American Holidays and Celebrations #7: Memorial Day
Like people from all over the world, Americans celebrate a variety of holidays and celebrations. Watch each video and read along each article to learn about American Holidays and Celebrations.
- Directions: Watch the video below and write a short summary of what you learned in the comments section below.
Hello , Hind from Iraq.
Memorial Day / last Monday in may
The day to be memorial and was intended also to be a day of reconciliation as flowers were placed on the graves of both union and confederate soldiers in Arlington .
In a typical Decoration Day ceremony in the north , veterans would March through the town to cemetery to decorate their comrades graves with flags.
In 1882 , the name was changed from Decoration Day to Memorial Day to honor soldiers who had died in all previous wars , not only the civil war.
After world war 1 , Memorial Day was also called Poppy Day because of Moin Michael’s , idea to wear red poppies on the day.
In 1971 declared Memorial Day a national holiday to be observed on the last Monday in may.
Lesson 2.37.4 Year 2
American holidays and celebrations.
Memorial Day is a day to honor and remember all of the men and women who died fighting for the U.S. of America. These people dedicated their lives so that America can be a free nation. It is celebrated every year on the last Monday of May. Originally Memorial Day was known as Decoration Day, it was because family members decorated fallen soldiers’ graves with flowers and wreaths on Monday 30th in 1868.In 1967 it was officially named,” Memorial Day” and in 1971 it became a federal holiday.
Martin Luther King Day.
Martin Luther King was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement. In 1963 a black minister (Martin Luther King) from a small town in Alabama in the south of United States led a march of more than 25,000 people to Washing Dc. He is famous, because he recited the famous speech entitled ” I have a dream” the speech talked about the dream had about America with racism.Rasisim is not treating black people the same as white people. Martin Luther King fought against racism along with many other black people. Martin Luther King led a nonviolent Compian for racial justice during the civil right movement he was the youngest man to have received the Noble Peace Prize .
President Day.
president’s Day, also called Washington’s Birthday by the federal governmental level, is a holiday in the United State celebrated on the third Monday of February to honor all persons who served as presidents of the United State
Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving Day is celebrated annually as a national holiday in the North American continent on the fourth Thursday of November. The day is meant to celebrate the harvest season and other blessings of the year gone by. The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621 over a three-day harvest festival. Thanksgiving dinner is a large meal generally centered on a large roasted turkey. It could be considered the largest eating event in the United State.
Greetings to all:
MEMORIAL DAY
Thanks to the idea of Henry Welles in 1866, on morning of May 5 the town-people in Waterloo, New York, began to place flowers, wreaths and crosses on the graves in the cemetary, of the northern soldiers died in the civil war.
In the south was ocurring the same, women´s organization were also honoring the war dead, decorating the graves of southern soldier who had died in the war.
Since then, began a growing movement to honor the war dead, with special day, named “Decoration Day”. In 1882, the named was changed to “Memorial Day” to honor soldiers who had died in all previous war and not only civil war, and
in 1971, President Richard Nixon declared “Memorial Day” as National Holiday to be observed on the last Monday in May, and now all the cities in The Unites States, hold their own ceremonies on this day to pay respect to the men and women who have died in the wars or in the Service of tehir country However, currently Memorial Day is also a day for personal remembrance. So, families and individuals honor the memories of their loved ones who have died.
Thank you Maestroeg
Greetings Maestro Sersea
It was 1866 and the United States was recovering to a long and bloody Civil War between the North Union and The South Confederate. Surviving soldier came home, some with missing limbs, and all with stories to tell.
Henry Welles a drugstore owner in Waterloo, New York heard the stories and had an idea. He suggested all the shops in town close for one day to honor the soldiers who were buried in the Waterloo, Cementary. In many towns and cities there was a growing movement to honor the war dead with special day, so in 1868, General Jonathan Logan commander of the Grand Army of the Republic established May 30 as the official day of observance to honor all those who had given their lives in services of their country. The day was to be a memorial, and was intended also to be a day of reconciliation.
In a typical decoration day ceremony in the North, veteran would march through the town to the cemetery to decorate their comrade’s graves with flowers. They took photograph of American soldier with flags. Rifles were shots to the air as salute to the northern soldiers who had given their lives to keep the United States together. In 1882 the name was changed from Decoration Day to Memorial Day. And It was designate a legal holiday. Memorial day also was called Poppy day because of Moina Michael idea to wear red poppy on the day. She was inspired by John McCrae poem in Flanders Field, which speak to the bright red poppies who grow among the graves on former battlefield in Belgium.
In 1966 President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed Waterloo, New York the birthplace of Memorial day.
In 1971 President Richard Nixon declared it a national holiday to be observed in the last Monday in May.
Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia is the nation largest national cemetery buried there with a special place of honor are members of the armed forces, as well astronauts, explorers and others distinguished Americans.
President John F. Kennedy is buried in spot overlooking Washington D. C and marked with an eternal flame. In the early hours of the morning on Friday before memorial day soldiers of the Third U. S. Infantry walk along row of headstones. The soldiers are part to the special Old Guard and their consider it a privileges to place flags on the more than two hundred thousand graves of soldier who died in wars. And for them is an iqual honor to guard the tomb of the Unknown soldiers. Four unknown soldiers have been buried in these spots. One soldiers for each of one World War.
On memorial day the President or Vice President of the United States gives a speech and lay wreath on the tombs of the unknown. Members of the armed forces give a rifle salute. At others tombs veteran and families lay their own wreath and say prayers.
Best Regards