December 31: First Lighted Ball Drop in Times Square (1907)
Prayer Idea
Pray for opportunities to learn, grow, and serve in the new year.
History Note
Throughout history different cultural and religious groups have celebrated the end of one year and the beginning of another. In the Jewish calendar, Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of a new year. Most Muslims recognize the first day of the lunar month of Muharram as the beginning of their new year. Nowruz is an ancient Zoroastrian festival celebrated in Iran and nearby countries that is tied to the spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. Chinese New Year is a 15-day celebration that features fireworks, dragon dances, and more. These all fall on dates besides January 1.
The ancient Romans recognized January 1 as the beginning of their new year. The Julian calendar and the later Gregorian calendar established January 1 as the official new year throughout much of Europe, and from there the practice spread to other countries around the world.
In 1829 British Royal Navy Captain Robert Wauchope set up a device in Portsmouth, England. It used a dropping ball to help passing ships set their chronometers. In 1833 the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England, installed a time-ball. The ball dropped at one o’clock every afternoon, a tradition which continues today. Dozens of other locations around the world built similar devices.
The New York Times newspaper built a new headquarters in New York City in 1904. To promote the newspaper and the location (Times Square), the company started hosting New Year’s Eve celebrations. In 1907 they lowered the first version of a lighted ball from a flagpole on top of the building. Several versions of the ball have followed since then, and it remains a popular part of New Year’s Eve festivities.
This is the fourth Times Square Ball, created for the 1999 drop and used until 2007. Photo by Hunter Kahn / Wikimedia Commons.
Learn More
Learn about the history of the lighted ball that drops on New Year's Eve in Times Square.
Please Note: There is a brief mention of celebrants getting drunk at a church.
Find more resources at Homeschool History.
