To most Americans, summer includes swimming, sand, sun, and overall good time fun. It’s also the season packed with patriotic holidays. Though summer doesn’t officially begin until June 21st, the majority of us bookend the season with two such holidays. Memorial Day kicks it off at the end of May, signaling to kids all across the country that the summer vacation will soon commence. In early September, Labor Day serves as the last hurrah for barbeques, campfires, and, thankfully, mosquitoes. In between, the mid-summer blowout of the Fourth of July is celebrated. Fireworks explode high up in the dark night sky as the country joins in shouting “Happy Birthday!” to America. In this post, we’ll tell you about the origins of these hallmarks of summer — and, more importantly, our country’s history — and how they’ve been celebrated over time.
From Cherry Trees to Giant Pandas: Gifts to the United States
symbolic gestures of friendship and used to solidify relationships—not just between heads of state or government officials, but also from the people of one country to the people of another. America’s Founding Fathers tried to ban the practice of accepting gifts from foreign entities, viewing them as a corrupting influence on diplomacy. The Articles of Incorporation strictly prohibited gifts from being accepted by government representatives, while the U.S. Constitution states that gifts can be received so long as Congress approves:
Reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act
As members of the Defense Research Institute (DRI), we recently had the pleasure of attending the Toxic Tort and Environmental Law Seminar where the issue of federal reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) was a hot topic. This was of particular interest to us given our expertise in conducting research for asbestos litigation and historical environmental problems at industrial sites, manufactured gas plants, and military facilities throughout the U.S.
Finding Evidence: Research Tactics for Environmental Law & Toxic Torts
Recently, chemical releases and spills into local waterways by a chemical manufacturer and other industry in West Virginia have captured the national spotlight. For those familiar with environmental history, however, these tragic occurrences have been far more commonplace, albeit less publicized, than many may realize.
A Brief History of the Internship
Completing an internship isn’t just a rite of passage for today’s college students. Some get paid for their work. Some pay to do the work. Others get academic credit. For some, it’s a combination of all three. Either way, many students feel an internship is that must-have bullet point on their resume (second to the degree, of course) that will catch a prospective employer’s attention.
Taylor & Hammel Gets Social
It’s a new year and we’re ringing it in with a new look. Today, we launched our redesigned website. Click on over to www.taylorhammel.com, take a look, and tell us what you think. We value your feedback.
Last-Minute Gift Ideas for the Historian in Your Family
The holidays are quickly approaching. Hanukkah came and went. Christmas will be here in a few days. But there’s no need to panic. Taylor & Hammel staff are here to recommend a few gifts that if ordered now—as in today, so don’t delay!—might make it to the historian in your family just in time to sit beneath the tree, all wrapped up and looking pretty.