Updated: May 25, 2012

Memorial Day is more than a three-day weekend that marks the beginning of summer -- it was created to pay tribute to soldiers who have served our country in the U.S. military. The holiday, which dates back to the Civil War, has a rich history of honoring the men and women who have died for our country.

Originally, Memorial Day was meant to honor deceased Civil War soldiers by encouraging citizens to decorate their graves with flowers and flags. It was called Decoration Day. The tradition began on May 30, 1868 when General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery.

After General Garfield spoke, 5,000 people decorated the graves of over 20,000 soldiers laid to rest in the historic cemetery in Washington, D.C. The origin of the holiday is often contested, however, because many communities adopted the tradition. In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, New York the birthplace of Memorial Day because the entire community recognized the holiday annually beginning on May 5, 1866.

Now, Memorial Day is celebrated throughout the country with a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery with a speech given by the President or Vice-President and flags placed at every one of the 300,000 soldiers' graves.