The Postal Service: Facts and Origin

Let's Deliver The Facts.

Each and every day the United States Postal Service delivers,

But How Did This Impressive System All Begin?

Let's open up and unpack some facts.

Return To: Our Founding Nation

The U.S. Postal Service dates all the way back to Second Continental Congress in 1775, with Benjamin Franklin as the first postmaster general. In 1792, the passage of the Post Office Act made the postal services a permanent system of the federal government.

Don't Forget The Stamp:

The first postage stamp was sold in New York City on July 1, 1847. The five cent stamp featured Benjamin Franklin and the ten cent stamp featured George Washington. Beginning on January 1,1856, prepaid U.S. postage was required on all mail.

Certified: Large and In Charge

The Postal Service remains the largest concrete and logistical infrastructure of any non-government institution. The Postal Service is stitched into the fabric of our nation.

Safe, Secure, Reliable:

Although advancements along the road such as television, email, and the ever- favored internet, the U.S. Postal Service remains the most secure method of correspondence.

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What Else Is In The Box?

Fun Facts Worth Writing Home About...

425.3 Million Mail Pieces Are Delivered A Day!

443,701 Handheld Scanners Used in this Communication Network

12 Million Visitors a Day, usps.com is most visited government site.

For 58 cents anyone can send a letter to any U.S. territory

The U.S. Postal Service has no official motto.

Let's Keep The Mail Running

The postal service is a well oiled machine that deserves attention. Packages and mail are delivered without fail each and every day so it was well worth exploring. With a look into mail carriers, their mail trucks, and the handy map reading skills that help them get your packages to your doorstep, there was plenty of interesting ways to implement this theme into our studies. Not to mention the fantastic books to include like, It Came In the Mail by Ben Clanton and The Jolly Postman by Allen Ahlberg, which will easily become family favorites.

One of our many fun learning activities, "On Time Delivery" focused on their time telling skills in a way that had us all sharing laughs.

We explored the history of the postal service and included a trip to the Air and Space Museum to get a look at how air mail got its start.

Exhibit from our field trip exploration at the Air and Space Museum

You Have A Delivery! It's the Postal Service Unit!

Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat should keep you from making an adventure out of this unit.

Visit HERE so you never miss a delivery!

An early day mail carrier truck shown at the Air and Space Museum