Remembrance Day is commemorated annually on November 11th to honor military members who have died in wartime, especially those in World War I. It originated as a way to remember soldiers who died defending freedoms and democracy. Poppies have become a symbol of Remembrance Day because they bloomed on the battlefields of Flanders, and the famous poem "In Flanders Fields" references seeing poppies grow between the crosses marking soldiers' graves. During Remembrance Day ceremonies, a minute of silence is observed at 11am to remember those who fought for their countries.