5 Important Facts You Need To Know About The Memorial Day

Holding Barbeques, picnics, and going to the beach is often associated with Memorial Day practices. But always keep in mind the purpose of this holiday that it is the time that we honor and remember our fallen heroes. Memorial day is one of the most important holidays in the United States of America.

The history of the Memorial day might be complicated, but if you want to learn more about this holiday, well, you better stick around because, in this article, we are going to talk about the important facts you need to know about Memorial Day.

Birthplace

There are many cities claiming that they are the birthplace of Memorial Day, one of them is Boalsburg, Pennsylvania. But did you know that President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, New York as the birthplace? That is one of the Memorial Day facts, and as stated in the library of congress. President Johnson proclaimed it in 1966.

Waterloo, New York, was the first to provide a formal ceremony of Memorial Day. Waterloo claims its first celebration and rite of Memorial Day on the 5th of May, 1866. It was for veterans who fought in the Civil War. Residents of the town went to the graves of our fallen heroes and decorated it with honor.

The Founder

Every holiday has a founder, for Memorial Day, it was General John A. Logan. He was the commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, who proclaimed that Memorial Day should be celebrated yearly all over the United States. General Logan was also the one who called it “Decoration Day”.

Just a quick fact, some people believed that Abraham Lincoln was the founder of Memorial Day. But the truth is, it was General Logan who codified the holiday, even though the people already decorated the graves of the fallen soldiers from the Civil War long before it was called the Memorial Day.

Decoration Day

The other name for Memorial Day is Decoration Day. It was initially called Decoration Day by General Logan, but it later became Memorial Day. It was called Decoration Day because people decorate the fallen soldiers’ graves with flags, flowers, wreaths, and much more. They often celebrate the holiday in cemeteries or beaches.

The Civil War

In the year 1861, the Civil War started. Almost seven hundred thousand American soldiers died in the Civil War. It was the highest casualty count for wars in America’s history, exceeding the number of deaths from World War one or two.

Memorial Day was created because of the Civil War, and originally only the soldiers from the Civil War were honored during that holiday. After the first World War, the holiday started to include commemorating other members of the American armed forces who had sacrificed their lives for their country.

Sales And Start Of Summer

Of course, holidays are the time of the year where stores offer massive sales worldwide, which is one of the interesting facts about it. Memorial day is also one of the holidays where many retail stores and malls present considerable sales in the United States. That is why, during this holiday, stores are too crowded with people because of this offer.

Memorial Day is also the unofficial start of summer since it occurs every last Monday of May. Despite the fact that summer starts in June, Americans considered Memorial Day as the first day of summer. Though Memorial Day’s real reason is to honor the men and women who were in the military, many people still start enjoying summer.

Takeaway

Holidays could be fun since some of them were required to be a non-working day. Nevertheless, we have to always put in mind why we are celebrating it and what for, no matter what holiday it is. Memorial Day is when we celebrate and pay respect to all the people who keep us safe, who served and died for our country. With these facts, we hope you learn something.

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