1. Blue Creek Elementary School
Memorial Day
In Remembrance of the 1.3 Million Americans Who Gave Their Life For Our Country
Mr. Heath
Blue Creek Elementary School

2. Decoration Day Memorial Day
Memorial day was originally called Decoration Day. It may have started when women’s groups in the South began decorating the graves of fallen soldiers during the Civil War.
Memorial Day

3. First Official Observation
On May 30, 1868, flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, DC.
Memorial Day

4. “In Flanders Fields”
Canadian doctor, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae wrote the poem “In Flanders Fields” in 1915, the day after he performed the burial service for his friend who was killed in battle in Flanders, Belgium during World War I. The poem became associated with Memorial Day.

5. Memorial Day IN FLANDERS FIELDS
In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.
Memorial Day

6. Poppies
The poem “In Flanders Fields” inspired the wearing of poppies on Memorial Day to honor all of those who died serving the nation during war.

7. Arlington National Cemetery
Each Memorial Day, 1,200 members of the 3rd Infantry Division place flags on the more than 260,000 graves at Arlington National Cemetery.

8. Arlington National Cemetery
Memorial Day

9. National Holiday
Congress made “Memorial Day” a national holiday in We began observing it on the last Monday in May in 1971.

10. American War Deaths
Over 1,300,000 Americans

11. Memorial Day Flag Etiquette
The flag should be flown at half-mast from sunrise until noon.
At noon, the flag should be raised to full-staff until sunset.

12. Moment of Remembrance
At 3:00 p.m. on Memorial Day, everyone is urged to stop what they are doing and observe a moment of silence.