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Table of Contents
The International Date Line (IDL) is an imaginary line of separation on the surface of Earth that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole and marks out the change of one calendar day to the next. It passes through the middle of the Pacific Ocean, roughly following the 180° line of longitude but diverging to pass around some territories and island groups.
See the fact file below for more information on the International Date Line or alternatively, you can download our 21-page International Date Line worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
DESCRIPTION
- There is an imaginary line in the middle of the Pacific Ocean that is called the International Date Line. It runs from the North Pole to the South Pole and is almost directly on the opposite side of Earth from the Prime Meridian, which is 0 degrees longitude.
- Longitude lines are imaginary lines that run from north to south and divide the Earth into 360 parts. They can help tell you where you are in the Eastern or Western Hemisphere of the Earth.
- The International Date Line was sketched over 130 years ago and is the line that officially divides two different days on the calendar!
- The IDL crosses between the United State Aleutian Islands (Attu Island) and the Commander Islands, that belong to Russia. Then it bends southeast again to return to 180°. In this way, all of Russia is to the west of the IDL, and all of the United States is to the east except for the insular areas of Guam.
- The IDL stays on the 180° meridian until it passes the equator. Two US-owned, uninhabited coral reefs, Howland Island and Baker Island, just north of the equator in the central Pacific Ocean (and ships at sea between 172.5°W and 180°), have the latest time on Earth.
- The date becomes one day later when you move to the west from the International Date Line. In fact, it’s impossible to jump back and forth across the line because it’s in the middle of the ocean, and it’s an imaginary line.
WHY AN IMAGINARY LINE?
- In the days before telephones and the internet, and before planes and fast ships, people around the world didn’t have much contact with each other.
- They told the time by the Sun; when it was straight up in the sky, they said it was noon.
- The International Date Line functions as a “line of demarcation” dividing two consecutive calendar dates.
DE FACTO AND DE JURE DATE LINES
- The site of the International Date Line is determined in two ways: one ashore and adjacent regional waters, and the other on untamed oceans.
- De facto is the date line that allowedv all countries to independently determine their standard time zones, and is relevant just ashore and nearby regional waters. This date line did not depend on international law, but on national laws. These national zones do not extend into international waters.
- Dissimilar to the IDL, the nautical date line is a de jure that is learned by global understanding. It is the result of the 1917 Anglo-French Conference on Time-keeping at Sea that supported all boats, both military and owned by regular citizens, to receive hourly standard time zones on the high seas.
DATE LINES ACCORDING TO RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES
- Christianity. In general, the Christian calendar and Christian churches acknowledge the IDL. For instance, Christmas is celebrated on December 25 as that date falls in countries located on either side of the Date Line.
- Since the Date Line was a despotic imposition, people may wonder which Saturday on either side of the Date Line is the “genuine” Saturday.
- This issue is a specific problem for Seventh Day Adventists and similar churches located in countries near the Date Line.
- Islam. At the start and end of Islamic lunar months, the IDL is not a factor. This depends only on sighting the new crescent moon, that may vary in different parts of the world and is well known in Islam.
- Judaism. Some specialists believe specific parts of Sabbath recognition are required on Sunday or Friday, notwithstanding Saturday. For people crossing the date line, the difference in schedule date impacts a few parts of training under Jewish law.
CULTURAL REFERENCES AND TRADITIONS
- The Island of the Day Before. The date line plays a central role in Umberto Eco’s book “The Island of the Day Before” (1994). The main character ends up on a becalmed ship, with an island on the other side of the IDL. As he cannot swim, he imagines what the physical, metaphysical and religious importance of the date line could possibly be.
- The IDL is used as a plot device in Jules Verne’s book Around the World in Eighty Days (1873). In the story, Phileas Fogg of London and his newly employed French valet Passepartout strive to move around the world in 80 days on a £20,000 wager set by his friends at the Reform Club.
- Line-crossing ceremonies relating to the IDL. Ceremonies aboard ships to name a sailor’s or passenger’s first crossing of the Equator or of the International Date Line are a deep-rooted tradition in navies and other maritime services all over the world.
International Date Line Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the International Date Line across 21 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use International Date Line worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the International Date Line (IDL) which is an imaginary line of separation on the surface of Earth that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole and marks out the change of one calendar day to the next. It passes through the middle of the Pacific Ocean, roughly following the 180° line of longitude but diverging to pass around some territories and island groups.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- International Date Line Facts
- Oh Trivias!
- Venn Diagram
- Good or Trash?
- Line of IDL
- Research Time
- Time Zone
- Crossword Puzzle
- Mom’s Call
- Religion and the IDL
- Essay Words
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Link will appear as International Date Line Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, February 24, 2020
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.