Sixth Grade
Worksheets
Whom Do You Honor on Veterans Day?
On November 11, we honor veterans and their service to America. Have you wondered who veterans are and why we honor them? Veterans are people who serve in the armed forces. They do not have to take part in a war to be a veteran. Just having served in one of the branches of the military is enough.
So when did Veterans Day begin? The original name for Veterans Day was Armistice Day. It was called that by President Woodrow Wilson on November 11, 1919, on the first anniversary of the end of World War I. It did not become a national holiday until 1938. Originally, it was a day to honor the veterans who fought in the "Great War" (World War I), just as Memorial Day originally honored those who died in the Civil War. It was also a day to promote peace.
In 1953, Alfred King, a small business owner, wanted to change that. He thought that the veterans of all wars should be honored, something that was supported by veterans groups. He spoke to his local chamber of commerce. People overwhelmingly supported the idea. Their congressmen liked the idea as well and introduced a bill to change the holiday. On June 1, 1954, President Eisenhower signed it into law.
