I was surprised how much I didn’t know about November, or that Led Zepplin 4 was released in November! My favorite Led Zepplin Album, too. Sure Thanksgiving is a great holiday, but there are many other cool things about this month we’re going to talk about.
Novem
Novem is Latin for Nine, and we get our name “November” from the Romans. Originally the Roman calendar system had 9 months, with November as the 9th and December as the 10th. The Romans reformed their calendar to as 12 month system and November became the 11th month, yet they kept it’s name.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/November_(Roman_month)
In the Imperial period, the deity who often represents November in Roman art is Isis.[4] The festival of Isis, which began October 28, continued through November 3. The Isia is first recorded on the menologia rustica, which date to the reign of either Caligula (36–39 AD) or Claudius (41–54)
The outstanding event during November was the Plebeian Games from the 4th through the 17th. The month had few other festivals. It was under the guardianship (tutela) of Diana.[1]
In Roman times November was quieter than other months, with December full of festivities. Yet there ceremonies that honored various gods that Roman cults conducted.
Roman Gods of the Month: November
POMONA: A festival thanking Pomona, the Goddess of Orchards for the ripe fruit is held on November 1.
MANIA and DII MANES: The Opening of the Mundus (the Well to the Underworld) is conducted for the third time in the year on November 8.
FORTUNA PRIMIGENIA AND FERONIA: On the Ides of November (the 13th), Fortuna Primigenia and Ferona are honored. As the Mother of Juno and Jupiter, Fortuna Primigenia sets the destiny of children at their birth. Meanwhile, Ferona is the Goddess of Agricultural Produce.
American Indian Myths and November Meaning
Cherokee Indians – The First Frost
The Cherokee people share a story about the origin of frost, which often arrives in November. In this story, the Spirit of the Frost was a kind old woman who traveled through the land each year, gently reminding people to prepare for winter. She would leave a thin layer of frost on the ground, warning people to gather the last of the crops and shelter themselves. This story speaks to the season’s transition, inviting communities to slow down and prepare for colder days.
Ojibwe – Nanabozho and the Spirit of Winter
The Ojibwe tell stories of Nanabozho, a cultural hero and trickster figure who is often involved in the changing of seasons. One tale recounts how Nanabozho once faced off against the Spirit of Winter. In the story, Nanabozho cleverly negotiates with the Spirit of Winter, setting the boundaries between the seasons to ensure winter would not overtake the world completely. This story reflects the balance between light and dark, warmth and cold, and underscores the Ojibwe respect for nature’s cycles.
Iroquois Thanksgiving Address
Struggles of the Founding Fathers
Nathaniel Greene – Battle of Fort Washington
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/revolutionary-war/battles/fort-washington
Fought on November 16, 1776 on the island of Manhattan, the Battle of Fort Washington was the final devastating chapter in General Washington’s disastrous New York Campaign.
After winning a major victory on Long Island in August, British General William Howe began to move against New York City in mid-September. Unwilling to abandon Manhattan entirely, Washington ordered General Nathanael Greene to defend the stronghold. Though hastily constructed, Fort Washington wrought havoc on British warships attempting to sail up the Hudson River. It was similarly successful in repulsing Hessian attacks in early November. These early successes gave Greene and Colonel Robert Magaw, the fort’s garrison commander, a false sense of security.
Nathaniel Greene – Siege of the 96 in South Carolina
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/revolutionary-war/battles/ninety-six
From May to June of 1781, Patriot General Nathanael Greene besieged the vital South Carolina post of Ninety Six. By the middle of June, Greene decided to launch an all-out assault but could not capture the garrison.
In April 1781, Lord Cornwallis moved his British army into Virginia. American General Nathanael Greene responded by launching a campaign to retake the Carolinas. Greene’s forces soon drove the British from Fort Watson and Camden. The American general then turned his attention to the outpost at Ninety Six so named as it was thought to be 96 miles from the Cherokee village of Keowee in western South Carolina.
Albums Released In November
Led Zepplin IV
https://ultimateclassicrock.com/led-zeppelin-iv-album/
That doesn’t mean the winter of 1970-71 was easy inside a poorly heated 18th-century manor. Jones, in fact, bitterly complained about the living conditions. But the space ended up becoming part of the process: “When the Levee Breaks” took advantage of its natural acoustics, while “Black Dog” was named after a neighborhood stray.
“Headley Grange was cold, damp, dirty, smelly,” Jones told Mojo. “I remember walking into my room and thinking, ‘Oh, really?’ I had to steal someone’s electric fire.” To Page, that wasn’t just part of the charm; it was the entire point.
Emerson Lake and Palmer
https://ultimateclassicrock.com/emerson-lake-palmer-debut/
But the album’s true centerpiece is its most uncharacteristic. Greg Lake wrote the band’s first hit, the gently anthemic “Lucky Man,” at age 12, which might explain why it’s the most accessible song in their discography. A respite from the bombast, it’s a rare Emerson Lake and Palmer track built on a simple chorus hook (check those breathtaking, stereo-panned harmonies) – only the keyboardist’s whirring synth climax adds a touch of dissonance.
“What motivated me really was my mom had just bought me this guitar, and I was really pleased,” Lake told Songfacts. “I’d learned the first four chords. And with these early chords, I just wrote this little song, but I never even wrote it on a piece of paper. I just made it up in my head, and that was it. But for some reason, I never forgot the lyrics.”
Armistice Day – Never Again
Originally Armistice Day was a commemoration of the lost American military service during World War I, November 11th the day of the cease fire. It wasn’t until 1954, November 11th that it became a day to honor American Veterans of all wars. It was to originally mark the great loss of World War I in hopes that such a conflict would never happen again.
