1779

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/1779

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the decade position?It marked the 10th and final year of the 1770s decade
2. What made the year 1779 special?It was the last year of the 1770s and had two different calendars in use, which caused confusion for people and businesses.
3. Why were there two calendars in 1779?The Gregorian calendar was 11 days ahead, but many places still used the older Julian calendar.

Gregorian Calendar: The solar calendar currently used in most of the world, established to correct the drift of the Julian calendar.
Julian Calendar: A solar calendar introduced by Julius Caesar, characterized by a simpler leap year rule that led to gradual astronomical inaccuracy.
Common Year: A calendar year containing 365 days, as opposed to a leap year which contains 366 days.
18th Century: The period spanning the years 1701 to 1800, often referred to as the Age of Enlightenment and Revolution.