Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who died in service to our country. Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday in 1971, to be celebrated on the last Monday of May.
Originally know as Decoration Day, it is believed that Memorial day started in the United States after the Civil War to remember fallen Union soldiers. This might be true, because eight southern states hold a separate memorial day for fallen Confederate soldiers.
About 5,000 people attend the Memorial Day ceremony at the Arlington National Cemetery each year. A small American flag is placed on each grave and the President lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The National Moment of Remembrance, established by Congress, asks Americans wherever they are at 3 p.m., local time, on Memorial Day to pause in an act of national unity (duration: one minute).The time 3 p.m. was chosen because it is the time when most Americans are enjoying their freedoms on the national holiday.
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