Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the people who died while serving in the country's armed forces.
The holiday, which is observed every year on the last Monday of May, originated as Decoration Day after the American Civil War in 1868.
By the 20th century, competing Union and Confederate holiday traditions, celebrated on different days, had merged, and Memorial Day eventually extended to honor all Americans who died while in the military service.
On Memorial Day, the flag of the United States is raised briskly to the top of the staff and then solemnly lowered to the half-staff position,
where it remains only until noon. It is then raised to full-staff for the remainder of the day. The half-staff position remembers the more than one million men and women who gave their lives in service of their country.
At noon, their memory is raised by the living, who resolve not to let their sacrifice be in vain, but to rise up in their stead and continue the fight for liberty and justice for all.
Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service. Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries.
The National Memorial Day Concert takes place on the west lawn of the United States Capitol. The concert is broadcast on PBS and NPR. Music is performed, and respect is paid to the men and women who gave their lives for their country.
For many Americans, the central event is attending one of the thousands of parades held on Memorial Day in large and small cities all over the country.
Most of these feature marching bands and an overall military theme with the National Guard and other servicemen participating along with veterans and military vehicles from various wars.
Memorial Day is not to be confused with Veterans Day which is observed annually on November 11; Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving, while Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans.
| Vocabulary | Description |
|---|
| activities | |
| american | |
| anniversary | |
| band | |
| banners | The flag of a country, army, troop, etc. |
| battlefield | The field or ground on which a battle is fought. |
| birth | |
| blast | The blowing of a trumpet, whistle, etc. |
| blessings | |
| brave | |
| celebrate | |
| celebration | |
| cemetery | An area set apart for or containing graves, tombs, or funeral urns, especially one that is not a churchyard |
| charming | pleasing; delightful |
| citizen | |
| combat | To fight or contend against |
| common | |
| country | |
| countryside | A particular section of a country, especially a rural section. |
| culture | |
| dangerous | |
| defense | |
| dream | |
| duty | Something that one is expected or required to do by moral or legal obligation. |
| emotional | |
| energy | |
| equality | The state or quality of being equal. |
| exchanges | To give up something for something else |
| explode | To expand with force and noise because of rapid chemical change or decomposition, as gunpowder or nitroglycerine |
| explosion | |
| family | |
| feast | |
| feeling | |
| fighting | |
| fireworks | |
| flag | |
| flowers | |
| food | |
| forever | |
| free | |
| freedom | |
| friendships | |
| gatherings | |
| glory | |
| goal(s) | |
| grave | |
| groups | |
| hero | |
| history | |
| holiday | |
| home | |
| homeland | |
| hooray | hurrah, used as an exclamation of joy, exultation, appreciation, encouragement, or the like |
| hope(s) | |
| humble | |
| ideal | A conception of something in its perfection. |
| importance | |
| join | |
| joy | |
| joyful | |
| joyous | |
| keen | finely sharpened, as an edge; sharp |
| kin | |
| kindness | |
| laughter | The action or sound of laughing. |
| life | |
| love | |
| march | |
| may | |
| memorial | |
| memories | |
| music | |
| musical | |
| mutual | |
| nation | |
| national | |
| native | |
| nonsense | |
| oneness | The quality of being one; singleness. |
| parade | |
| peace | |
| picnic | |
| pride | |
| public service | |
| quick | |
| quiet | |
| respect | |
| rights | |
| service | |
| sharing | |
| slogan | |
| soldier | |
| solemn | grave, sober, or mirthless, as a person, the face, speech, tone, or mood |
| special | |
| spirit | |
| stars | |
| stripes | |
| support | |
| surprise | |
| symbol | |
| unbelievable | |
| unify | |
| union | |
| unite | |
| universal | |
| values | |
| veteran | |
| victory | |
| vital | of or relating to life |
| war | |
| wave | |
| waving | |
| yelling | To cry out or speak with a strong, loud, clear sound |
| Vocabulary | Description |
|---|
| admiration | |
| alliance | |
| ancestors | |
| appreciation | |
| bravery | Courageous behavior or character. |
| citizenship | The state of being vested with the rights, privileges, and duties of a citizen. |
| civic | Of or relating to citizenship |
| commemorate | Recall and show respect for (someone or something) in a ceremony. |
| communication | The imparting or exchanging of information or news. |
| companionship | |
| concentration | |
| constitution | |
| contribution | |
| cooperation | |
| coordinate | |
| corps | |
| dazzling | Extremely bright, especially so as to blind the eyes temporarily. |
| declaration | |
| decoration | |
| democracy | |
| detonate | To explode with suddenness and violence. |
| detonation | |
| devotion | Love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause. |
| dignitary | A person considered to be important because of high rank or office. |
| dignity | The state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect. |
| dramatic | Of or relating to drama or the performance or study of drama. |
| encounter | Unexpectedly experience or be faced with (something difficult or hostile). |
| endure | Suffer (something painful or difficult) patiently. |
| entertainment | |
| expectations | |
| fascination | The power to fascinate someone; the quality of being fascinating. |
| fatherland | One's native country. |
| forefather | A member of the past generations of one's family or people; an ancestor. |
| glitter | Glitter describes an assortment of small, flat, reflective particles. Glitter particles reflect light at different angles, causing the surface to sparkle or shimmer. Glitter is like confetti, sparkles, or sequins, but somewhat smaller. |
| grandeur | High rank or social importance. |
| gratitude | |
| habitual | Done or doing constantly or as a habit. |
| heartfelt | Sincere; deeply and strongly felt. |
| herald | A royal or official messenger, especially one representing a monarch in an ambassadorial capacity during wartime. |
| heritage | Something that comes or belongs to one by reason of birth |
| hospitality | |
| illusions | |
| imagery | The formation of mental images, figures, or likenesses of things, or of such images collectively |
| imagination | |
| immortality | |
| inalienable | Unable to be taken away from or given away by the possessor. |
| independence | |
| indulgence | The action or fact of indulging, satisfaction, gratification |
| informative | |
| insight | |
| integral | Belonging as a part of the whole |
| legendary | Of the nature of a legend |
| liberation | |
| liberty | |
| loyalty | |
| military | |
| mission | |
| occasion | |
| official(s) | |
| opportunities | |
| opportunity | |
| overwhelming | |
| participation | |
| passionate | |
| patriot | A person who loves, supports, and defends his or her country and its interests with devotion. |
| patriotic | |
| patriotism | |
| pomp | Stately or splendid display; splendor; magnificence. |
| prayer | |
| preservation | |
| preserve | |
| rambling | Aimlessly wandering. |
| recreation | |
| refreshment | |
| rejoicing | |
| relatives | |
| relaxation | |
| republic | |
| reputation | |
| responsibility | |
| restful | |
| reverence | A feeling or attitude of deep respect tinged with awe |
| rituals | A religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order. |
| rocket | |
| sacrifices | |
| salute | A salute is a gesture or other action used to display respect. Salutes are primarily associated with armed forces, but other organisations and civilians also use salutes |
| selfless | |
| shrine | A building or other shelter, often of a stately or sumptuous character, enclosing the remains or relics of a saint or other holy person and forming an object of religious veneration and pilgrimage. |
| sincere | |
| streamers | |
| super-patriot | A person who is patriotic to an extreme. |
| symbolism | The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. |
| territory | An area of land under the jurisdiction of a ruler or state. |
| traditions | |
| tribute | A gift, testimonial, compliment, or the like, given as due or in acknowledgment of gratitude or esteem. |
| valiant | Possessing or showing courage or determination. |
| valor | Great courage in the face of danger, especially in battle. |
| versatile | Able to adapt or be adapted to many different functions or activities. |
| vision | |
| visionary | |
| welfare | Welfare is a government program which provides financial aid to individuals or groups who cannot support themselves. Welfare programs are funded by taxpayers and allow people to cope with financial stress during rough periods of their lives. |
| widespread | |
| willingness | |
| wisdom | |
| worship | |
| yearn | To have an earnest or strong desire |