Kids News - Social Studies for Kids

For all you middle-school presidents, secretaries and treasurers that aspire to lead the country some day, here is some encouraging news - Elise Stefanik, the youngest woman ever to be elected to the US Congress started the same way. The 30-year-old who defeated Democratic incumbent Aaron Woolf in New York's 21st Congressional District in the November 4th midterm elections, began her political career in sixth grade, as student council secretary....

Sunday, November 9th, marked the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, a barrier that had divided the city of Berlin and the country in two - democratic West Germany and communist-controlled East Germany. When the barrier was finally removed on November 9th, 1989, the decision was met with much joy and enthusiasm with more than two million East Berliners crossing over to the West, that weekend....

With a population of 156 million, Bangladesh ranks amongst the world's most populous nations. What makes the situation worse is that most of the country is situated on the low-lying Ganges delta, formed by the confluence of three major rivers - Ganges, Brahamputra and Meghna. As a result, it is highly susceptible to flooding especially during the rainy season from July to October, when the rivers rise as much as 12-feet, making many areas accessible only by boat....

Tuesday, November 11th, is Veterans Day - a special day set aside to pay tribute to the brave men and women of the armed forces who put their lives at risk to ensure that the rest of us can enjoy the freedom we often take for granted. These include members of the US Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and the Coast Guard....

No Halloween celebration would be complete without a peek at pumpkin carver extraordinaire Ray Villafane's incredible masterpieces. As has been the case for the past three years, the artist and his team of equally talented carvers, spent the weekend of October 18th and 19th at the New York Botanical Garden, transforming some of the world's largest pumpkins into scary zombies....

This weekend, marks the end of Daylight Saving Time. This means that on Sunday, November 2nd, most Americans will move their clocks back by an hour, adding an extra sixty minutes to do whatever they please....

Though there are numerous Halloween dog parades across the country, very few are as famous as the one held at New York City's Tompkins Square Park. Now in its 24th year, the annual pageant that doubles up as a fundraiser is one of the most competitive dog events in the world, with owners going through incredible efforts and expense to don their best friends in the most unique Halloween costumes....

With the death toll in West Africa rising to over 4,900 and new cases sprouting up daily, the World Health Organization estimates that it needs a billion dollars to train personnel, set up the required health facilities and obtain the necessary medical supplies to completely eradicate the deadly virus that has kept the world on edge for the last several months....

India is known for many colorful and fun festivals. But none are as popular as Diwali, a festival that spans over five-days and extends across many cultures and beliefs. It is therefore not surprising that the ancient observance, which is also referred to as Deepavali, (row of lights) is the biggest and most eagerly awaited of all Indian celebrations....