It started in 1919 to remember those we lost in the Great War. Before World War II, World War I was called the Great War. President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first Armistice Day — one year after the end of the Great War. The day was meant to celebrate peace and pay tribute to the soldiers who helped bring the Great War to a close. Communities across America rang church bells, held parades, and paused for moments of silence at the eleventh hour — the exact time the fighting stopped.

In 1938, Congress made Armistice Day a legal federal holiday, giving Americans a chance to honor those who had served. It quickly became a solemn day of remembrance, especially for families who lost loved ones overseas. Across the nation, schools and small towns began holding annual ceremonie

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