In the United States, Memorial Day is on the last Monday in May, and the day honors men and women who died while serving in the military. Across the United States, there are parades that communities hold every year. People also visit cemeteries, throw parties and barbecues, and take trips. Here are five facts about the holiday, and how it all got started.

1. It was first called Decoration Day

And it was created in the years after the Civil War, and it was a day to honor those who had just lost their lives fighting in the Civil War, unlike Memorial Day where it honors all who fought and lost their lives.

2. In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act.

This act established Memorial Day as a federal holiday, and as the last Monday in May.

3. No one knows where the tradition originated.

A bunch of communities have had memorial gatherings of their own. In 1966, it was declared by the government that Waterloo, a town in New York, was the town where the tradition originated because it hosted a community-wide event every year. On that day, businesses were closed, and people would decorate soldiers’ graves with flowers and flags.

4. General John A. Logan designated May 30th, 1868 as Decoration Day.

He was the leader of an organization for Civil War Veterans that fought for the north. He created Decoration Day because he wanted a day of remembrance that the entire nation would celebrate. General Logan stated that the date he picked was chosen because it wasn’t an anniversary of a battle.

5. General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery on the first Decoration Day

There were 5,000 people that decorated the graves of 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers on that day.

I appreciate every single person that fought for this country. They have made the sacrifice to protect this country. I’m thankful for that. So, take a minute out of the day on Monday, and think of all those who have fallen. Because the people that have fought for this country, and the people that are currently fighting, have given everything to protect us. Thank you.