Winston Churchill
When
Churchill
became prime
minister, he
said, “I have
nothing to
offer but
blood, toil,
tears, and
sweat.”
Many Cinco de Mayo celebrations include
traditional Mexican dancing.
118 Cinco de Mayo BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
invading French forces in a battle at
Puebla, Mexico.
The Mexican people remember the
event by listening to political speeches
and watching parades. Reenactments of
the battle are often part of the celebration
as well. In the United States, Cinco
de Mayo is observed by people of Mexican
descent. The holiday is a festive celebration
of the heritage of Mexican
Americans. In many cities there are
parades and events featuring Mexican
culture and music, dancing, and food.
In the mid-1800s the French leader
Emperor Napoleon III tried to take control
of Mexico. The victorious battle
celebrated on Cinco de Mayo was an
important blow against the French.
During the battle of Puebla a small army
of Mexican soldiers defeated a much
stronger French army.
Circulatory
System
All animals need to move important
fluids through their body. The fluids
move through what is called a circulatory
system. The fluids carry nutrients
and gases, like oxygen, that keep the
animals alive. The fluids also remove
wastes from the body. In humans and
some other animals they also carry substances
that help the body fight infection.
The circulatory system of humans consists
of two parts: the cardiovascular
system and the lymphatic system. The
main fluid in humans and most other
animals is blood. It is transported
through the cardiovascular system. This
system consists of the heart and a network
of blood vessels. The fluid that
helps fight infections is called lymph. It
is carried in the lymphatic system.
#More to explore
Cardiovascular System • Lymphatic
System
Circus
A circus is a form of entertainment that
features many different spectacular acts.
These acts usually include skilled and
daring performers, highly trained animals,
and funny clowns.
Circus acts often perform in a circle, or
ring, with the audience on all sides. Big
Circus clowns need to have
many kinds of performing skills.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Circus 119
circuses may have three rings with different
acts inside each one. At one time,
circuses put up a tent, known as the big
top, to enclose the rings. Many circuses
now use indoor arenas.
Circus Acts
Most circuses have many animal acts.
Trick riders perform acrobatics on horseback
or ride two horses at once.
Elephants rise up on their hind legs or
stand on their head. Other wild animal
acts include dancing bears and tigers
that jump through fiery hoops.
Human performers also amaze the audience.
Some people walk a tightrope,
swing from a hanging bar called a trapeze,
or get shot out of a cannon.
Clowns make the audience laugh with
dancing, juggling, and comedy. They
paint their faces white and wear goofy
costumes.
The ringmaster—a dashing figure in
high boots and a top hat—announces
acts and sets the pace. A brass band adds
to the excitement.
Circus History
In ancient Rome the circus was an arena
for races and fights. A performer named
Philip Astley created the modern circus
in England in 1768. He built a performance
ring where he did tricks on
horseback for paying customers. He
soon added clowns, acrobats, and other
acts. As he toured, he spread the circus
idea throughout Europe.
Circuses also spread to the United
States. Circus performers and animals
often traveled from town to town in
wagons or trains. They paraded through
a town’s streets before the first show
there. In the 1880s two U.S. circus owners,
P.T. Barnum and James A. Bailey,
combined their shows to create a huge
circus. They called it “The Greatest
Show on Earth.” The Ringling brothers
bought that circus in the early 1900s.
They joined it with their own circus to
form the Ringling Bros. and Barnum &
Bailey Circus. The main tent could seat
10,000 people.
Many circuses closed in the mid-1900s.
After 1956, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum
& Bailey Circus stopped using
tents and moved indoors. Nevertheless,
families today can still enjoy that circus
and others. One of the biggest modern
circus events is the circus festival of
Monte-Carlo, in Monaco. Another
Circus
parades, featuring
brightly
painted and
decorated
wagons, once
marched
through towns
to show off the
animals and
performers.
Trapeze artists were popular circus performers
during the 1800s.
120 Circus BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
popular modern circus is the Cirque du
Soleil of Montreal, Canada, which uses
no animal acts.
#More to explore
Theater
Citizenship
Citizenship is everything that has to do
with being a citizen, or full member, of a
country. Citizens have rights that are
given by the country’s government. For
example, citizens have the right to be
protected by a country’s laws. In return,
citizens have duties that they owe to the
country. One of the most important
duties is being loyal to the country.
Citizenship is different than nationality.
A person’s nationality tells which country
that person (called a national) is
from. But nationals from a certain country
are not always citizens of that country.
