Memorial Day
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96 free Memorial Day trivia questions with answers — history quiz, new questions added Aug 2026.
50 free Memorial Day trivia questions with answers. Memorial Day is more than the unofficial start of summer. It is a day to honor the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the United States Armed Forces. From its origins as Decoration Day after the Civil War to the iconic traditions at Arlington National Cemetery, this quiz covers the history, symbols, and culture of one of Americas most solemn holidays.
30 of 96 questions with answers and explanations. Play the quiz
Q 01Which president spoke at the 1913 Gettysburg reunion of Union and Confederate veterans?
Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson addressed the 50th-anniversary Gettysburg reunion on July 4, 1913, four months into his presidency, before tens of thousands of Union and Confederate veterans.
Q 02A May 2000 Gallup poll found that what share of Americans knew the true meaning of Memorial Day?
28%
Only 28% of Americans knew the holiday's true purpose in the May 2000 Gallup poll, a finding that helped drive the creation of the National Moment of Remembrance later that year.
Q 03Between April and September, how often is the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier?
Every half-hour
The guard changes every half-hour from April 1 through September 30, hourly from October through March, and every two hours overnight while Arlington is closed to visitors.
Q 04Which US state, in 1873, was the first to make the day an official state holiday?
New York
New York made Decoration Day a legal state holiday in 1873; every Northern state had followed by 1890, while Southern states kept separate days for their Confederate dead.
Q 05What was Memorial Day originally called?
Decoration Day
Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day, because mourners would decorate the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers and flags.
Q 06Which US holiday honors all who served, living or dead, and falls on November 11?
Veterans Day
Veterans Day (November 11) honors all who have served in the U.S. military, while Memorial Day specifically honors those who died in service.
Q 07What is the famous national cemetery in Virginia where many fallen soldiers are buried?
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, is the most well-known military cemetery in the U.S. and hosts major Memorial Day ceremonies each year.
Q 08Memorial Day weekend is often considered the unofficial start of what season?
Summer
Memorial Day weekend is widely considered the unofficial start of summer in the United States, marking the beginning of vacation season, outdoor activities, and pool openings.
Q 09What war originally gave rise to the tradition that became Memorial Day?
The Civil War
Memorial Day originated after the Civil War (1861-1865), which was the deadliest conflict in American history. Communities began decorating the graves of fallen soldiers shortly after the war ended.
Q 10At what hour are Americans asked to pause for the National Moment of Remembrance on Memorial Day?
3:00 PM local
Public Law 106-579 asks everyone to pause for a minute of silence at that hour, wherever they happen to be.
Q 11What is the name of the bugle call traditionally played at military funerals and Memorial Day ceremonies?
Taps
Taps was arranged at Harrison's Landing, Virginia, in July 1862 as a lights-out call for the Army of the Potomac; Army regulations made it a standard part of military funerals in 1891.
Q 12Until noon on Memorial Day, US flags fly at what position?
Half-staff
Half-staff until noon honours the fallen; the flag is first run briskly to the top, and at noon it goes back up for the resolve of the living.
Q 13What major auto race is traditionally held on Memorial Day weekend?
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500, held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, has been run on or near Memorial Day weekend since 1911. It is one of the most prestigious auto races in the world.
Q 21Which Grand Army of the Republic commander issued General Order No. 11, calling for a day to decorate soldiers' graves?
John A. Logan
John A. Logan, commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, issued General Order No. 11 on May 5, 1868, calling for the graves of the Union dead to be decorated later that month.
Q 22Arlington's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier contains unidentified remains from how many wars?
Three
Three unknowns rest there: the World War I unknown interred in 1921 and the World War II and Korean War unknowns added in 1958; the Vietnam crypt, filled in 1984, has been empty since 1998.
Q 23What year was the first national Decoration Day observed?
1868
Q 14Which term, dating to the service flags of World War I, describes families who have lost a member in military service?
Gold Star
Gold Star is the term, dating to World War I service flags, for the loss of a family member in military service; charities now exist specifically for Gold Star mothers and Gold Star wives.
Q 15Which U.S. president signed the act moving Memorial Day to the last Monday in May?
Lyndon B. Johnson
Johnson signed the act on June 28, 1968, and it took effect at the federal level in 1971, creating a guaranteed three-day weekend.
Q 16The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, completed in 1982 and later joined by the Three Servicemen statue, is commonly called what?
The Wall
The Wall's two black granite walls were completed in 1982 and later joined by the Three Servicemen statue in 1984 and the Vietnam Women's Memorial in 1993.
Q 17Which 1915 poem by Canadian physician John McCrae inspired the remembrance poppy, worn on Memorial Day?
In Flanders Fields
In Flanders Fields was written on May 3, 1915, after McCrae presided over the funeral of a friend killed at the Second Battle of Ypres; Moina Michael promoted the poppy it inspired.
Q 18Which decoration outranks every other in the US military?
Medal of Honor
It recognizes gallantry 'above and beyond the call of duty' and goes to soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen alike.
Q 19Which National Mall memorial features 19 stainless steel statues of soldiers on patrol?
Korean War Veterans
The Korean War Veterans Memorial features 19 stainless steel statues representing a squad on patrol, wearing ponchos and carrying equipment. The statues are reflected in a polished granite wall, symbolically doubling the count to 38 — representing the 38th parallel.
Q 20On what date was Memorial Day originally observed before the Uniform Monday Holiday Act?
May 30
Memorial Day was observed on May 30 from the first national observance until 1970, reportedly because that date was no battle's anniversary; the last-Monday observance began in 1971.
The first national Decoration Day was held in 1868, three years after the Civil War ended, with a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery attended by some 5,000 people.
Q 24Who designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.?
Maya Lin
Maya Lin designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial when she was a 21-year-old architecture student at Yale University. Her design was selected from 1,421 entries in an open competition in 1981.
Q 25What does a Blue Star on a service flag signify?
A family member currently serving
The service flag is a white banner with a red border, hung in a window with one blue star for each family member in the armed forces during a period of hostilities.
Q 26The World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. features 56 pillars. What do they represent?
U.S. states and territories at the time of the war
The 56 granite pillars represent the 48 U.S. states, 7 federal territories, and the District of Columbia as they existed during World War II.
Q 27Which town was declared the 'official' birthplace of Memorial Day by a 1966 presidential proclamation?
Waterloo, New York
Waterloo, New York was named Memorial Day's birthplace by President Johnson's 1966 proclamation, citing a community-wide observance there on May 5, 1866, though historians and several other towns dispute the claim.
Q 28Roughly how many names are inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.?
About 58,000
About 58,000 names (58,320 as of 2018) are inscribed across the two walls' 140 name panels; names have been added over the years as cases were resolved.
Q 29The Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968 moved how many federal holidays to Mondays?
Four
Four holidays were moved: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Columbus Day (newly made federal), all shifted to Mondays to guarantee three-day weekends when the act took effect in 1971.
Q 30The Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington depicts a wartime flag raising on which Pacific island?
Iwo Jima
The sculpture shows six Marines raising the flag on Mount Suribachi on February 23, 1945; the memorial stands in Arlington Ridge Park.