Bom Jesus dos Navegantes

In Salvador, Brazil, the festival known as Bom Jesus dos Navegantes is celebrated on New Year’s Day. A procession of small boats decorated with flags and streamers carries a statue of the Lord Jesus of Seafarers from the main harbor to the outlying beach of Boa Viagem. Thousands of spectators line Salvador’s beaches to catch a glimpse of the spectacle. According to legend, sailors participating in the event will never die by drowning. A similar procession takes place on the same day in Angra dos Reis, 90 miles south of Rio de Janeiro. Discuss

Betsy Ross (1752)

According to legend, Ross was visited in 1776 by George Washington, Robert Morris, and her husband’s uncle, George Ross, and asked to make a flag for the new nation based on a sketch by Washington. Although Ross made flags during the American Revolution and was the official flag maker for the Pennsylvania Navy, the long-accepted story that she designed and made the first US flag—the Stars and Stripes—is generally discredited. Who first publicized the story of Ross making the flag? Discuss

Man O' War

Man o’ War, a large, reddish-colored colt, was owned and bred by August Belmont, Jr. The colt raced for only 2 years, but in that short time, he won 20 out of his 21 races and set five world records. One of the most renowned stallions in the history of American thoroughbred racing, Man o’ War went on to become a leading sire, producing more than 64 stakes winners and 200 champions. What was Man O’ War’s relationship to Seabiscuit? Discuss