The Story of Mother's Day: A Celebration of Gratitude
The Story of Mother's Day: A Celebration of Gratitude
Mother's Day is a special day celebrated around the world, a time when we honor and appreciate the mothers and mother figures in our lives. It's a day filled with cards, flowers, gifts, and heartfelt thanks. But have you ever wondered how this important holiday began and how it's celebrated in different corners of the globe?
Long, long ago, even ancient civilizations had days to honor mother goddesses, who were seen as symbols of fertility and new life. The ancient Greeks, for example, celebrated Rhea, the mother of the gods. The Romans also had a spring festival for Cybele, another mother goddess. However, these ancient traditions were quite different from the Mother's Day we know today.
The idea of a modern Mother's Day in the United States really started after the Civil War. Julia Ward Howe, a poet and activist, suggested a "Mother's Day for Peace" in 1870. She believed that mothers, who suffered from the loss of sons in war, should come together to promote peace. While her idea didn't become a national holiday, it planted an important seed.
- Activist:
- A person who works to bring about political or social change.
- Gratitude:
- The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
- Commercial:
- Related to buying and selling goods and services; focused on making money.
- Sanitation:
- Conditions relating to public health, especially the provision of clean drinking water and adequate sewage disposal.
- campaign:
- A connected series of planned activities and efforts carried out over time to reach a specific goal.
- cherished:
- Deeply loved, valued, and treated as very special.
One passage, many ways to practice
Reading-skill questions, word work and writing prompts — all built from this text.
Main Idea
Identify the central idea and explain how important details develop it.
Context Clues
Use clues in the passage to work out what words mean. A separate printable Vocabulary worksheet is also available.
Summarize
Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.
Purpose
Analyze what the author aims to do and how choices serve audience and purpose.
Structure
Analyze how sections and organizational choices build the text's ideas or effects.
Fact & Opinion
Distinguish verifiable statements from judgments, beliefs, and preferences in context.
Vocabulary
Practice words from the passage with a printable worksheet.
Writing Prompts
Use the passage as a springboard for short written responses, from personal reflection to evidence-based arguments.
Fix the Sentence
Practice editing sentences drawn from this passage with a printable worksheet.
Ready to use this passage in class?
Start free with the Mixed worksheet and 3 PDF downloads each week. Focused skill sets depend on plan.
Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1What is the main purpose of Mother's Day?
- 2Which ancient civilizations are mentioned as having celebrated mother goddesses?
Where this passage belongs
You Might Also Like
About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“The Story of Mother's Day: A Celebration of Gratitude” is a explanatory article reading passage about Mother's Day History, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 3 minutes to read (522 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.