Today, May 27, we celebrate in the United States what our friends across the Atlantic call Memorial Day. This is an opportunity for LEC, before your departure for a language study trip to the U.S., to take a look back at this official holiday celebrated every year in the United States on the last Monday of May.
The nation’s tribute to the victims of military conflicts
Also known as Decoration Day, this holiday is an opportunity for the United States to honor the men, women, and children who lost their lives in the conflicts in which the country has participated.
The event was originally established to honor those who died in the devastating American Civil War, which tore the country apart from 1861 to 1865. It was later expanded to include the victims of World War I, and then to all other conflicts.
A language study trip to experience Memorial Day
Gradually changed from Decoration Day to Memorial Day, the latter term did not become common until after World War II, following its official recognition by federal law in 1967. It was not until four years later that President Richard Nixon declared the last Monday in May a federal holiday.
Ceremonies and parades during your language study trip to the U.S.
A language study trip to the U.S. might be the perfect opportunity to learn about this centuries-old tradition, similar to the Armistice Day ceremonies held in France. In fact, every year the President of the United States visits Arlington National Cemetery, located in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., while parades take place across the country.