The true origins of who held the first
Memorial Day celebration is a debated subject.
Approximately 620,000 soldiers on both sides
died during the Civil War.
The Grand Army of the Republic was created by
the Union Army to honor their dead. After World War I the American Legion took
over their duties.
Congress passed a law in 2000 that requires
all Americans to stop what they are doing at 3pm on Memorial Day to remember
and to honor those who have died serving the United States. President Clinton
signed this action.
The flag is supposed to be flown at half-mast
until noon, and then raised to full mast until sunset on Memorial Day.
The tradition of wearing red poppies on
Memorial Day originated from John McCrae's 1915 poem In Flanders Fields. In
Canada they wear red poppies to honor their soldiers on Remembrance Day in
November each year.
Although not as popular today, one tradition
was to eat a picnic meal while sitting on the ground of a cemetery. There are
still some people in the rural areas of the South that continue to practice
this tradition.
It's common for volunteers to place the
American flag on graves in the national cemeteries. Memorial Day is also a
popular day for people to visit cemeteries and honor those who have died while
serving in the military.
It's estimated that approximately 32 million
people travel by car over Memorial Day weekend.
Memorial Day also marks the
beginning of the summer vacation season while Labor Day marks the end.
Continue reading here: www.softschools.com/memorial_day_facts
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