One of the most significant holidays that the people in the United States celebrate is Memorial day. It is celebrated to honor our loved ones in the military and other personnel who gave their lives to the country they are serving. This also symbolizes the peace and freedom that they brought to us. It is celebrated through cemetery visits, memorials, family gatherings, and parades often with pow mia flags and US flags at half-mast until noon.
It was May 1st in the year 1865 when the first recorded celebration of Memorial Day was celebrated. It was called May Day before it was changed. All the U.S. Troops and freed slaves celebrated the very first Memorial Day in Charleston, South Carolina. But everything did not start with fun and games before. Below are more interesting facts about this.
History of the Memorial Day
One of the most commonly known memorial day facts is that General A. Morgan was the founder of this holiday. Still, some believe that Abraham Lincoln was the founder since he was the President seated at that time. In his administration, he carried out the ceremony to celebrate all the sacrifices made by our brave veterans.
There is one other word that the memorial day is most commonly known for. That is “Decoration day.” This is known that way since soldiers decorate their fallen comrades’ graves with flowers, flags, and wreaths to honor and remember them. Hence, it was called “Decoration Day.”
The Civil War
Memorial Day was created due to the bloodshed caused by the Civil War. The loss that the American people suffered and its effects on the community led to the commemoration and the beginning of the first memorial day last May of 1866 and quickly became a yearly tradition for all Americans.
Many American soldiers gave up their lives fighting in the 4-year long Civil War. It has the highest casualty count ever recorded for any conflict in American history. This war led almost 700 thousand American soldiers to battle and bravely gave their lives serving and protecting the country.
Sale, Sale, and Sale!
Since Memorial Day is already an annual tradition and is still being celebrated up to this day, it is now being considered the unofficial start of the Summer in the United States. For some, this is the most awaited day of the year because aside from the big sale, this is the only time where they can mourn for their loved ones and get together.
Speaking of Sales, many retail stores in the United States offer a massive sale, including Best Buy, located in different departments. These items include large, small appliances, tech gears, and electronics. The previous year alone, Best Buy offered up to 40% off on all their appliances.
Birthplace
The first memorial day took place in Waterloo, New York, on May 5th of 1866. The main reason this city was called the birthplace of Memorial day is that this city held the most significant annual celebration where many businesses closed. All the residents gathered and decorated the graves of soldiers.
However, many people believe that the city of Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, was the memorial day’s birthplace. The local archaeologists stated that women in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania were the first to decorate the soldiers’ tombs in 1864. This was the reason why they claimed that they were the founders of this holiday.
Takeaway
Though Memorial day is one of the most celebrated federal holidays in the United States, there are still many more mysteries that come with this commemoration. There are still some issues that need to be resolved. One example is the founder of this holiday. Many Americans believe it is Lincoln, and others also think it was Mogan.
However, as mysterious as it may seem, this is still a much-awaited holiday since it will be an opportunity for Americans to pay tribute to all fallen soldiers and loved ones by gathering and decorating their tombs with flowers and remembering them.
