With Memorial Day just around the corner, you might be wondering about the history of one of America’s most cherished holidays. Before you pack your bags and head to the beach to enjoy your long weekend, take a moment, get the kids together, and learn a little about the important tradition of America’s day of remembrance.
10 Facts You May Not Have Known:
- Memorial Day is a holiday in the United States of America that honors Americans who gave their lives for their country in any war.
- Memorial Day is also known as Decoration Day.
- While most states observe Memorial Day on the last Monday in the month of May, some states observe it on different dates. Mississippi celebrates Memorial Day on the last Monday of April and calls it “Confederate Memorial Day” to honor Confederate Soldiers who died in the US Civil War. Georgia observes on April 26th. Both North and South Carolina observe on May 10th. Louisiana observes on June 3rd as does Tennessee where the holiday is called “Confederate Decoration Day”.
- Americans observe Memorial Day by placing flowers and flags on the graves of military personnel who gave their lives in service of their country.
- Some Americans observe Memorial Day by reading from Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
- To honor deceased those who died at sea, Americans in port cities will sometimes send miniature boats filled with flowers out onto the water.
- Waterloo, New York is considered the birthplace of Memorial Day.
- Originally, Memorial Day specifically honored those who died in the American Civil War. It was later expanded to include those who died in all US wars.
- Memorial Day is also Poppy Day. On Poppy Day, volunteers distribute artificial poppies, and collect donations to help disabled veterans.
- Many parades are held on Memorial Day. Organizations like the Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, and Fraternal organizations take part in these parades.
Find more resources for kids about history with children’s encyclopedia online from World Book Encyclopedia.
Works Cited:
Uhler, Sharron G. “Memorial Day.” World Book Advanced. World Book, 2012. Web. 16 May 2012.
