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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). <iMemorial 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. Some of the traditions in Southern states that differed, such as communal decoration and cleaning of graves, continue to this day. In the North, individual states adopted May 30th as official state holidays, but at a federal level it was not recognized. Perhaps this was due to lingering bitterness between the North and South, where states in the South preferred to have their own Decoration day.The bitter years of Reconstruction 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, reflected a socially divided country. Decoration 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.<ref>For more on the early traditions of Decoration Day, see: Jabbour, A., & Jabbour, K. S. (2010). <i>Decoration day in the mountains: traditions of cemetery decoration in the southern Appalachians</i>. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press.</ref>

[[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 (Figure 2). Once again, nevertheless, developed as a bloody conflict consumed the United States. While World War I was not a very long war for the United States, it did endure relatively heavy casualties in the tumultuous last year of the conflict. Many families endured great loss, with over 116 thousand deaths, although many of those were due specific holiday devoted to disease, including the pandemic flu that had struck during the war.The large number of dead in a short period, where soldiers were from throughout the United States, lost 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 in the Civil War but also World War I and rather than other conflicts, including more minor ones such as the Spanish-American War, began to be remembered where loved ones had died. Decoration Day on May 30th soon began to be celebrated across because it was by far the bloodiest in United States and not just the Northhistory.<ref>For more on the role early traditions of World War I on Memorial Decoration Day, see: MargaretJabbour, A., & MargaretJabbour, AK. S. (20022010). Memorial Day (1st ed)<i>Decoration day in the mountains: traditions of cemetery decoration in the southern Appalachians</i>. New YorkChapel Hill: PowerKids University of North Carolina Press, pg. 12. </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 tumultuous last year of the holiday fixed for manyconflict. One problemMany families endured great loss, howeverwith over 116, is May 30th often fell on different days throughout the week000 deaths overall, where individuals, particularly although many of those who began were due to travel for workdisease, found it disruptiveincluding the pandemic flu that had struck during the war. Many people began to not only visit graves That a large number of fallen dead were soldiers but also their loved ones who died of other causesfrom throughout the United States, in a way did help the country come together after the Civil War had led to bitterness. In effect, it People began to be more of a commemorative day for departed loved ones for many as well as a day to celebrate soldiers not just those who died in conflict. For those who traveled for work or who had moved, it was often difficult to visit the graves of their departed loved ones or fallen soldiers. Other traditions had Civil War but also caught on during this timeWorld War I and other conflicts, including more minor ones such as placing small US flags on graves. This seems to have caught on by World the Spanish-American War II, where active service members would remember all fallen soldiers by placing flagsbegan to be remembered. The general public Decoration Day on May 30th began to follow this practicebe celebrated across the United States and not just the North.<ref>For more on the role of World War I on Memorial Day, see: Margaret, A., & Margaret, A. (2002). <i>Memorial Day (1st ed)</i>. New York: PowerKids Press, pg. 12.</ref>

Many people began to visit not only graves of fallen soldiers but also their loved ones who died of other causes. In the 1968effect, Congress moved it began to be more of a commemorative day for departed loved ones for many as well as a day to make what was now becoming called Memorial Day celebrate soldiers who died in a uniform holidayconflict. The last Monday of May was chose as For those who traveled for work or who had moved, it was the closest date often difficult to May 30th that also made visit the holiday give workers a three-day weekend, ample time to celebrate graves of their departed loved onesor fallen soldiers. In some waysOther traditions had also caught on during this time, the act by Congress could such as placing small US flags on war-related graves. This seems to have been prompted caught on by what was becoming an unpopular war in Vietnam. NeverthelessWorld War II, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which was the act passed where active service members would remember fallen soldiers by Congress placing flags. The general public began to follow this practice.<ref>For more on Memorial Day traditions that made developed in the day a federal holiday20th century, see: Ditchfield, took some years before it went into effectC. (2003). In 1971, the first federally recognized <i> Memorial Day occurred on the last Monday of May</i>. New York: Children’s Press.</ref>

For many====Modern Meaning====In 1968, Congress moved to make what was now becoming called Memorial Day has continued a uniform holiday. The last Monday of May was chosen as it was the closest date to be an occasion May 30th, the timing would give workers a three-day weekend and ample time to visit celebrate their departed loved ones. CitiesIn some ways, which had already developed the act by Congress could have been prompted by what was becoming an unpopular war in Vietnam. Nevertheless, the years after the Civil War with military-style paradesUniform Monday Holiday Act, to continue and elaborate on which was the tradition now act passed by Congress that it was made the day a federal holiday, took some years before it went into effect. ChicagoIn 1971, New York, and Washington often have had the biggest parades. The tradition first federally recognized Memorial Day occurred on the last Monday of having an official celebration at Arlington National Cemetery, which was established in the Civil WarMay. The president, after <ref>For more on Congress declaring the holiday had been passed as a official federal holiday, began to use the occasion to visit Arlington National Cemetery to make a of Memorial Day speech to remember fallen soldiers from past and often, these dayssee: Dean, current conflictsS. (2011). <i>Memorial Day</i>. New York: Gareth Stevens Pub. </ref>

Barbecues and family gathering 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. For many, the Memorial Day has continued to be an occasion also often sees improving weather and a long, three-day weekend offers opportunity for mini-getawaysto visit departed loved ones. This began to make Memorial Day the unofficial start of summerCity parades, where at least many colleges at least which had by then finished their courses. During already developed in the years after the Vietnam Civil Warwith military-style affairs, not only did the dead gain national attention during first Decoration continued and then Memorial Day, but prisoners of war (POWs) soon began to be were elaborated on the conscious of manytradition now that it was a federal holiday. Memorial Day was seen as an opportunityChicago, by veterans associationsNew York, as a time to remember the missing and POWs and not just the officially dead. Thus, today Memorial Day is Washington 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 warhad the biggest parades.

==Summary==The nature tradition of conflicthaving an official commemoration at Arlington National Cemetery, from which was a cemetery established in the Civil War to World War I and then the Vietnam War, in some way changed included the character of Memorial Daypresident making a speech. It is true that the core celebration of the dead who served their country Now, it has never changed, but conflicts began to also be known become almost expected for those who went missing, particularly the Vietnam War. Others also began president to visit Arlington National Cemetery to see the holiday as make a time Memorial Day speech to reflect remember fallen soldiers from past and often, these days, current conflicts.<ref>For more on their departed loved ones. What began as an unofficial spring time for remembrance transformed into a widespread holiday and celebration after General LoganArlington National Cemetery's declarationhistory and role in Memorial Day, see: Poole, R. M. (2013). <i>On Hallowed Ground The years after World War I finally saw the holiday gaining greater significance to some Southern states and beginning to reflect the remembrance Story of dead in all conflictsArlington 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]]