August

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August (Aug.) is the eighth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar, coming between July and September. It has 31 days. It is named after the Roman emperor Augustus Caesar.

August does not begin on the same day of the week as any other month in common years, but begins on the same day of the week as February in leap years. August always ends on the same day of the week as November.

The Month[change | change source]

Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar, after whom August is named

This month was first called Sextilis in Latin, because it was the sixth month in the old Roman calendar. The Roman calendar began in March about 735 BC with Romulus. October was the eighth month. August was the eighth month when January or February were added to the start 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). In 153 BC January 1 was determined as the beginning of the year.

August is named for Augustus Caesar who became Roman consul in this month.[1] The month has 31 days because Julius Caesar added two days when he created the Julian calendar in 45 BC. August is after July and before September.

August, in either hemisphere, is the seasonal equivalent of February in the other. In the Northern hemisphere it is a summer month and it is a winter month in the Southern hemisphere.

No other month in common years begins on the same day of the week as August, but August begins on the same day of the week as February in leap years. August ends on the same day of the week as November every year, as each other's last days are 13 weeks (91 days) apart.

In common years, August starts on the same day of the week as March and November of the previous year, and in leap years, June of the previous year. In common years, August finishes on the same day of the week as March and June of the previous year, and in leap years, September of the previous year. In common years immediately after other common years, August starts on the same day of the week as February of the previous year.

In years immediately before common years, August starts on the same day of the week as May of the following year, and in years immediately before leap years, October of the following year. In years immediately before common years, August finishes on the same day of the week as May of the following year, and in years immediately before leap years, February and October of the following year.

August observances[change | change source]

Fixed observances and events[change | change source]

Flags celebrating Switzerland's national day on August 1.

Moveable and Monthlong events[change | change source]

Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle.

Selection of Historical Events[change | change source]

Foundation Document of Switzerland
Sukarno declaring Indonesia independent.
Krakatoa exploded on August 27, 1883.
Martin Luther King, Jr. at the March on Washington on August 28, 1963.

Trivia[change | change source]

References[change | change source]

  1. History of August
Months of the Year

January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December