Since this Saturday May 26th., the United States will be commemorating Memorial Day Weekend, three days that include the last Monday of May, where the premise is to pay tribute to those who have died in the service of the country. Many cities and towns claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day. While President Lyndon Johnson officially declared Waterloo N.Y. As the birthplace of this day, in May 1966, it is difficult to prove categorically the place of origin.
The Memorial Day Weekend was born out of the Civil War and the desire to honor the deceased. After the First World War, it was expanded to include all the men and women who died in any war or military action. The date of the Memorial Day, as it was known in the first place, was chosen because it was not the anniversary of any particular battle; In that first edition, General James Garfield gave a speech at the Arlington National Cemetery, and 5,000 participants decorated the tombs of the 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried there.
New York was the first state to officially recognize vacations in 1873, then, in 1890, it was recognized by all the northern states. Now it is commemorated in almost every state on the last Monday in May with the approval of the Congress of the National Holiday Act of 1971, although several southern territories have an additional day to honor those killed in different wars.
Much of American history has been lost because times change, however, since Palletized we join this special day for its patriotic and emotional significance. We leave you 5 lessons that can inspire this date:
- The purpose of the Memorial Day Weekend, beyond being a holiday that many take advantage of for recreational activities, is to commemorate the deceased and for the citizens to remember that many soldiers sacrificed their lives for the country.
- The history of a country is one of its greatest treasures. It gives meaning to the present of society to understand its culture, its identity, the reason of current situations, how the country has evolved and what the future will be like.
- The visit to any cemetery where there are soldiers is a lesson in leadership, shared values and a reminder that decisions made on battlefields must be taken with reason.
- For survivors of wars, veterans and civilians who enjoy a freedom gained in the battlefield, this date brings us the lesson of gratitude to the fallen in combat for the opportunities of a safe country.
- There are organizations and associations that honor the fallen, helping and serving their families. They make us committed citizens and a better and more grateful nation by pointing the way, what we can do and what should concern us.
Each year the soldiers solemnly go to the cemeteries and leave a flag on each tomb as a symbol of recognition.