Reading Comprehension · American Holiday
Veterans Day
A reading lesson about Veterans Day — the November 11th holiday that began as Armistice Day at the end of World War I and now honors all U.S. military veterans of every branch and every conflict.
Subject
Reading Comprehension
Grade Level
Grades 3–6
Format
Lesson + Printable PDF
Access
Full Member
From Armistice Day to Veterans Day
Veterans Day is a holiday for honoring veterans of the United States armed forces. A veteran is someone who has experience in something, so all men and women who have served in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, or Space Force are veterans of the armed forces. Veterans Day is observed each year on November 11th. On the same date, a number of other countries celebrate Armistice Day or Remembrance Day to remember the end of World War I in 1918.
The formal ending of World War I came at 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918 — the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. An agreement called an armistice was signed at that time, officially ending the war. World War I had been a brutal four-year conflict in Europe, and Americans were eager to mark the day the fighting stopped. Armistice Day was first recognized in the United States in 1919, a year after World War I ended. It was a legal holiday in thirty states that year.
In 1926, Congress asked all Americans to observe November 11th as a holiday, and Armistice Day became a legal national holiday in 1938. The name was changed to Veterans Day in 1952 to make it a day on which veterans of all wars — not just those who served in World War I — would be honored. By the end of the Korean War, Americans recognized that millions of new veterans needed a day of their own. The new name reflects everyone who has worn an American uniform, in peacetime as well as in war.
How Americans Observe Veterans Day
Americans observe Veterans Day in many ways. Many cities hold parades on November 11th. Schools often hold special assemblies and invite local veterans to speak about their service. Some schools ask students to write letters of thanks to active-duty service members and veterans. Family members visit the graves of veterans at cemeteries, where small American flags are often placed at each veteran’s headstone.
One of the most well-known Veterans Day ceremonies takes place at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. At exactly 11 a.m. on November 11th, the President of the United States or another government leader places a wreath at the tomb. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier honors American service members who died in war but whose remains were never identified. A specially selected guard watches over the tomb 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Veterans Day is sometimes confused with Memorial Day, but the two holidays are different. Memorial Day, in late May, honors specifically those who died while serving in the U.S. military. Veterans Day honors all American veterans, living or dead, who served honorably during war or peacetime. Today there are about 16 million living veterans in the United States. On November 11th, Americans of every age take a moment to thank these men and women for their service.
Download the Worksheet
Full Members can download the printable PDF worksheet and answer key.
Looking for more reading comprehension worksheets? Browse all reading lessons or become a Full Member to access every printable PDF.