One of the many ways Americans practice gratitude in the month of November is by honoring those who have served in the U.S. military. This federal holiday is always observed on November 11—even if that falls on a weekday, as is the case this year.

Many federal services take the day off to give workers time to observe Veterans Day. It can get a bit confusing to know how this impacts what’s open and closed.

The ongoing federal government shutdown adds another layer of uncertainty. Before we clear all that up, let’s take a look at the history of the day.

A brief history of Veterans Day

World War I was supposed to be the war that ended all wars. On November 11, 1918, a temporary armistice went into effect at 11 a.m., which ended fighting between the Allied nations and Germany.

This haltin

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