September 15 was chosen as the starting point for the celebration because it is the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. They all declared independence in 1821. In addition, Mexico, Chile and Belize celebrate their independence days on September 16, September 17 and September 18.

　　Hispanic Heritage Month also celebrates the long and important presence of Hispanic Americans in North America. A map of late 18th century North America shows this presence, from San Francisco to Florida. Spanish explorers traveled further north along the Pacific Coast to Canada in 1774 and by the late 18th century they had established a military post on Vancouver Island, 350 miles north of Seattle. The Spanish sailed up the Atlantic Coast through the Chesapeake Bay in 1526, then called the Bahia de Santa Maria, about 80 years before the romanticized English encounter with Pocahontas. In the 1520s Spanish navigators also explored as far north as Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and the present site of Bangor, Maine. The Spanish settled in the southwest of North America in the 16th century and officially founded Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1610.

　　About 47 million people in the United States are Hispanic Americans. Their families come from countries where people speak Spanish.

　　Here are some ways you can take part in this special month.

　　Move Your Feet

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