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__NOTOC__[[File:DecorationDayMcCutcheon.jpg|thumbnail|left|Figure 1. An early sketch of Decoration Day.]]Memorial Day is a US holiday honoring those who served the died for their country in during its armed conflicts. Its origins are in the years The holiday began after the Civil War, but for decades it was not a US holiday. Its Over time, its meaning has also shifted and has become signified the unofficial start to summer in the United States.

====Origins of Memorial Day====In the first few years after the Civil War in the 1860s, the sheer number of people who died during the conflict was still a difficult experience for many American families. The war had led to many people taking time to remember their dead, during spring as flowers blossomed, and lay small floral commemorations on their fallen loved ones. People would also gather, often entire communities, to clean the graves of fallen loved ones and make sure the graves were looked after. The practice of laying flowers on graves is a very ancient tradition and, by May, all across the United States flowers were ever present. This began to make May a type of unofficial commemoration of the dead in times of war, at least for some communities, particularly in remembering the Civil War.

In the first few years after the Civil War in the 1860s, the sheer number of dead during the conflict was still a difficult experience for many American families. The war had led to many people taking the team, during spring as flowers blossomed, to lay small floral commemorations on their fallen loved ones. People would also gather, often entire communities, to clean graves of fallen loved ones from the conflict. The practice of laying flowers on graves had originated is a very ancient tradition and, by May, all across the United States flowers were ever present. This began to make May a type of unofficial commemoration of the dead in times of war, particularly the Civil War. Most likely, not no one single community started the practice of celebrating their loved ones in the spring, but it was likely widespread. Some have said that was this is when the commemorative day began to be called Decoration Day was a . It could be an originally Southern tradition, where it meant you would clean and decorate the graves with flowers for fallen soldiers. However, it was not celebrated on a specific day (Figure 1).<ref>For more on the origins of Memorial Day, see: Ansary, M. T. (1999).<i> Memorial Day</i>. Des Plaines, Ill.: Heinemann Library.</ref>

A key turning point in making the end of May, and eventually the last Monday of May, the official holiday was General John Logan, a 's directive. A prominent Union Civil War general, to declare he established May 30th as a the day to decorate remember fallen soldiers in the graves of loved ones with flowersmilitary. He did this in 1868, by which time many had already been decorating graves of fallen loved ones during the month of May. General Garfield, another general from the Civil War and later 20th president who was assassinated in office, made the first semi-official speech in 1868 on May 30th at Arlington Cemetery. ThereOver 5, over 5000 000 people came and who were relatives for both sides of the conflict to celebrate commemorate the 20,000 soldiers buried there.<ref>For more on how General Logan helped establish the date of May 30th as Decoration Day, see: Schauffler, R. H. (2013). <i>Memorial Day (Decoration Day) Its Celebration, Spirit, and Significance as Related in Prose and Verse, with a Non-Sectional Anthology of the Civil War</i>. Nabu Press, pg. 10.</ref>

While already many Northern states celebrated the early celebrations of what initially became called Decoration Day were celebrated by many Northern states, the celebration of May 30th did not catch on as prominently in the South. In fact, Southern states often had similar celebrations , but they held them on different days. In Some of the Northtraditions in Southern states that differed, individual states adopted May 30th such as official state holidays, but at a federal level it was not recognized. Perhaps this was due to lingering bitterness between the North communal decoration and South, where states in the South preferred to have their own Decoration day.The bitter years cleaning of Reconstruction and white bitterness towards freed slaves did not helpgraves, and animosity such as derision of so-called Carpetbaggers from the North moving continue to the South reflected the years after the Civil War, reflected a socially divided country. Decoration this day, nevertheless, developed as a specific holiday devoted to the lost in the Civil War rather than other conflicts, as that war was by far the bloodiest in the United States' history at that point.

[[File:DecorationDayMcCutcheonIn the North, individual states adopted May 30th as an official state holiday, but at a federal level, it was not recognized.jpg|thumbnail|Figure 1Perhaps this was due to lingering bitterness between the North and South, where states in the South preferred to have their Decoration day. An early sketch The bitter years of Decoration DayReconstruction and white bitterness towards freed slaves did not help, and animosity such as derision of so-called Carpetbaggers from the North moving to the South reflected the years after the Civil War were difficult, where socially the country was still divided.]]

==Later Development==What began to change the meaning, somewhat, of what was then called Decoration Day were the events of World War I. Once again, nevertheless, developed as a bloody conflict consumed specific holiday devoted to the lost in the United States. While World Civil War I rather than other conflicts, because it was not a very long war for by far the bloodiest in United States, it did endure relatively heavy casualties in history.<ref>For more on the tumultuous last year early traditions of the conflict. Many families endured great lossDecoration Day, with over 116 thousand deathssee: Jabbour, although many of those were due to disease, including the pandemic flu that had struck during the warA.The large number of dead in a short period, where soldiers were from throughout the United States& Jabbour, K. S. (2010). <i>Decoration day in a way did help the country come together after the the Civil War had led to bitterness. People began to celebrate not just those who died mountains: traditions of cemetery decoration in the Civil War but also World War I and other conflicts, including more minor ones such as the Spanish-American War, began to be remembered where loved ones had diedsouthern Appalachians</i>. Decoration Day on May 30th soon began to be celebrated across the United States and not just the Chapel Hill: University of NorthCarolina Press.</ref>

With the popularity ====Later Development====[[File:Scollay's square, parade on Decoration Day, from Robert N. Dennis collection of stereoscopic views.jpg|thumbnail|left|400px|Figure 2. Decoration Day soon began to change to celebrating all war dead on May 30th, the holiday became official at the state level in many placestime of World War I. The holiday gained even more popularity after ]]What began to change the meaning of what was then called Decoration Day were the events of World War III (Figure 2). Once again, when another great a bloody conflict had consumed so many individualsthe United States. As nearly every state had adopted May 30thWhile World War I was not a very long war for the United States, this made it did endure relatively heavy casualties in the holiday fixed for manytumultuous last year of the conflict. One problemMany families endured great loss, howeverwith over 116,000 deaths overall, although many of those were due to disease, is May 30th often fell on different days including the pandemic flu that had struck during the war. That a large number of dead were soldiers from throughout the weekUnited States, where individuals, particularly those who began in a way did help the country come together after the Civil War had led to travel for work, found it disruptivebitterness. Many people People began to celebrate not only visit graves of fallen soldiers just those who died in the Civil War but also their loved World War I and other conflicts, including more minor ones who died of other causes. In effectsuch as the Spanish-American War, it where all fallen soldiers began to be more of a commemorative day for departed loved ones for many as well as a day remembered. Decoration Day on May 30th began to celebrate soldiers who died in conflictbe celebrated across the United States and not just the North. <ref>For those who traveled for work or who had moved, it was often difficult to visit more on the graves role of their departed loved ones or fallen soldiersWorld War I on Memorial Day, see: Margaret, A., & Margaret, A. (2002). <i>Memorial Day (1st ed)</i>. New York: PowerKids Press, pg. 12.</ref>

In With the 1968growing popularity of celebrating the war dead on May 30th, Congress moved to make what was now becoming called Memorial Day a uniform the holidaybecame official at the state level in many places. The last Monday of May was chose as it was the closest date to holiday gained even more popularity after World War II, when another great conflict had consumed so many individuals. As nearly every state had adopted May 30th that also , this made the holiday give workers a three-day weekendfixed for many. One problem, ample time to celebrate their departed loved ones. In some wayshowever, is May 30th often fell on different days throughout the act by Congress could have been prompted by what was becoming an unpopular war in Vietnam. Neverthelessweek, the Uniform Monday Holiday Actwhere individuals, which was the act passed by Congress that made the day a federal holidayparticularly those who began to travel for work, took some years before found it went into effectdisruptive. In 1971For many, it was an important day to come to specific graves to remember the first federally recognized Memorial Day occurred on the last Monday of Mayfallen.

For manyMany people began to visit not only graves of fallen soldiers but also their loved ones who died of other causes. In effect, Memorial Day has continued it began to be an occasion to visit more of a commemorative day for departed loved onesfor many as well as a day to celebrate soldiers who died in a conflict. Cities, which For those who traveled for work or who had already developed in the years after the Civil War with military-style paradesmoved, to continue and elaborate on the tradition now that it was a federal holiday. Chicago, New York, and Washington often have had difficult to visit the biggest paradesgraves of their departed loved ones or fallen soldiers. The tradition of having an official celebration at Arlington National CemeteryOther traditions had also caught on during this time, which was established in the Civil such as placing small US flags on war-related graves. This seems to have caught on by World WarII, where active service members would remember fallen soldiers by placing flags. The president, after the holiday had been passed as a federal holiday, general public began to use the occasion to visit Arlington National Cemetery to make a follow this practice.<ref>For more on Memorial Day speech to remember fallen soldiers from past and oftentraditions that developed in the 20th century, these dayssee: Ditchfield, current conflictsC. (2003).<i> Memorial Day</i>. New York: Children’s Press. </ref>

Barbecues and family gathering were established as long weekends began ====Modern Meaning====In 1968, Congress moved to be the norm in the 1970smake what was now becoming called Memorial Day a uniform holiday. Already in The last Monday of May was chosen as it was the earlier years people had gathered for family meals that sometimes included barbecues. For manyclosest date to May 30th, the occasion also often sees improving weather and timing would give workers a long, three-day weekend offers opportunity for mini-getawaysand ample time to celebrate their departed loved ones. In some ways, the act by Congress could have been prompted by what was becoming an unpopular war in Vietnam. This began to make Memorial Day Nevertheless, the unofficial start of summerUniform Monday Holiday Act, where at least many colleges at least had which was the act passed by then finished their coursesCongress that made the day a federal holiday, took some years before it went into effect. During the Vietnam WarIn 1971, not only did the dead gain national attention during first Decoration and then federally recognized Memorial Day, but prisoners occurred on the last Monday of war (POWs) soon began to be May.<ref>For more on Congress declaring the conscious official federal holiday of many. Memorial Day was seen as an opportunity, by veterans associationssee: Dean, as a time to remember the missing and POWs and not just the officially deadS. (2011). Thus, today <i>Memorial Day is often a time to reflect on those who might still be missing in conflicts as well as those who have been official listed as dying in battle or as a casualty of war</i>. New York: Gareth Stevens Pub. </ref>

==Summary==The nature of conflictFor many, from the Civil War to World War I and then the Vietnam War, in some way changed the character of Memorial Day. It is true that the core celebration of the dead who served their country has never changed, but conflicts began continued to also be known for those who went missing, particularly the Vietnam War. Others also began to see the holiday as a time an occasion to reflect on their visit departed loved ones. What began as an unofficial spring time for remembrance transformed into a widespread holiday and celebration after General Logan's declaration. The City parades, which had already developed in the years after World the Civil War I finally saw with military-style affairs, continued and were elaborated on the tradition now that it was a federal holiday gaining greater significance to some Southern states . Chicago, New York, and beginning to reflect Washington often have had the remembrance of dead in all conflictsbiggest parades.

The tradition of having an official commemoration at Arlington National Cemetery, which was a cemetery established in the Civil War, included the president making a speech. Now, it has become almost expected for the president to visit Arlington National Cemetery to make a Memorial Day speech to remember fallen soldiers from past and often, these days, current conflicts.<ref>For more on Arlington National Cemetery's history and role in Memorial Day, see: Poole, R. M. (2013). <i>On Hallowed Ground The Story of Arlington National Cemetery</i>. New York: Bloomsbury Publishing USA. </ref> Barbecues and family gatherings were established as long weekends began to be the norm in the 1970s. Already in the earlier years people had gathered for family meals that sometimes included barbecues on Memorial/Decoration Day. For many, the occasion also often marks improving weather and a long, three-day weekend offers opportunity for mini-getaways. This began to make Memorial Day the unofficial start of summer, where many colleges had by then finished their courses.  During the Vietnam War, not only did the dead gain national attention during Memorial Day, but prisoners of war (POWs) and missing soldiers were a major concern. Memorial Day was seen as an opportunity, by veterans associations and families in particular, as a time to remember the missing and POWs and not just the officially dead. Thus, today Memorial Day is often a time to reflect on those who might still be missing in conflicts as well as those who have been officially listed as dying in battle or as a casualty of war. ====Summary====The nature of conflict, from the Civil War to World War I and then the Vietnam War, in some way, changed the character of Memorial Day. It is true that the core celebration of the dead who served their country has never changed, but conflicts also began to be known for those who went missing, particularly the Vietnam War. Others also began to see the holiday as a time to reflect on their departed loved ones. What began as an unofficial springtime tradition for remembrance transformed into a public holiday and celebration after General Logan's declaration. The years after World War I finally saw the holiday gaining greater significance in some Southern states and beginning to reflect the remembrance of the dead in all conflicts. ====References====<references/> {{Contributors}}[[Category:Holiday History]] [[Category:United States History]][[Category:19th Century History]][[Category:20th Century History]]