Project Gutenberg 2005-02-22 Public domain in the USA. 171 Schauffler, Robert Haven 1879 1964 Washington's Birthday : $b its history, observance, spirit, and significance as related in prose and verse, with a selection from Washington's speeches and writings Our American holidays E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Charlene Taylor, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net) in commemoration of Washington's Birthday, February 22, 2005 "Washington's Birthday: Its History, Observance, Spirit, and Significance" edited by Robert Haven Schauffler is a historical account written in the early 20th century. The book explores the celebration of George Washington's birthday as a pivotal American holiday, assessing its historical and cultural contexts. It highlights the evolution of public perception of Washington, transitioning from a distant hero to a relatable, flawed individual, while also examining the significance of his legacy and the way it has been commemorated over the years. The opening of this work sets the stage for a nuanced portrayal of George Washington, emphasizing a shift in how Americans view him—from a venerated, almost mythic figure to a more humanized character marked by humor and fallibility. The text discusses the early celebrations of Washington's birthday, revealing how they were initially vibrant and full of love for the man, contrasting sharply with the modern sidelining of such displays into mere formalities. The preface encourages readers to appreciate Washington not just as a historic icon, but as a person whose actions and character had deep impacts on the American ethos, inviting them to reflect on the deeper emotional significance behind the observance of his birthday. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 54.0 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read. en Washington, George, 1732-1799 -- Anniversaries, etc. E300 Text Category: History - Other Category: History - American 623341 2025-07-06T12:35:38.979459 text/html 580290 2020-12-14T04:50:07 text/html 314180 2025-07-06T12:35:53.881374 application/epub+zip 322505 2025-07-06T12:35:43.978485 application/epub+zip 271805 2025-07-06T12:35:41.959465 application/epub+zip 600485 2025-07-06T12:35:59.777436 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 529412 2025-07-06T12:35:51.910429 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 382430 2022-09-07T20:08:32.126298 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 466952 2025-07-06T12:35:36.930505 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 466444 2020-12-14T04:50:07 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 466461 2020-12-14T04:50:07 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 21173 2025-07-06T12:35:59.936396 application/rdf+xml 15109 2025-07-06T12:35:42.515460 image/jpeg 3446 2025-07-06T12:35:42.237483 image/jpeg 178907 2020-12-14T04:50:07 application/octet-stream application/zip 193022 2020-12-14T04:50:07 application/octet-stream application/zip 178893 2020-12-14T04:50:07 application/octet-stream application/zip 301488 2025-07-06T12:35:39.019526 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia