August is the eighth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. August begins (astrologically) with the sun in the sign of Leo and ends in the sign of Virgo. Astronomically speaking, the sun begins in the constellation of Cancer and ends in the constellation of Leo.
This month was originally named Sextilis in Latin, because it was the sixth month in the ancient Roman calendar, which started in March about 750 BC under Romulus. It became the eighth month either when January and February were added to the beginning of the year by King Numa Pompilius about 700 BC or when those two months were moved from the end to the beginning of the year by the decemvirs about 450 BC (Roman writers disagree). It was renamed in honor of Augustus in 8 BC because several of the most significant events in his rise to power, culminating in the fall of Alexandria, which fell in this month. Lore claims August originally had 29 days in the Roman Republican calendar. Augustus took two days from February and gave it to August when Sextilis was renamed in his honor. See Month lengths how this commonly believed lore was proven wrong. August is the only month without a major (common religious or federal official) holiday in the United States.
August's flower is the gladiolus or poppy, and its birthstone is the peridot.
Other names
- In Croatian, the month is called kolovoz
- In Dhivehi, the month is called Augastu
- In Dutch and Hungarian the month is called Augustus
- In Finnish, the month is called elokuu, meaning "month of reaping" or literally, "month of life".
- In French, the month is called août derived from the Latin augustus.
- In Greek, the month is called Augoustos (Αύγουστος')
- In Irish, August is known as Lúnasa, a modern rendition of Lughnasadh, from the god Lugh.The first Monday in August is a holiday in the Republic of Ireland.
- In Japanese, the month is called hachigatsu (八月), meaning, simply, "eighth month."
- In Latvian, the month is called Augusts
- In Lithuanian, the month is called rugpjūtis
- In Polish, the month is called sierpień, meaning "month of sickle".
- In Portuguese, Spanish and Italian, the month is called agosto.
- In Romanian, the month is called august
- In Russian, the month is called Avgust (Авгуcт)
- In Swedish, the month is named augusti, literally plural of the Latin augustus - "the venerable".
- In Welsh, the month is called Awst
Events in August
August, from the
Très riches heures du duc de Berry
- In the pagan wheel of the year August begins at or near Lughnasadh in the northern hemisphere and Imbolc in the southern hemisphere.
- Some of Ireland's most famous battles have been fought in this month. They include: the Second Battle of Athenry (1316); the battle of Knockdoe (1504); the Battle of the Yellow Ford (1596); the First Battle of Curlew Pass (1599); the Battle of Dungans Hill (1647); the Battle of Castlebar (1798), and the Battle of the Bogside (1969).
- August 1, Swiss National Day, a public holiday in Switzerland
- August 4, 1944 Anne Frank was discovered by the Schutzstaffel in Germany.
- August 6, 1825 Bolivia's independance day.
- August 6, 1806 Emperor Francis II of the Holy Roman Empire lays down the Roman Imperial Crown and renounces all claims on this throne.
- August 6 National Salvadoran-American Day in the United States.
- In 1945 the end of the Second World War was brought about following the August 6 bombing of Hiroshima and August 9 bombing of Nagasaki in the first and only use of nuclear weapons against people. Emperor Hirohito declared Japan's unconditional surrender on August 15.
- August 9, 1329 Quilon was erected the first Indian Diocese by Pope John XXII.
- August 9, 1965 Singapore separated from the Federation of Malaysia and became independent.
- August 10, 1822 Ecuador became an independent country.
- August 14, 2003 United States the Northeast Blackout of 2003 occurred.
- August 14, 1947 Pakistan became independent (included East Bengal region as a whole).
- August 15, Catholic, Feast of the Assumption
- August 15, 1769 Corsica, birth of Napoleon Bonaparte
- August 15, 1945 Korea became an independent country.
- August 15, 1947 India became an independent country.
- August 17, 1945 Indonesia became an independent country.
- August 19, 1945 Vietnam's August Revolution succeeded.
- August 20, 1083 Hungary's Saint Stephen canonized (1001 CE), thus becoming the first of the canonized confessor kings. St. Stephen's day is a national holiday in Hungary as well as an observed holiday for many Hungarian-Americans and other Hungarians around the world.
- August 21, 1959 Hawaii became the 50th state of the United States of America. The third Friday of August was designated Statehood Day, a state holiday.
- August 21, 1983 Philippine senator Benigno Aquino, Jr., was assassinated as he was descending the tarmac of the Manila International Airport (now renamed Ninoy Aquino International Airport). His death is regarded as the catalyst of the EDSA Revolution of 1986
- August 22, 1999 In Botswana, Yaronafm has its first broadcast in the capital city of Botswana.
- August 25, 1825 Uruguay became independent from Brazil.
- August 31, 1957 Malaysia became an independent country.
Monthlong events in August
- Edinburgh Festival is an internationally famous arts festival that takes place during August
- National Immunization Awareness Month
- National Psoriasis Awareness Month
- Women's Small Business Month
- In many European countries, August is the holiday month for most workers
- The Philippines celebrates August as the Buwan ng Wika ("Language Month")
- In the United States, August is National Back to School month. Some US School districts and systems return to school in August.
Weeklong events in August
Other August Events
- Twins Day celebration in Twinsburg, Ohio. The first celebration of Twins Day occurred in 1975 with twins from Ohio and surrounding states. This event today brings twins from all over the world. Twins from France, Japan, and other coutries in Asia have come to this event. The French newspaper Le Monde, television reporters from Qatar-based Al Jazeera to the BBC cover this event.
- High School fall sports practices and band practices begin across the United States.
Daily events in August
Last Sunday
- The Philippines celebrates National Heroes Day in commemoration of the First Cry of the Philippine Revolution on August 23, 1896.
Corresponding months
- In common years, no other month begins on the same day of the week as August. In leap years, however, February does.
Further reading
