest for the protection of Yagna. There after, he lead them to Mithila*, to participate in the Swayamvaram of Sita Devi. Lord Rama successfully lifted the Shiva Danushu and married Sita Devi. Sage Vishwamitra was son of King Gadhi. His original name was Kaushika. King …

Vibhishana (विभीषण) is a significant character in the epic Ramayana, who served Rama during the fight of Rama and Ravana though he was the brother of Ravana, the king of Lanka. Although Vibhishana was born in Rakshasa dynasty he was a noble character. Vibhishana was against the kidnapping and abduction of Sita. He advised his elder brother Ravana to return …

Parshvanath or Parshvanatha was the twenty-third Tirthankara (fordmaker) in Jainism. He is the earliest Jain leader generally accepted as a historical figure. He was a nobleman belonging to the Kshatriya caste. Parshvanath is also known as Appandai or Appandainathar. He lived a life of a nobleman for 30 years and was never married, before he renounced the world to become …

Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes pacifism and a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state of supreme being is called Jina (Conqueror or Victor). Jainism is also …