Imagine you're standing on a quiet hill overlooking thousands of small white headstones.

The wind gently stirs the leaves of old trees, and everywhere you turn another row of stones stretches into the distance,

like soldiers standing at attention.

The air feels peaceful, yet powerful, like you're in a special place where history whispers stories of courage and sacrifice.

As you take a deep breath, you realize you're standing in Arlington National Cemetery, one of America's most honored and respectful places.

Arlington National Cemetery is located in Arlington, Virginia, just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.

It's a place where over 400,000 people who serve the United States are buried.

These aren't just any people. They are brave men and women who served in the military during times of peace and great conflict.

The cemetery is a way for the country to say thank you to these individuals who dedicated their lives to protecting the nation.

The land that would become Arlington National Cemetery has a fascinating history.

Before it became a burial site, it was part of a plantation called Arlington House.

This land was once the home of Mary Anna Custis Lee and her husband, Robert E. Lee.

Mary was the great-granddaughter of Martha Washington, who was the wife of the first U.S. President,

George Washington. Robert E. Lee later became a general. During the American Civil War,

the U.S. government took over the property in 1861, and by 1864, it began using the grounds as a military cemetery.

This was done because many soldiers had lost their lives during the war, and nearby cemeteries were running out of space.

The first person buried at Arlington was Private William Christman, a Union soldier in May 1864.

He was only 20 years old, many more followed, and soon the cemetery grew into a large and beautiful space filled with trees, paths, and monuments.

Today there are veterans from every American conflict buried at Arlington,

including the Civil War, World Wars 1 and 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and more recent times.

People who served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard are all honored there.

One of the most famous places inside

...