What is the meaning of Memorial Day?
Memorial Day is a United States Federal Holiday observed on the last Monday of May (May 30 in 2011). Formerly known as Decoration Day it commemorates U.S. soldiers who died while in military service. First enacted to honor Union and Confeerate soldiers following the American Civil War, it was extended after World War I to honor Americans who have died in all wars. Begun as a ritual of remembrance and reconciliation after the Civil War, by the early 20th century, Memorial Day was an occasion for more general expressions of memory, as ordinary people visited the graves of their deceased relatives, whether they had served in the military or not. It also became a long weekend increasingly devoted to shopping, family get-togethers, fireworks, trips to the beach, and national media events such as the Indianapolis 500.
