Every May, on the last Monday of the month, many people in the United States get the day off for a three-day weekend, marking the unofficial beginning of summer!
But do you know why we observe Memorial Day? It’s about more than just barbecues and pool parties.
Memorial Day is a holiday to honor and remember the brave people who gave their lives while serving in the military. It’s a day for reflection and gratitude.
So what can kids and families do to honor this meaningful holiday? To help you out, we put together a guide to teach kids about the history and meaning of Memorial Day.
When did Memorial Day begin?
One of the earliest commemorations of Memorial Day occurred right after the Civil War ended in 1865.
The American Civil War was a major conflict between Northern states (the Union) and Southern states (the Confederacy). The Confederacy did not want to outlaw slavery, so they seceded (broke away) from the rest of the United States, sparking the beginning of the Civil War in 1861.
Toward the end of the Civil War, more than 250 Union soldiers died from disease or exposure in a Confederate prison in Charleston, South Carolina.
When the war was over, about two dozen formerly enslaved people decided to give these Union soldiers the honor they deserved by organizing a proper burial for them. On May 1, 1865, thousands of people gathered to hear speeches, sermons, and songs about the fallen soldiers.
When did Memorial Day become an official holiday?
More than 600,000 soldiers were killed in action during the Civil War, and communities across the country began holding tributes to the fallen soldiers by decorating their graves with flowers and flags.
Though many cities claim to have originated Memorial Day, the federal government declared Waterloo, New York to be the official birthplace.
Waterloo first celebrated the day on May 5, 1866 with a community-wide event. Businesses and shops were closed for the day, and residents decorated the graves of soldiers.
On May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Northern Civil War veterans, decided to unite all the communities’ unofficial remembrance events into one national holiday. He called it Decoration Day and declared the holiday to be on May 30.
The first national Decoration Day occurred on May 30, 1868. General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery (a military cemetery located in Arlington, Virginia), and participants decorated the graves of the Civil War soldiers buried there.
By the end of the 19th century, Decoration Day had been renamed to Memorial Day. However, many Southern states did not commemorate the official holiday, since they saw it as being for Union soldiers only.
It wasn’t until after World War I that the states unified to honor all fallen members of the military on Memorial Day.
Memorial Day continued to be celebrated on May 30 until 1971, when Congress established that it would take place on the last Monday in May. This is also when Memorial Day became an official federal holiday.
What is the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day?
Though both holidays honor people who have served in the military, Memorial Day and Veterans Day are not the same. Memorial Day is a time to remember and honor those who died serving in the armed forces.
Veterans Day, on the other hand, is a time to honor and thank military veterans who are still with us to share their experiences or who passed away after serving. Veterans Day originated after World War I and takes place in November.
How do we observe Memorial Day?
Today, Americans observe Memorial Day by honoring fallen members of the military in a number of meaningful ways.
The U.S. flag is flown at half-staff from sunrise (or at the time it is raised) until noon. At noon, it is raised to full height for the rest of the day. This honors those who died in battle while showing that we continue to live in their memory. All other flags should also be flown half-staff while the U.S. flag is.
At 3:00 PM, wherever you are located, there is a national moment of silence to remember those who gave their lives.
Some people also wear red poppies to remember the sacrifices made by service members. The red poppy became a powerful symbol of remembrance at the end of World War I and is used by countries all over the world for their own remembrance days.
To help you commemorate this meaningful holiday and develop a better understanding of its importance, we put together a fun Memorial Day Word Search with key words related to how and why we observe it!
Memorial Day is a time to honor the heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Whether through a taking moment of silence, wearing a red poppy, or learning the history, we can all take part in remembering and showing our gratitude.
