A memorial is something created to help people remember an important person or event, especially someone who has died or something tragic that happened. When you visit the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., you're standing in a place built to honor Abraham Lincoln's life and leadership. When a school plants a tree as a memorial for a beloved teacher, that tree becomes a living reminder of the person's impact.

Memorials take many forms: statues, buildings, plaques, gardens, or even scholarships. The 9/11 Memorial in New York City helps people remember those who died in the terrorist attacks. A memorial bench in a park might honor someone who loved spending time there. Some memorials are grand and famous, while others are simple and personal, like a memorial service, where friends and family gather to share memories of someone who died.

That's what memorials do: they preserve memory across time, ensuring that important people and events aren't forgotten. When you see a memorial, you're encountering a deliberate effort to say, “This person mattered” or “This event changed us, and we must remember it.”