MCQs on Memorial Day (Last Monday in May) January 8, 2026August 31, 2024 by u930973931_answers 40 min Score: 0 Attempted: 0/40 Subscribe 1. . What is the primary purpose of Memorial Day? (A) To honor military veterans (B) To celebrate the start of summer (C) To honor and remember the military personnel who died in service to the United States (D) To celebrate American independence 2. . When is Memorial Day observed in the United States? (A) Last Sunday in May (B) First Monday in May (C) Last Monday in May (D) Second Monday in May 3. . What was Memorial Day originally called? (A) Veterans Day (B) Decoration Day (C) Remembrance Day (D) Armed Forces Day 4. . Which war led to the establishment of Memorial Day? (A) World War I (B) World War II (C) Civil War (D) Revolutionary War 5. . Which flower is often associated with Memorial Day? (A) Rose (B) Tulip (C) Poppy (D) Lily 6. . In which year did Memorial Day become a federal holiday? (A) 1865 (B) 1902 (C) 1938 (D) 1971 7. . Which organization is known for distributing poppies on Memorial Day? (A) The American Legion (B) Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) (C) Red Cross (D) USO 8. . Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of what season in the United States? (A) Spring (B) Summer (C) Fall (D) Winter 9. . Where is the National Memorial Day Concert held annually? (A) New York City (B) Arlington National Cemetery (C) Washington, D.C. (D) Gettysburg 10. . Which president declared Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day? (A) Ulysses S. Grant (B) Lyndon B. Johnson (C) Abraham Lincoln (D) Franklin D. Roosevelt 11. . Which act moved Memorial Day to the last Monday in May? (A) Uniform Monday Holiday Act (B) Veterans' Preference Act (C) Federal Holidays Act (D) Memorial Day Act 12. . What is traditionally done at 3:00 PM local time on Memorial Day? (A) A moment of silence is observed (B) A parade is held (C) The national anthem is sung (D) Fireworks are launched 13. . Which city is often credited with holding the first Memorial Day observance? (A) New York City (B) Charleston, South Carolina (C) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (D) Atlanta, Georgia 14. . How is Memorial Day different from Veterans Day? (A) Memorial Day honors all veterans, Veterans Day honors only those who died (B) Memorial Day honors those who died in military service, Veterans Day honors all veterans (C) Memorial Day is for U.S. military, Veterans Day is for all armed forces worldwide (D) There is no difference 15. . Which of the following is a traditional activity on Memorial Day? (A) Giving gifts (B) Hosting barbecues and picnics (C) Putting up Christmas decorations (D) Planting trees 16. . Which of these is commonly visited on Memorial Day? (A) Theme parks (B) Cemeteries and memorials (C) National parks (D) Shopping malls 17. . Which notable cemetery is known for its Memorial Day ceremonies? (A) Arlington National Cemetery (B) Hollywood Forever Cemetery (C) Forest Lawn Memorial Park (D) Woodlawn Cemetery 18. . Which group of soldiers was honored by the first Memorial Day observance? (A) World War I soldiers (B) Civil War soldiers (C) Revolutionary War soldiers (D) Spanish-American War soldiers 19. . Which part of the U.S. government oversees Memorial Day ceremonies at national cemeteries? (A) Department of Defense (B) Department of Veterans Affairs (C) National Park Service (D) Department of the Interior 20. . Which of the following states was the first to officially recognize Memorial Day? (A) New York (B) Virginia (C) Ohio (D) Pennsylvania 21. . The red poppy became a symbol of remembrance after which war? (A) World War I (B) World War II (C) Korean War (D) Vietnam War 22. . Which poem is often associated with the red poppy and Memorial Day? (A) "The Charge of the Light Brigade" (B) "In Flanders Fields" (C) "The Road Not Taken" (D) "The Star-Spangled Banner" 23. . In which year was Memorial Day first observed? (A) 1865 (B) 1866 (C) 1868 (D) 1872 24. . Which general is credited with establishing the first Memorial Day? (A) General George Washington (B) General Ulysses S. Grant (C) General John A. Logan (D) General William Tecumseh Sherman 25. . Which branch of the military is honored during Memorial Day ceremonies? (A) Army (B) Navy (C) Air Force (D) All branches 26. . What is placed on the graves of soldiers on Memorial Day? (A) Flowers (B) Flags (C) Wreaths (D) All of the above 27. . Which of the following national monuments is a popular site for Memorial Day events? (A) The Statue of Liberty (B) Mount Rushmore (C) The Vietnam Veterans Memorial (D) The Golden Gate Bridge 28. . Which U.S. President traditionally lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Memorial Day? (A) The sitting President (B) Vice President (C) Secretary of Defense (D) Speaker of the House 29. . Which of the following activities is discouraged on Memorial Day? (A) Holding parades (B) Shopping sales (C) Having a moment of silence (D) Visiting cemeteries 30. . Which U.S. state claims to be the birthplace of Memorial Day, along with New York? (A) Pennsylvania (B) Illinois (C) Georgia (D) South Carolina 31. . Which military rank does the bugler traditionally hold who plays “Taps” at Memorial Day ceremonies? (A) Private (B) Sergeant (C) Corporal (D) Any rank 32. . What is the significance of the American flag on Memorial Day? (A) It is flown at half-staff until noon (B) It is flown at half-staff all day (C) It is flown at full-staff all day (D) It is not flown at all 33. . Which organization founded in 1865 by Union veterans played a key role in establishing Memorial Day? (A) Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) (B) The American Legion (C) Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) (D) The Red Cross 34. . Which U.S. President gave the first national Memorial Day address? (A) Andrew Johnson (B) Ulysses S. Grant (C) Rutherford B. Hayes (D) James A. Garfield 35. . What is the primary color of the flower used as a symbol on Memorial Day? (A) Red (B) White (C) Blue (D) Yellow 36. . What was the purpose of the first Decoration Day, which later became Memorial Day? (A) To decorate the graves of Confederate soldiers (B) To decorate the graves of Union soldiers (C) To decorate the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers (D) To honor all veterans, living and deceased 37. . Which national cemetery is most closely associated with Memorial Day observances? (A) Arlington National Cemetery (B) Gettysburg National Cemetery (C) Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery (D) Normandy American Cemetery 38. . What kind of events typically occur on Memorial Day? (A) Parades and memorial services (B) Picnics and family gatherings (C) Sporting events (D) All of the above 39. . What do many Americans do to commemorate Memorial Day? (A) Attend religious services (B) Volunteer in their communities (C) Travel to visit family (D) All of the above 40. . How do many communities observe Memorial Day? (A) With fireworks displays (B) With parades and remembrance services (C) By closing schools and businesses (D) By decorating homes with flags