Veterans Day is an important legal observance held every November 11. Its purpose is to honor those that have served in the armed forces for America. It is a day of commemoration, and of paying respect and tribute to veterans of foreign wars.

Veterans Day was originally celebrated as a national holiday on November 11, 1918, as "Armistice Day." According to the website www.military.com/veteransday, the holiday was in tribute to the resolution of the First World War. In 1938, legislation passed to make November 11 a day "dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day'."

In 1954, after fighting two more wars (World War II and Korea), the United States Congress amended the act, replacing "Armistice" with "Veterans" and making November 11 a day in tribute of all wars.

With the 1968 Uniform Holiday Bill, four national holidays were to be observed on Mondays, ensuring a three-day week. Veterans Day, under the new law, was to be observed on October 25, 1971. In 1975, President Ford signed a law returning Veterans Day to November 11, when it has been celebrated annually since.

According to the military's website, "United States Senate Resolution 143, which was passed on August 4, 2001, designated the week of November 11 through November 17, 2001, as 'National Veterans Awareness Week'."

Click here for information about a few famous veterans.

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