Teach Kids the History of Memorial Day

Throughout the school years, children learn about the wars from the past that have marked the evolution of our society. They hear about the devastating effects of these wars and numbers representing the lives that were lost. But, the people selflessly serving their country are more than just a number. And, thanks to the upcoming holiday, you have an amazing opportunity to reflect on historical events from a more intimate perspective. By teaching kids about the history of Memorial Day, you’ll promote feelings of gratitude and responsibility toward the people who defend our country. 

Memorial Day also represents our collective attitude toward the dark aspects of history. Remembering the lives we’ve lost shows compassion, respect, and reminds us of the mistakes that we can’t afford to make anymore. There’s a lot to be learned from this holiday, and in this article, we’ll go over the history of Memorial Day, focusing on the people’s desire to perpetuate and celebrate the brave soldiers who made our society what it is today. 

The History of Memorial Day

On Memorial Day schools close and parents have the day off, but what is the reason for this,  kids will surely wonder. As a teacher or a homeschooling parent, you can use this amazing opportunity and organize a lecture to teach kids about the history of Memorial Day. 

There are several reasons why this is a good idea. First, it will help kids to get a meaningful closure after learning about the wars, revolutions, and other conflicts in the past. Second, it can promote emotional maturity by giving kids constructive coping mechanisms with death and grieving. Third, it will keep these beautiful and patriotic traditions alive by raising awareness in future generations. 

But, how do you teach the history of Memorial Day to kids? How much should you include and how to make the lecture meaningful without overburdening students with scary details? 

Well, the best start is the beginning. In other words, the foundation from which Memorial Day evolved into the holiday that is today i.e the Civil War. Keep reading to find how we incorporated all the important aspects of this holiday into a memorable and interesting unit. 

The American Civil War

Since Memorial Day began as an observance after the devastating consequences of the American Civil War, the starting point would be to explain to kids a little bit more about this historical event. 

The main cause for the Civil War was the status of slavery in the United States after Abraham Lincoln won the presidential elections based on the anti-slavery platform in the 1860s. As you may have noticed, explaining the Civil War requires knowledge of another challenging concept – slavery. Check out our “How To Teach Dark Periods Of History” article if you need to go over the very basics. 

When it comes to explaining the Civil War, you can do this by utilizing our interactive worksheet pack. If you click on the link above, you’ll see that we’ve also papered key information and valuable insight that represent a great background to Memorial Day. And if you need more help with teaching this topic, download our free Civil War Curriculum Guide.

The most important piece of information regarding the Civil War was that it’s considered the deadliest war in American history with over 600,000 victims – more than any other conflict in US history. 

Although every war is bad and there are always major casualties, this massive number, in particular, required the establishment of the first national cemeteries in the country, which was unseen before. 

This outcome together with the overall destruction in the country and material damage caused a lot of mental issues in people that have survived the war. They were surrounded by ruins, death, depression, and broken families. The need for peace and change was greater than ever. 

Early Observations and Decoration Day

After the end of the war in 1865, the government was quick to propose a reconstruction plan and other measures that were supposed to help people cope and overcome the post-war mentality. This was a great plan, but the physical reconstruction required psychological support, too. 

For this reason, it’s more than understandable why people began organizing and holding springtime tributes to the fallen soldiers in the Civil War. This spontaneous act quickly turned into an annual tradition of decorating the graves of the people who died in the Civil War and reciting prayers as a way of paying their respects. 

The origins of such decorating events are unknown and most historians agree that it must have been an independent initiative from several different communities at that time. Some say that the first Memorial Day observation was organized by a freed slaves group in Charleston, South Carolina, although it is Waterloo, New York that is considered the birthplace of Memorial Day. 

But, what we call Memorial Day now, in that time, was known as Decoration Day. 

In 1868, General John A. Logan, a leader of Northern Civil War veterans, initiated a proposal for turning these annual tributes into a nationwide day of remembrance. He wanted the 30th of May to be officially recognized as a day for laying flowers on the graves of the fallen comrades who died defending their country. He called this day “Decoration Day” based on the traditions associated with it. 

By the end of 1890, most northern states made Decoration Day an official state holiday, while the southern states had different commemoration traditions – some of which remain today as “Confederate Memorial Day” celebrated on different dates (around the end of April and beginning of May).

The Establishment of a Memorial Day

Decoration Day honored the soldiers who died in the Civil War, a war which unfortunately didn’t remain the only devastating conflict for the United States. 

Around 50 years after the Civil War, the United States took part in World War I, drastically increasing the number of soldiers and other people who have lost their lives serving the country. Therefore, there was a need for transforming the holiday into a day of remembrance for men and women who sacrificed their lives for the country, regardless of which war they served in. 

Check out our worksheet pack on World War I (WWI) if your students still haven’t learned about it and you want to include more details. 

This way, Decoration Day evolved into Memorial Day. It was still celebrated on the 30th of May for several years until Congress passed a Uniform Monday Holiday Act in which they declared Memorial Day as a federal holiday observed every last Monday in May. The reason for this was so that people could get a three-day weekend. 

What is Memorial Day?

Looking back, we know that WWI was not the last conflict. Today, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance of military personnel who died serving the country in all wars and military conflicts.

Some of these wars and conflicts include (+ links to our respective worksheet packs):

• World War II (WWII)
• The Vietnam War
• The Korean War
• Gulf War (Iraq – Kuwait)
• War in Afghanistan
• Iraq War

Memorial Day Traditions

The history of Memorial Day tells the heartbreaking story of how people found a way to cope and deal with the death that followed the devastating wars in human history. And, just like the day itself has evolved, the traditions and customs have also expanded. 

The hallmark of Memorial Day is still, however, the official decorations of soldiers’ graves with flowers and flags. With time, this tradition became accompanied by national parades in which many people take part. 

Memorial Day poppies are also symbols of remembrance during this holiday, although you shouldn’t confuse Memorial Day with Remembrance Day (where poppies are also part of the tradition). Remembrance day has the same purpose as Memorial Day, although it’s observed in Commonwealth member states on the 11th of November as a tribute to all the people who died during the First World War.  

During Memorial Day, a lot of people privately visit cemeteries and memorials to pay their respects to the fallen soldiers. 

With time, Memorial Day also became an unofficial herald for summer. For this reason, many Americans organize outdoor family gatherings and barbecues, celebrating the upcoming season. 

To celebrate Memorial Day with kids or students, check out our worksheet pack. Without spending too much time or effort, you’ll engage kids in a fun, yet educational experience regarding Memorial Day. 

Before You Go

Memorial Day is an emotional holiday that offers a lot of opportunities for learning and growth. Hopefully, with our article, you have a clearer idea of how to approach this topic and share this emotional experience with kids. 

Through the history of Memorial Day, kids will connect previous knowledge with current events and consequences that they can see and feel first-hand. The aim is for them to understand the necessity for peace and nonviolent communication in all aspects of our lives – individually and collectively as a society. Also, to be grateful and respectful of all the people in the past who selflessly gave their lives for us to have a better life today. 

While we already linked most of the topics that you’ll need for this lecture in our interactive worksheet packs, we kindly invite you to visit our website and browse through our growing library of teachers’ resources for all your future needs. 
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