The Washington Monument took 40 years to complete its original construction due to a lack of funds. The project was interrupted by the Civil War. The monument was authorized by Congress in 1833, and was not completely finished until 1884 (www.watch.pair.com). It is one of tallest masonry structures and stands 555 feet, and is made up of marble, granite, and sandstone. At the time it was the world’s tallest structure displaying our nation’s great appreciation for George Washington. The location of the Washington monument symbolizes the importance of George Washington, and this monument is one of the most recognizable structures in the world. The Washington monument was strategically placed in the center of the National Mall, and is elevated on higher ground so the monument can be seen from basically all parts of Washington D.C., and surrounding areas. The fact that the Washington monument by law must be the tallest structure in D.C. solidifies its importance, and shows great respect towards the monument. The Washington Monument is a clear symbol of our country’s 1^st great leader.

Robert Mills, the architect behind the project designed the monument with a blend of Greek, Babylonian and Egyptian architecture. I believe the monument has a religious undertone to it. The fact that the there is a pyramid at the top which points to the sky could be a deliberate symbol of a divine structure. The structure also sits alone on an elevated hill, in a sense looking down on D.C., and watching over D.C., I also see this as another symbol of the Washington monument being the heart of D.C., and to respect George Washington for being our country’s 1^st leader. The structure is dominating in comparison to other memorials and structures in the District. When outside of the monument you can’t help but feel small, when looking up at the structure you can feel the power of it as it towers over you. It was designed to be our national structure that would represent our country, which is evident by the 50 flags surrounding the monument representing each state. The official monument of Washington has the shape of an Egyptian obelisk, and I found out that at the top of the cap of the monument the two words “Laus Deo” exist, which in Latin means Praise be to God. These words are placed on top of D.C.’s highest structure in the most powerful city in the world. Another interesting fact is that the Jefferson memorial is to the south, the Capital to the East, and the Lincoln memorial is to the west, which could resemble a cross. This is another sign that possibly these monuments had a religious undertone to them and that there is a reference to God. This makes sense because our country was founded on a Judeo-Christian theology.

The Lincoln Memorial, which was built on the National Mall was architecturally designed by Henry Bacon, and was opened to the public in 1922. The memorial is similarly designed to a Greek Doric temple. It has 36 columns, which represented the 36 states at the time of Lincoln’s death. The Lincoln memorial was dedicated in 1922 to honor President Lincoln. The statue is surrounded by engraved readings of the Gettysburg address. The Lincoln Memorial is shaped like the Parthenon. The statue of Lincoln is 12 ft high and has Lincoln positioned so that he is staring towards the White House. Lincoln is sitting down in a contemplative state. The Lincoln memorial has an opening in the North and South parts of the memorial which could symbolize the Civil War, with Lincoln in the middle, trying to bring our country together at the time. One of the noticeable inscriptions in the memorial was “ this temple, as in the hearts of the people for whom he saved the Union, the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever”.

The Jefferson Memorial is located on the Tidal Basin and was finished in 1943. The white marble building was designed by John Russell Pope, and is a circular structure with a domed ceiling, surrounded by 26 columns, and a 19 ft. statue of Jefferson. It is a classical design modeled after Jefferson’s design of the Rotunda of the University of Virginia, which Jefferson based on the Pantheon in Rome (google.com) The 26 ionic columns symbolize the 26 states in the Union at the end of Jefferson’s terms as president. The triangular section over the entrance to the memorial represents the 5-man committee assigned by the Continental Congress to draft the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson is posed as if he was addressing the Continental Congress, and in his left hand he holds a copy of the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson looks out from the interior of the memorial towards the White House. There is also various writings of Jefferson carved along the interior walls of the memorial. Jefferson’s famous quote in the memorial is “I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man”.

Some of the similarities I noticed in the monuments were obviously the classic Greek/Roman designs of the monuments. Although I love the look of all the monuments/memorials, I wondered why they wouldn’t have had a more modern look to them. Also, the columns representing the number of states that were present during the president’s tenure was interesting. All of the memorials seem to be juxtaposed in order to get the feel that they are all connected, which makes the memorials more powerful. The fact that they all surround the Washington monument symbolizes that George Washington was the 1^st leader of this country but that Jefferson and Lincoln both followed in his footsteps and made a huge impact on the development of the U.S. I still believe that the monuments were placed strategically to represent a cross, symbolizing our nation’s belief in God. I think that would be silly if in fact this was the case, but I wouldn’t be surprised because of the importance placed on Religion.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nkelly4/sets/72157600192038814/

Just think about it. When we were kids back in the late 80’s break dancing was at an all time record high. It was what everyone did. Then it kind of dyed off and Rock was the king of dance with crazy mosh pits and people flailing around like crazy. Now days its hip hop, with its bump and grind, and hip hop dance moves, but you still see some resemblance from some of the dance steps. Crip Walking looks an awful lot like a break dancers top rock, just with a little bit more style and some modern day enhancements. Hip Hop dances are similar to moves you would have only done at the disco, while rockin’ your favorite pair of bell bottoms, just more speed and a little bit more pep to your step. Even moves like the chicken dance are still in use today at things like weddings. I know I’ve flapped the wings recently.
It’s strange to think that in the short time that we have experienced in this world, how much has changed and evolved. I mean back in the day New Kids on the Block Jeans were the coolest thing along with the Zack Morris haircut. If you had those two super attributes of the time, man you were the coolest cat on the block. I can’t wait for the return of break dancing, I’ve even got an old school pair of white adidas for when the day comes.

The first memorial I visited was the Washington Monument. The reason I choose to visit this memorial was because I felt it was one of the most famous landmarks in Washington DC. Its notables height helps attract many visitors. At the date of its completed construction it was announced to be the tallest structures in the world. Today, although it is not the tallest, it remains to be on the tallest stonework structures. Its structure also attracts curiosity. People when passing by always want to know what is going on around and inside it. To add to this, this structure is memorial for the first president of the United States. This makes it one of the most important memorials in the Washington DC area. For these reasons I decided the Washington Monument was a necessity to add to the list of memorials.

The second memorial I visited was the World War II memorial. I decided to visit this memorial for two reasons. The first one was because this was the first real World War that the United States had been involved in after it had gained its independence and recognition as a country. The second reason was because this war helped put the United States as one of the world leading powers. It helped show their strength and capability. This war made America what it is today. This memorial recognized all the states in America, and it recognized all the soldiers that died for America. I thought along with the Washington Monument, this memorial shows anther great turning point in American history.

The third memorial I visited was the Lincoln memorial. This one was my favorite of them all. The reason I choose this was because I am a big fan of Abraham Lincoln. I believe that as a president he really worked hard in shaping the American society. He was practical and realistic. He wanted peace and equality for his people. As a president, I think he contributed more in influencing the American society. Also, this landmark had anther significance. It was where Martin Luther King had his famous ‘I had a dream’ speech. This landmark is also adds to the turning points in American history.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/76855630@N00/

George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln may have a lot in common, but two things stand out: they were all Presidents of the United States, and they all have memorials in Washington DC. As Presidents, they are 1^st, 3^rd, 7^th, and 16^th respectively.

We represent our Presidents’ greatness through the tools of scale, architecture, written word, pose and expression, and light. These elements are not always present in the same amounts, but they all contribute to the overall perception of the memorial. To investigate them, I visited and photographed the memorials of the four Presidents listed above.

The scale of a memorial impresses upon us the size of the shadow cast in history by the President being represented. The Washington Monument is the most obvious starting place. It stretches an impressive 555 feet, 5 ½ inches towards the heavens, immediately catching the eye. The Lincoln Memorial is set upon a hill, with walls and columns that dwarf visitors. The seated statue of Lincoln is proportional to the building, and one feels as though he must be a great man by his stature alone. The Jefferson Memorial is also a grand building but the part of the scale that really works there is the statue. Jefferson is standing which makes his height seem all the more impressive. Andrew Jackson’s equestrian statue (He’s on a horse) is also larger than life. The pedestal upon which the statue is set is already tall, forcing the viewer to look up to see Jackson.

The architecture of the memorials is very reminiscent of ancient Greek and Egyptian styles, and associated with that is some measure of never-ending pride (Greek and Egyptian architecture are some of the grandest and longest lasting) for our Presidents. The Washington Monument very much resembles the great pyramids of ancient Egypt, yet is a very separate and unique tribute to a great man. Both Lincoln’s and Jefferson’s Memorials use Greek style columns: I saw Ionic and Doric. Jackson’s Statue doesn’t have as much “architecture” per se, but the pedestal upon which it rests could be said to exhibit some Egyptian architectural tendency.

The written word is a precise and powerful tool used to dedicate memorials and preserve forever the ideals of the President being represented, in his own words. Epitaphs are present at the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials. E.g., from Lincoln’s, “IN THIS TEMPLE \ AS IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE \ FOR WHOM HE SAVED THE UNION \ THE MEMORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN \ IS ENSHRINED FOREVER”. Both have extensive texts written or spoken by Jefferson and Lincoln themselves. The Washington Monument has significantly less. In fact, the only inscription that does not have to do with the construction of the monument is written on the east side, “LAUS DEI”, which means “praise be to God” in Latin. The statue of Jackson bears the inscription, “OUR FEDERAL UNION, IT MUST BE PRESERVED”. This is fitting since the statue is obviously a tribute to Jackson’s wartime contributions with him mounted on a horse in full uniform and four cannons at the four corners of his pedestal.

In memorials with statues, it is evident as an observer that pose and expression have a lot to say. Looking up at Lincoln’s huge seated form, I am reminded of being a child at family gatherings. Lincoln is reminiscent of some patriarch of the family, an uncle or grandfather, sitting in a favorite armchair. He stares off into the distance with a serious look of contemplation, and you feel as though you shouldn’t disturb him. Jefferson stands tall and proud, chest out, hands loosely balled at his side, and as with Lincoln, looking off into the distance as though seeing more than eyes can. Jackson is astride a war horse which is reared up, and Jackson’s right hand holds forth his hat in a salute of sorts, but with the serious and sober look of a man fighting a war. The Washington Monument is particularly notable for its lack of any statue whatsoever. This seems to put George Washington on a higher plane than any of his more modern counterparts. The lack of a statue seems to say that he was much more a god than a man, and only accessible as an ideal of perfect proportions.

Light is as much a tool during the day as during the night to accent the memorial. The height of the front opening of the Lincoln memorial as well as what appeared to be sunlight filtering in from the ceiling affords excellent lighting during the day and there are light fixtures to provide illumination at night. The Jefferson memorial is open on four sides and allows light to fall on his statue and the carved words on the walls and there are several lights in the ceiling here as well. The Washington Monument and Jackson Statue are open air memorials, and are illuminated by the sun during the day. At night, the Washington Monument has powerful spotlights that shine up its sides and make it a pillar of light. The Jackson Statue, however, is NOT LIT AT ALL during the night, as is evident from my photographs. I believe that, as it represents a President, it should be lit. It’s a shame that the Metro is more well lit than a statue commemorating the accomplishments of a President.

When the elements discussed above are combined in the creation of a memorial, it is an amazing sight that brings history so much closer and more accessible to the average person and preserves the legacy of these great historical figures. The next time I visit a memorial, I’ll be better prepared to appreciate all the work that goes into making them.

Although the Mayan civilizations communicated through hieroglyph drawings, they were actually a very scientifically advanced civilization. They possessed great knowledge within the realms of astrology, mathematics, timing, and calendars. They were even so precise that they had two calendars, one that was ritualistic and used for astral predictions and religious celebratrions. The other was a solar calendar. Both calendars were based upon a principle that a year had more than the 365 days, unlike the Gregorian Calendar in which we rely on to date. Through the use of these calendars Mayans were able to predict natural occurances such as Seasons and even eclipses. Something that in that day and age would seem almost impossible.

The Mayans figured through use of astrology and their two calendars that the earths rotation around the galaxy would take is 25,625 years to realign in the same manner. This period was then divided in to 5 cycles of 5,125 years. It was speculated that every 5,125 year cycle the earth would realign with the ‘central’ galaxy theory, effectively changing the Sun’s magnetic fields resulting in catastrophic evens on earth. According to Mayan predictions we are currently in between the 5th and 6th cycles. More information about the prophecies and signs can be found here.

Overall the Mayans were way ahead of their time. The excess knowledge that they possesed is hard to comprehend without the use of modern day technology. It is debatable whether or not the world will actually end at the end of the Mayan calendar, or if we will just be transcended in to a new form of life. I guess we will just have to wait and see.

       Abraham Lincoln is the President for whom the Lincoln Memorial was built. This memorial was designed and constructed in a way to resemble a Greek Doric temple. Inside the memorial is an enormous seated statue of Abraham Lincoln. The sculpture of the statue, Daniel French, studied many photographs of President Lincoln before he created his sculpture. His conclusion for the design of the statue was to make represent Lincoln in a state of deep thought, thinking hard and somewhat meditative. His end result was the current seated statue of Lincoln staring out of the temple-like memorial towards the Washington Monument. Lincoln was known by people to be a very honest and a man of integrity, I think the memorial also gives the viewers a feeling of admiration and respect for Lincoln because of his outstanding characteristics. The huge columns around the memorial represent that they are upholding the top of a memorial of such an extraordinary person in the nation’s history, it shows that it takes such large pillars to support his personality. And then once inside the chamber of the memorial we get a feeling of wonder being in the presence of the sculpture of “Honest Abe”.  Again the natural surroundings seem to me to be a very nice fit for the memorial. The reflecting pool makes a nice addition to the frontend of the structure because it completes the overall look.
            The Jefferson Memorial is dedicated to one of the founding fathers and third President, Thomas Jefferson. The memorial is a combination of circular steps, columns going around the memorial and a dome covering the top. The interior design of the ceiling is similar to that of the Roman Pantheon. The idea for the memorial was initiated by President Franklin Roosevelt, an idea which was no doubt proper. The design of the memorial reflects attributes of structures designed by Jefferson himself, for example Monticello and The Rotunda at UVA. Jefferson had an attraction and interest with Roman architecture which can be seen in his design elements. The memorial resembles the Pantheon of Rome in its design. Once we know this fact we can easily understand that Jefferson was fond of architecture of the Romans and this is present in his own memorial. Once inside the memorial the large statue of Jefferson is visible, the statue gives off the feeling that Jefferson was man of great caliber and talent. Indeed he was a person who had much talent since he was architect, author, inventor, etc. Being inside the memorial really makes one feel at peace and a feeling of serenity is felt. This I would say is due to the fact that the memorial is not visited by a large number of people at once. Being at the shore of the Potomac River Tidal Basin and then in addition to that being surrounded by the breathtaking Japanese cherry blossom trees, the memorial site produces a feeling of tranquility, harmony and peacefulness.
     Overall the three monuments and memorials that I visited really gave me an idea and feeling of how they were designed, positioned and built to instill love and adoration in the visitors for these three presidents whom they commemorate.

 Flickr Photo Sets of Monuments and Memorials

When looking at the Lincoln memorial you walk up to the front and you see long steps which lead to giant pillars. The monument is designed to represent a graceful feeling as you walk up the steps to take a look at our 16^th president. With the bright colored marble it’s a welcoming atmosphere; you see this by all the classy artwork. By classy I mean all the steps which you must climb to pay your respects to Abraham Lincoln. The roman designed pillars, which where considered a place of worship. All these things lead to an understanding that this man did a lot for the country and should be celebrated. As everybody know Martin Luther King also gave his I had a dream speech there which makes this place a historical place over and over again.

When you visit the Korean memorial you notice a black wall from far way. This feels like a deterrent as something bad had happened it this war. You walk up to the black wall and notice no names just faces. Some of these faces are sad and some show no emotion. It seems like this war was not war that had many words, just reactions. When you look at the statues of soldiers walking you get a sense that there are very unhappy to be in this war. You notice that they are worn our and beat up. This is resembled by there heavy boots and there long rain coats. Looking at most of there faces again they show no emotion a lack of responsiveness.

When I visited the World War II memorial you feel a sense of pride. The water running, great big waterfalls, and a perfectly even oval pool. You see the smaller memorials which represent the fleet ships which fought for us, and the two fleets are divided by the Atlantic and the Pacific. When looking at this great view you also notice the famous quote from FDR. It is outdoors and the sun shines bright on this memorial and you feel a sense of accomplishment as well as victory.  Everything is set into place when you vist this great marble.

As you visit different memorials you notice different feelings, and can be certain the designer of the momerial wanted you to think a certain way. As you gaze at differnt momerials you get a sense of what other people are also feeling and then can be certian that the artits as done his or her job.

While taking a trip to Washinton DC, it is almost impossible to miss the Washington Monument.  It is a giant white obelisk that sits in the National Mall.  You can see it from a lot of places in DC.  It is 555 feet and five and a half inches tall.  This monument is a tribute to our first president George Washington.  He laid down the path for America to rise to what it is today, symbolized by this monument.  He was a great president and he also played a crucial role in the American Revolution.  On top of the Washington Monument there are red lights that periodicalyl flash on and off.  This seems to show that regardless of what is going on in the country, there is always someone there to watch over America.  It was great going to the Washington Monument because of peoples reactions towards it.  Everyone standing near the base of it were saying things regarding the height.  They were all standing there with their heads looking straight up to try to take in the entire monument.  This awe that the monument inspires seems like a fitting tribute to a man who did so much for America.

The next monument I visited was the Lincoln Monument.  It sits right across fromt he Washington Monument with only the Reflecting Pool between the too, which is actually a very long walk.  When you first see this grand building, you really are taken back at just how massive it is.  It looks, fairly, similiar to the Parthenon from the outside.  The entire monument is raised off the ground and you have to climb many stairs just to get inside.  Once inside, you are still amazed at how big everything is.  The first thing you see is obviously Abraham Lincoln sitting in a throne.  His statue stands at nineteen feet tall.  Lincoln was a tall man in life, so his size in this monument helps illustrate this fact but mainly the fact that he was a great president.  He freed the slaves in America and helped pull the Union through the Civil War, which unfortunately led to his demise.  As you continue to look around the monument, on both sides of Lincoln are giants columns to support his monument.  On the far right and left sides of the monument are two of Lincolns speeches, the Gettysburg Address and his second inaugural address, both of which are gigantic as to show their importance.  The Gettysburg address is especially important because it helped rally the Union to continue the war.  Although short, it had a substantial effect on the American people.  It is one of the most famous speeches in America today.  Above both these speeches are large murals which are artistic representations of the work Lincoln did in his life.

I visited several other monuments in Washinton while I was there, many of which contained the element of size of number.  The one I ended up choosing was the Korean War Memorial.  I did not choose it because it made my project easier, because it didn’t, but because of the fact that not many people really talk about it.  It is know as “The Forgotten War” which is very disappointing because many people died in the call of duty.  This memorial is actually very interesting.  There are several soldiers who are all larger than life.  This symbolizes that they went above and beyond the call of duty to help another country in need and to defend what America stands for.  Their size also shows that America is a very powerful country.  Next to the soldiers is a large black wall, similiar to that of the Vietnam Memorial.  This wall is covered with faces of people.  The wall is quite tall, but the aspect that struck me was the number of people on this wall.  Many of these were soldiers or people involved with the armed forces, however they also had average people and children on it as well.  This shows just how many people were involved in this war and all wars.  Another part of the memorial was a pool of water which was line with plaques that listed the number of people who were injured, killed, or missing because of the war for the United States and the United Nations.  The numbers on these plaques were not small to say the least.  Many men lost their lives.  How we as Americans can overlook any conflict we were involved in, I really don’t understand it, however this monument shows that the Korean War is not an event to be overlooked.

The size of a monument helps to show the significance of the event or person it is meant to honor.  The Washinton Monument is meant to show just how important George Washington was to the birth of America which is illustrated by the size.  Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves against much opposition, and great achievement represented by a great monument.  Those soldiers involved in the Korean War went above and beyond the call of duty which is shown by the larger than life statues and their memorial.  Size always inspires awe in people, but when the size of a monument or memorial has a deeper meaning than just being a giant hunk of rock, it makes that monument or memorial all the more special.

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Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Memorial

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Monument

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columns

The first memorial I visited in DC was the Vietnam War memorial. The first thing that strikes you while visiting this memorial is the magnitude of people that were lost in this war. The wall is enormous in size, and completely covered in names of those that served and were lost in the war. The second thing that I noticed was the darkness around the Vietnam Wall. It was probably only about one or two o’clock when I was there, but standing up close to the wall you get a sensation of darkness. One reason for this is the fact the the wall is made of black granite, and casts a shadow on those standing close to it. The reason for the choice of such dark colors, in my opinion, is to remind us all that this is something that isn’t meant to be taken lightly. The wall contains the names of all those who either died, or were lost in combat and didn’t return home. I read somewhere that there are over 58,000 names on the wall. The use of black creates a similar atmosphere as when you attend a funeral, because this is a very serious monument to commemorate those who did not return alive.

The next memorial i visited was the Lincoln Memorial. Upon entering it was very clear that this memorial was a complete contrast to the last one i was at. At the Lincoln Memorial everything is done in very light, earthen colors. The ceiling off to either side of Lincoln is covered in yellowish-brown glass, which causes the light passing through it to create a very warm, almost up lifting feeling in the room. Lincoln is portrayed in solid white from head to toe, and the chair he is sitting in is also white. This, and the large Greek style pillars on either side of Lincoln make him appear almost god-like as he sits on his throne, and watches out over our nations capital. Also throughout history, white has been the color of purity, so by portraying Lincoln in nothing but white seems to portray him as an entirely pure being, and suggests that he was the savior of our country during his time as president.

The final monument I visited on this day was the Korean War Memorial. As I walked around this memorial I noticed very little color present. In fact the two predominate colors here are gray and black. The gray statues of soldiers almost seem to imply that these men are almost forgotten in history, and at the same time creates a mood similar to that of the Vietnam War Memorial. It is a very serious place to be. The whole monument seems more about preserving the memory of the soldiers that fought in this war, rather then celebrating it. In my opinion the most ominous part of this memorial is the black wall that runs the entire length of it. On the wall are engravings of portraits of soldiers, I’m not sure if these are actual people or simply random portraits, from the Korean War. The part about it that is almost spooky in nature is that as you are looking at the faces of these people, you can see your own reflection in the wall. In a sense its like looking at yourself on the wall, and seems to be almost a warning that if we forget this event, then something similar is doomed to happen again.

In conclusion, those who design memorials of great importance must put a lot of thought into what defining characteristics to use, in order to create the right kind of memory of an event or person. Color plays a major role in this by establishing an overall feel, and atmosphere at a memorial, and can even be used to hint at greater characteristics of something.

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There are three distinct differences between the three memorials. The Washington Monument is totally outside, with just stone paving around the monument. There are no signs about conduct around, and it is a generally care-free atmosphere. Kids run around while yelling, and their parents do nothing about it. There is a flag for every state in our country, but they do not seem to serve a symbolical purpose, but just to make noise. There are no emotions associated with it, therefore no undertones of grief or mortality, unlike the World War II Memorial. The World War II Memorial is partially enclosed by fifty columns, one for each state, forming a sort of half-wall around the area. Everywhere you look, you can see engravings that remind us of the soldiers that died fighting, both for our country and for our cause. When children run, they are scolded. Some people talk loudly, but for the most part, they lower their voices. The pond in the middle has small fountains that add a soft, soothing sound to the atmosphere. It almost sounds celebratory, as though they were trying to keep the mood from being too somber, like the Lincoln Memorial. At the Lincoln Memorial, there are no fountains in the reflecting pool. Aside from the ducks swimming in it, it remains still, reflecting the building that a statue of Lincoln sits in. The building is totally enclosed, minus the archways leading to the inside of the memorial. Thirty-six columns line the front and sides of the memorial, once again symbolizing states. This time, they stand for the thirty-six states belonging to the Union at the time of Lincoln’s death. The inside of his memorial is peaceful. Children do not run. Signs guard the entrance, warning visitors to be quiet and respectful. Even those who do not notice the signs proceed with closed mouths, or at least soft voices.

Why is there such a difference between the three memorials? Could it be because of their layout, or because of the significance each one is associated with? I think that it is a mix between the two. Although I didn’t find any evidence supporting this, I think that there isn’t really any significance to the Washington Monument, it’s just celebrating George Washington as our first president. That, paired with the relaxed layout of the memorial, lets people act freely. With the World War II Memorial, things are a little bit more formal. Most people go there to not just visit, but to mourn or remember people or relatives that they knew in the war. Although there is no actual building, there are a kind of walls, which makes the memorial a bit more formal. There is also a sign prohibiting certain activities, such as eating/drinking, smoking, and running while in the memorial. Even though there is no sign prohibiting loud voices, people talk softly anyway out of respect for the memorial and those it stands for. Outside of the Lincoln Memorial, there were a bunch of people sitting on the steps, having conversations, watching kids play. It was noisy, and kind of chaotic while I was trying to make my way up the stairs. But once I got inside, the mood had completely changed. Although it was the most crowded, I would not have been able to tell, judging by the noise level. Few people were holding conversations, but they were very quiet about it. If they were not at least talking quietly, they were whispering. I think this has to do with both the structure of the memorial, and because of what kind of person Abraham Lincoln was. His memorial was the most formal, with full walls and a roof. It was made entirely of marble, and there was a huge statue of him in the middle, with two of his most famous speeches on either side of him; The Gettysburg Address on the left and his second inaugural speech on the right. It also resembles something of a museum, which makes everyone quiet down immediately upon entering. But when it comes to Abraham Lincoln himself, he is the most known and is remembered for all of the great things that he did, probably the greatest being the freeing of all slaves with the Emancipation Proclamation. Ask any first grader what presidents they know- I can guarantee that one of the few will be Abraham Lincoln. Everyone knows of him and respects him, and I think that is why his memorial is given the greatest amount of respect.

All in all, I think it is a mixture of both personal feelings and people’s surroundings that make people act they way they do around certain memorials. Granted, if there is a sign saying “please be quiet and respectful,” then most people will be quiet and respectful. But what is being memorialized also has a big deciding factor in how people act. So, if you want people to act a certain way at a memorial, be sure to consider the lay out and organization of the area, the feelings that you want the visitors to feel, and make sure that you add things that will play off of or generate the desired feelings.
national mall pictures 

The first monument I explored and analyzed was the monument dedicated to the first president of our Nation, George Washington. I had already decided to explore this as I have always been interested in the history of George Washington and how our first president came to be. Also, my dad serves in the United States Navy, and is a member of the George Washington battle group, he serves on the Carrier. This has been a part of my life for so long, George Washington’s name puts a smile on my face and Patriotism in my heart. Once I was able to view the monument I felt it was very appropriately constructed for the importance Washington holds in our society. I had always wondered why they didn’t build a statue of him for us to remember him by, but after analyzing this structure and trying to find the symbolism of its existence I was able to understand the abstract existence of this monument in our Nations capital. The symbolism I found to explain why the monument is the way it is and not just a simply statue, is that Washington is in a sense our first father, he, with some help, began to build and lay the framework for the lives we live today. It is important that his monument be big and surpass all of the other structures in our capital because his is the base of it all, the heart of our government.

Next I viewed photographs of the Lincoln memorial and I was able to see immediately the complexity of this monument. A statue of Lincoln is housed in a huge temple resembling that of a Greek God. By seeing this I was able to understand that our Nation feels that Abraham Lincoln was very important. When considering the different possible forms of symbolism to draw from the structure I began thinking of what I pray for when I pray to God, or what the Greeks would pray to their Gods. A lot of times when I pray I am essentially praying for God to save me from something. After this I was able to draw some symbolism in the structure in which Lincolns statue is held. He saved our nation, this makes him a very powerful man, and we should ‘worship’ and ‘glorify’ him through remembering what he did for our Country.

The last monument I explored what that of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Through movies, like Pearl Harbor, I have come to appreciate more fully the decisions FDR made for our country. When viewing the different aspects of Roosevelt’s memorial I realized it was very different than the other two I had viewed. This memorial showed Roosevelt in different aspects of his life. I found this symbolically to show his dynamic personality. When choosing which aspects to write on I found the inscription behind the scene of Roosevelt sitting with his dog, the inscription talks about ‘new order,’ and that those seeking to build a government based on the needs of everyone by a few are not doing anything new and not having order. I had some question to what this meant exactly and their was debate among one of my historically intelligent friends and myself, a sadly clueless citizen. I felt that Roosevelt was stating what Democracy is not, and he was implying that Democracy is and should be a government ruled by the people. Then my friend informed me that this was probably said in efforts to rally the nation for World War II, and Roosevelt was simply stating we should fight for what is right, Democracy. I am able to understand where each of us believe what we do, although I feel we are both correct in our assumptions. Overall I enjoyed this monument because it showed different aspects of Roosevelt’s life, including those times in which he struggled. The monument is very influential because it also shows us citizens that amidst all of Roosevelt’s personal struggles he was a strong and proud man, standing for our nation.

Although I was not personally able to go into DC and view these monuments I have been told of each monuments history multiple times by my grandfather, a daily commuter to our nations capital. By exploring these monuments I felt a sense of shame because I realized how little I know about our nation’s history. I used to think it was funny that I was so clueless about our history, now I feel it is disappointing I am uninformed, our history is extremely interesting and people should want to learn about it. By viewing the monuments I also felt a sense of pride and Patriotism in knowing that I am a member of this nation.

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The video, produced by a man name Brad, a conservative republican, is possibly the most scientifically analyzed approach at the topic. For Brad, the journey to conspiracy began actually when he viewed another documentary on the subject. “Painful Truths of 9-11″ by Eric Huffschmidt was what set him out on his quest. Brad was determined to prove the documentary wrong, and along the way of his research he realized that it was actually the official report released by the government that was shrouded in lies and not the documentary. While the video does claim that the falling of the twin towers was not caused by the explosions of the planes that crashed in to the building, it does not point any fingers at anyone. Rather it leaves the opinion part up to the viewer to decide.

Even though the video is and hour and forty five minutes long, it keeps you captivated by the continual presentation scientific supported claims. The official FEMA and PBS documentaries are explained and then challenged, but again, no fingers are pointed to who did what, the video just shows you that what we are being told is not the truth and something is being covered up. The video uses a barrage of science and understanding to essentially show you the whole picture of what happened. Facts like the melting point of steel, the enormous core of the towers that just disappears, and comparisons of other steel structure that burned for 24 hours and were still standing were just some of the things that gave me a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach about what was going on. More over, the big business men involved in what happened, and their actions pre and post 9-11 were completely unreal. It is almost as if they have sold their souls to the devil.

I think that anyone that cares about the future of our country, anyone that may have lost friends or family because of horrible tragedies like this, anyone who is even alive should watch this video. It may be the one thing that changes your mind about how you perceive the men and women that supposedly represent your country. America seems to be getting pulled out of underneath our own feet, and soon enough we will all realize, but will it be too late?

When visiting the three memorials, it is easy to see which one contrasts with the other two. The Viet Nam War Memorial is different because, unlike World War II and the Korean War, the political divide surrounding this war has not been forgotten and is still being debated today. Even though the Viet Nam Veterans Association expressly asked for the Memorial to be non-political, its differences from the other two speak volumes. For example, the World War II Memorial has “Here we mark the price of freedom” inscribed on the ‘Freedom Wall.’ Similarly, at the end of your walk through the Korean War Memorial, you will find the words “Freedom is not free” inscribed opposite the number of casualties sustained in that conflict. At the Viet Nam Memorial, however, you will not find any similar adulating or laudatory words suggesting why we had to go to war. Instead, you will find only the names of the fallen. I believe that this speaks volumes about the legacy of the Viet Nam War and the enduring feeling that most Americans have in terms of the unjust reasons for that war.

The legacy portrayed by the World War II Memorial is in stark contrast to the one portrayed by the Viet Nam War Memorial. The WWII memorial shows how the entire nation was joined in the war effort. Each of the States, plus the District of Columbia, is represented by the 51 pillars surrounding the memorial. Although the memorial makes some allusion to victory (unlike the other two), it mostly shows to what lengths this country had to go to achieve victory. Not lost in the celebration of victory is a memorial to the 400,000 fallen, represented by 400 gold stars, each representing 1000 of the fallen. One reason for the low key, but ever-present, allusion to victory found in the World War II memorial, and not in the Korean or Viet Nam memorials, is most likely that World War II was a cut and dry victory, with the Axis Powers having surrendered to conclude the conflict. In the cases of Viet Nam and Korea, however, these wars did not render a clear cut victor nor a clear cut benefit to mankind.

The Korean War Memorial falls somewhere between the harmonizing and celebratory mood of the World War II Memorial and the sobering and somber mood of the Viet Nam War Memorial. This inconclusive mood is portrayed on the 19 faces of the soldiers featured in the monument. Some are stoic, some seem scared and some are even smiling. The Memorial has no mention of victory, but the words “Freedom is not free” are inscribed at the end directly opposite the number of casualties. The Korean War Memorial makes a point of depicting the racial diversity of the US soldiers who fought in the war (12 white, 3 black, 2 Hispanic, 1 Asian, 1 Native American), along with all the various facets of the military that were involved in the Korean War. Also, surrounding the memorial are marble panels honoring the 17 countries that provided combat support during the Korean War. It seems that those who designed this memorial wanted to depict a theme of domestic and international cooperation, along with the obvious and reoccurring theme of the heavy price of war. In the case of the US, the human price of the Korean War was 54,246 dead, 8,177 missing, 7,140 captured and 103,289 wounded.

In conclusion, our three war memorials serve not as trophies, but as sobering reminders of what happens when our government makes the decision to send young men and women off to war. Although the deaths of those memorialized by these three monuments were honorable ones, they tragically came far too early. One can only hope that future leaders of this country may consider a short walk to the Mall to confront the sober realities of war before they bend to the advice of those who have never paid any price in wartime to spread democracy to the “uncivilized” world by way of rifles, tanks and lucrative defense contracts.

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I chose Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and World War II Memorial. The reason that I chose Washington Monument is that it is a well-known American landmark and a symbol of the capital of the United States, Washington, D.C. The Washington Monument was built to remember the work and life of the first president of the United States, George Washington. George Washington earned the title “Father of our Country” in his leadership that caused American Independence. People of the United States show their respect toward George Washington throughout Washington Monument. The form of Washington Monument is obelisk, and the base of the monument is surrounded by fifty flags. The flags represent the 50 states of the Union. It reminds us Washington as a founding father of all the 50 states. Also, no other building in D.C. is taller than Washington Monument, and it stands at the heart of city. Once again, it shows the gratitude of people of the United States to the father of their country.

Lincoln Memorial honors the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. I chose Lincoln memorial because the design of the memorial embodied liberty, equality, and unity in one structure. The building is in the form of a Greek Doric temple. Inside of the building, there are a seated sculpture of Abraham Lincoln and inscription of two speeches by Lincoln. The cavernous chamber shows a peaceful portrait of the greatness of the single man. The seated statue of Lincoln shows his belief that all people should be free and equal. When we look at the outside of the temple, we can see that the memorial is surrounded by 36 Doric columns, one for each of the thirty six states in the Union at the time of Lincoln’s death. Their names are on the frieze directly above. The columns surrounding the temple show unity of the states.

World War II memorial honors the more than 16 million who served in the United States armed forces during the WWII. The design of the Memorial symbolizes various aspects of the war representing unity, sacrifice, victory and freedom. First of all, at the western side of the memorial, the Freedom Wall contains 4000 commemorative gold stars, one for each 100 Americans who died in battle during World War II, and they show sacrifice of WWII. Secondly, the circular form of Rainbow Pool in the middle of WWII memorials, and the pillar surrounding it shows unity. Thirdly, the 56 pillars are adorned with bronze wreath represent unity and victory of country. There are also bas-relief panels depict scene from the World War II. By showing scene of battle, the panels commemorate the soldiers who fought in the war.

The unique design of Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and World War II Memorial have their roots in earlier European architecture and also have their own symbolic meanings. The great American heroes and the important historical events harmonize with earlier European design to show our common heritage and the diverse culture that is our source of renewal. Moreover, the specific design of each memorial make people to think about what its true meanings is. While we explore the meanings of the specific look of each monument, we learn more about our history and know where we came from.

National Mall Photo Essay: http://www.flickr.com/photos/55271044@N00/sets/72157600165839461

From the Lincoln Memorial, I walked over to the Vietnam War Memorial.  But before I could even get to the Wall, there was a statue of a group of men that are just standing there.  These men are just about life-size and are made of a different material than the one used to make Lincoln.  It appears to be a bronze color, almost the same color as dirt or mud which is unclean.  Also notice that this statue has an African-American in it.  This was added most likely since the war was happening during the Civil Right movement.  There is also another statue very similar to this one, but it is on the other side of the walkway and it is there to honor the women who helped in the war.  As for the wall itself, this picture shows just one panel that contains the thousands of names that lost their lives in the war.  The material is a dark, reflective marble that is like a mirror.  This war is the first one that the United States lost and it was a very dark time in our history with the war, assassinations, and the protests.  This picture was taken at the end of the Vietnam Wall.  You will notice that it starts out very low, coming up to the waists of the two women standing there.  As you walk towards the center, the wall grows to this huge structure that is twice as tall as anyone else observing it.  You will also notice that there is a space where spectators can pay their respects by placing flowers, cards, or photographs of their loved ones.  The different size of the wall can signify the problem of the war, or the number of troops sent overseas.  At first, it was only a small scale, but when LBJ received a blank check, the war reached its climax then slowly died down when it was realized that we were going to lose the war.

The Korean War Memorial is on the other side of the Lincoln Memorial.  I did not know that this memorial even existing until last year.  I guess it is because there aren’t many movies made about this movie.  But this is the first full view you see when you walk towards it, a squad patrolling in what is mostly likely rain since they are wearing ponchos.  These life size statues are the major component to the Korean War Memorial.  As you can see, these statues are very close to the wall that is similar to that of the Vietnam War Memorial.  The main difference in the two walls is that there are no names, but just faces of those who have lost their lives.  All of the military branches are represented in this wall.  Since the memorial has faces and life size statues, the public probably thought the war was a better success than the Vietnam War, even though it was a draw.  The statues are a grayish color, which is neutral, which is another way of showing that there was no clear winner in the war.  This is a picture of the front view of the patrolling squad.  Everyone is following the squad leader, but they are separated by a walkway made of the same material as the Vietnam Wall.  This could be a link between the two wars since it appears to be going towards the Vietnam War Memorial.

People have many different views on how wars or how people are.  In the case of the Lincoln Memorial, Lincoln is regarded as the greatest president this nation has ever had.  This is why he is shown as a huge God-like statue.  The Vietnam War Memorial shows the troops who lost their lives just as a list of names, that way no one can put a face to any names unless you personally knew them.  In the Korean War Memorial have life size statues next to a wall that has faces etched in it.  This way, spectators can see the ones who lost their lives.  All of this depends what the public think about the person or event that occurred in history.

In the 1620’s, Pilgrims on the Mayflower land at Plymouth rock, it is said that the choice to land at Plymouth Rock could have reinforced by the shortage of supplies, especially beer. The next evolution of beer came through in the 1820’s through the form of trying to get beer to keep longer. English brewers began to brew beers with increasing amounts of hops, so that they could withstand the long journeys without going bad. By increasing the amount of Hops in the beer they effictively alterd the recipie and were left with what we refer to today as an India Pale Ale. It is possible that the name was taken because these brews were made to carry on the journeys that were made to Britan’s colonies in Asia.

The year 1819 came rolling in, thanks to Thomas Holloway came the new invention of the steam engine, the first of its kinda to be used in American Beer Production. 1829 marked the year that David G. Yuengling opened what today is America’s oldest operating brewerey in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. In 1844 another famous brewery was started by Jacob Best in Milwaukee, this would later transform in to the Pabst Brewing Company, makers of that wonderful can of PBR. In 1852, George Schneider laid the ground work for what would become the Anheuser-Busch Brewing company. By the early 1900s there were over 2,000 breweries in operation in the United States. They continue to grow and produce more and more beer, but prohibition begins to be adoped and enforced.

It was at this point around 1910 that breweries begin to decline to around 1500. by 1912, Nine states voted to be Dry, by 1916 23 states were dry. Eventually by 1919, with that passing of the 18th Amendment, National Prohibition put a dent in to the beercan. Distilleries were closed by acts of the Food Control Law, and breweries began producing ‘near beers’. It was not until about 1933 that prohibition was lifted and brewers started up again with operation. In the years from 1940-1951, the tax on barrels of beer rises from $5.00 all the way up to $9.00. This additional burden on the breweries causes many to close down, resulting in around 400 breweries being in operation. 10 more years go by and only 230 breweries remain, but the introduction of the aluminum can by Coors brewing of Golden, Colorado, and the ring pull can spark new hope for the beer companies. By 1969 canned beer began to outsell bottled beer for the first time.

In 1982, we saw the first Brewerey / Pub. From the first time since prohibition, a brewery was allowed to open to no only sell beer, but also sell food out of the same venue. This is what we know as bars today. Anywhere you go, that serves beer of course, owes thanks to Bert Grant’s Yakima Brewing and Malting  Company. in the following years, brewing companies continue to decrease in number, but those that survived were expanding operations. by 1984 the top 6 brewing companies were controlling 92% of the beer production for the US.

In the following 20 years many advancements would break through in the beer game. From fridge packs to plastic can liners, beer brewers were dishing it all out. Today we have all sorts of past times connected through beer, Baseball games, drinking games, barbecueing, you name it, beer is probably there. Beer is sold everywhere, even at small resturant style pizza shops.
While beer assisted in the transition from nomadic hunter gather to a more domesticated form, these days it seems to do the complete opposite. People go from being domesticated, normal human beings to complete waste cases that have no bodily control nor brain functions. I guess you cant really expect less and according to a recent Brewers Association 2007 Beer Style Guideline, it was found that there are offically 125 different styles of ales and lagers produced around the world! With that many choices to choose from, you know someone is out there opening a beer as your finish reading this.

With two airplanes that all of a sudden hit two of the twon towers wasn’t normal at all. As the day went on, investigation started to began tryin gto fin dout the reason behind this terrible problem. As the days went on, the police investigator started to suspect that it was a terrorist attack. The leader behind this terrible act was from Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda terrorist network. Once Bush found out about this news, he declared ” war on terror”.

Osama bin Laden has been a prime suspect against the United States. Since 1998, Osama bin Laden has been linked to several attacks including the embassy bombings in De res Salaam, Nairobi, Kenya, and Tanzania. According the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Osama bin Laden is wanted for the top ten fugitives. Although for all o fhis involvements, the September 11 attacks is far worst then all of his involvements combined together. Although Osama bin Laden has not been idicted for the September 11 attacks, he has taken responsibility for those attacks.

As a citizen in the United States, we must be aware for all the issues that is going around. People like Osama bin Laden can be everywhere withought knowing it. Osama bin Laden as an  individual has taken so many innocent lives. The fact that Osama bin Laden has taken responsibility for these terrible accidents will never be forgotten. Osama bin Laden will always be remember as we gon on with out lives and for many future generations to come.

The first Stop I took was to the Lincoln Memorial. The first thing you see is its signature steps that leads up to Lincoln sitting in his Chair. During the day you can see straight in, and everything around Lincoln. But at night there are specific things that are being lit. One of the biggest things is that, Lincoln him self is not totally lit up, only his upper torso and hit head. I believe this is because when we think of Lincoln we think of his long face and beard. The lighting makes him appear with out a beginning or end. So almost as if to say he will all ways be looking over our nation. On other striking element to the Memorial is that all of the engravings are not lit up, unlike other engravings in other memorials. This could be because you not actually aloud into the memorial after dark, so there is no need to light the passages up.

If you walk down the reflection pool towards the Washington monument, before you reach the monument you will come upon the World War II Memorial. This is the newest monument in DC and is the most impressive by far. There are two large fountains in the center with a large number of smaller fountains surrounding them. Also the stone structures that make up the actually memorial are all free standing pillars with the names either states, US provinces or allied forces under the wreaths. The lighting was very interesting because the pillars were not as lit up as the fountains. So there wasn’t as much recognition given to the people that actually fought in this war. Most of the light was focused in the middle towards the water; this is because water normally signifies peace and harmony. This Memorial is not to actually give recognition to the people that fought and lost their lives as much as it is to signify peace in the world.

The third and final memorial that I visited was the Washington Monument. It is one of the first things that you see as you enter our Nations capital. The Sheer size of the Monument is overwhelming when standing next to it. I picked this monument as my last one because it signifies America, in that we will always an enormous power in the world today. The lighting around the structure is massive in itself. There are 12, large lights that are stationed 300 yards away that light up monument from middle to top. Then there are about 68 smaller lights that light up the bottom to the middle. We want the world to always be able to see our power, and the monument signifies power.

The monuments are meant to be viewed in certain ways. The lighting is only a guide in how the creators wanted us to view there master pieces. This was a different stance on the memorials and monuments but it shows them in a different view. I hope that this has open your eyes to a different view of our history.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/81778558@N00/

             The Vietnam War memorial overall view looks like a long black wall that stretches quite a long way. Near the black wall, there are three life size steel soldiers. When the tourists comes and see this monument, they think about all the lives that was lost whose names is written on the black wall. The tourist itself had no interaction with the other tourists and with the memorial, the tourists looked at the names and as they look at the names they can see their reflection from the black wall. The Vietnam memorial symbolizes a piece of history that no one will ever forget.

            The Korean war memorial overall view consist of nineteen life size steel soldiers as if they were on the battlefield, a water fountain, and a long black wall that has sketches of soldiers and the names of lives who were lost during the battle. The tourist’s interaction near the life sized soldiers was quite minimal. Every once in awhile, there will be short sentences coming from here or there. I notice that when the tourists were looking at the wall, there was absolutely no sounds coming from anywhere but then again, they were paying close attention to the names and the sketches that was all over the wall. The Korean War memorial will teach future generations and will mean a lot to the people that actually fought in it.

            The World War II memorial was the largest memorial out of the Korean War and Vietnam War memorial. The memorial consists of columns that surrounded a water fountain. Each column represents a state which is written on the pillar. Also on the pillar, there is a green wreath placed in front of the pillar towards the inside. The name of each state is placed on the outside part of the pillar. I notice that the interaction between the tourists itself was very deep and thoughtful. The tourist’s interaction with the monument was very open and surprised. I think it’s because of the height of the columns that made the tourists surprised and the fact that the memorial was very spacious. The World War II memorial is a great way to remember all the lives that were lost during an important time in U.S history.

            The Vietnam War, Korean War, and World War II memorial all have similarities and differences from one another. In fact, the Vietnam War, Korean War, and World War II memorial all have a water fountain by its side. While the Vietnam War and Korean War memorial both have a long black wall and life size soldiers nearby. The World War II memorial is the only memorial out of the Vietnam War and Korean War memorial that has pillars with each state written on it. I chose these three specific monuments because of their differences and similarities that define each time period with their unique design. The Vietnam War, Korean War, and World War II memorial will forever be in our mind and represent the lives that were lost.  Pics

Each and everyday we go out and about to live our lives, we pass by buildings, memorials, and monuments. Sometimes we admire their beauty, their size, and how they have been able to withstand the elements over the years. Not only in the United States, but across the world, different memorials and monuments are created to symbolize people, events, or amazing creations from the creation of the world. When creating buildings around the world each and every architect has different and unique ideas on how to develop them. How can we differentiate why it was built that way? What makes the piece special the way created and shown, and what is the specific meaning that the architect himself meant to put behind the piece? We can look at several exhibits in our own nation’s capital of Washington D.C., for clues and insight on key attributes.

One of the most obvious and most noted monuments in the nation’s capital is that of the Washington Monument. It is the tallest monument because to represent our place in society and the world, we keep ourselves at a high standard and high expectations and high level of success. It is also visible from citizens as well as travelers when entering the nation’s capitol in an airplane. The monument is also recognized for our first president, George Washington, and how he started the roots of our great country. George Washington not only being the first president started the path for the US, which has an unlimited room for growth, as it points to the sky. The monument also symbolizes how high we’ve made our way in society in such a short time. The monument can also be found on George Washington’s $1.00 bill. The top portion of the obelisk has an illuminated eye, which I feel symbolizes that someone is always there to watch you. The United States is a country that is very diverse and open to people of all races and cultures. No matter where you are, the monument is high enough and is there to guide you and watch over your shoulder. The Washington Monument continues to serve as one of the most popular attractions in Washington D.C.

Much like the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, created for the remembrance and life/work of Abraham Lincoln. This building was created with the authentic Greek style, found in Greece. This Greeks were known for democracy, and if anyone, it was Abraham Lincoln who defended democracy during the civil war and by succeeding in the war. He essentially “saved” our democracy and by doing such, they made a vast memorial using Greek architecture. Not only did Abraham Lincoln help our country but the most noted Emancipation Proclamation is something he was also remembered for. The ability to recognize and fight for different races and cultures, was also a reason for his great size inside the monument, sitting in a huge chair, arms and legs open and embracing everyone who entered. This was a man who believed in doing good deeds everyday, and establishing a sense of unity and nationalism in our country. The character and morals behind this great American president is a reason the monument was built with such detail and care.

Lastly, the Vietnam War Memorial is one emotional as well as intriguing memorial in our nation’s capitol. It differs greatly in size and in comparison to the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, but the size does not take away from its importance. One reason why the wall was created was during the harsh times of the Vietnam War there was a “wall” between democracy and communism. People fought to break down that wall and let democracy win. By making a wall they are basically saying that this was the barrier which the soldiers tried to break down. This was a barrier between democracy and communism, in order to spread communism. There were many people opposed to the war, but the US continued. The wall has names of those lives fallen, and the names of people who died trying to support our democracy at home. Lastly, the most ironic thing about the memorial is that of the reflection from the black marble which it is made of. We can see ourselves in the reflection of the memorial, which should be to look at ourselves, to not make the same mistakes as those made in the past, and remember to do good deeds and why we are here in the first place. We should serve our country as those names on the memorial did so valiantly.

As we look and compare all of the monuments and memorials, one thing is common about all of them. They were created for us as citizens, visitors, and human beings to understand the importance of actions that instilled the creation of the memorial. From president’s actions to wars, we should all learn an important lesson, life is too short to be close minded. We must open up, and have a sense of nationalism, and support our respective country that we live in with our full heart. Even one person can change the course of history, which is very susceptible to change. Who knows, in the future a memorial might be created to honor acts of a family, person, or even me.

The Beautiful View of D.C

The Washington monument has a really interesting fact the most people would have never know of, which is that no building can be taller than the monument in the District of Columbia. In regards to this matter a while ago the statue on top of the capital was taller than the monument so they trimmed the statue on the capital and made it smaller so it wasn’t taller than the Washington monument. It also symbolizes that since Washington was the father of United States he got the tallest monument to represent what he did for our country.

The next monument I strolled through was the World War II memorial which was recently built in remembrance of the people who died while protecting the world, the two bombs that were dropped on Japan. This monument represented peace and there was pin drop silence while I was walking in and around it. The reason behind this might be that since people would imagine the horrible things that went on during those times. One really interesting fact that I noticed was that the water fountain that is in the middle has the shape of the smoke after the bombs were dropped in Japan. The only thing that was missing was the mushroom head but all the other characteristics are the same.

The final monument that I visited was the Lincoln memorial and apart for it being in a straight line in reference to the other monuments, Lincoln did free all the slaves. Even though I had no one in my family tree that was a slave in America but how every in my family tree my grand father was a slave in Kenya. He was taken from India as a slave to build railroads by the British. Getting back to the point, anyone who freed slaves took a huge step in improving humanity.

These monuments represent different things and have a lot of history behind it, whether the event was glorious or horrific. Like the Washington monument everyone is enjoying, having a picnic, throwing the ball around and having fun in the grass area around it because it represents victory against the British. However the World War II monument reminds everyone of the sad things that went on so everyone is quite and just enjoying the peaceful environment. The Lincoln memorial was extremely noisy mainly because it is in an enclosed environment and the voices echoed around and out side people are sitting on the stairs and enjoying the view of the Washington monument’s reflection in the pool of water.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/90055975@N00/

Since I am a Japanese American, I decided to analyze the use of water in the National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism, which was dedicated in November 2000 in honor of the Japanese Americans who fought and died for American ideals and freedom. The memorial also functions as a reminder of the Japanese families who were forced into internment camps, and acknowledges the failures to maintain liberty, freedom, and democracy in the United States. When at the memorial, a stagnant pool of water acts as the centerpiece and main attraction. The pool is shallow, and contains rocks as well as visible grooves on its floor that make the water look like a well kept Zen Garden. This resemblance of a Japanese Zen/Rock Garden, as well as the rocks that represent the islands of Japan and the generations of Japanese Americans, are symbols of Japanese heritage and culture in America. Another important feature of the pool is its stillness, which can be interpreted as a representation of the suffering and feeling of entrapment of those who were in internment camps. Also, with Zen being a Japanese school of Mahayana Buddhism that emphasizes meditation and intuition, the pool’s Zen garden theme helps promote peacefulness and quite reflection upon Japanese history in America. Being just a block north of the Capital Building, the Japanese American Memorial is in a busy part of town, but it is surprising how quiet it is in the memorial itself. Preoccupied by reading quotes and gazing into the Zen-like pool, visitors seemed not speak to each other, but if they did, it was in a manner too quite to be heard by others. The use of the water in order to achieve this quietness is a mechanism designed by the United States to present and remember the period of Japanese internment as a time of injustice and many mistakes. These feeling of remorse are further encouraged by a quote by President Reagan inscribed on the edge of the Zen pool which states, “Here we admit a wrong. Here we affirm our commitment as a nation to equal justice under the law. “.

Another memorial in which water plays a significant role in presenting and remembering United States history is the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, which was dedicated to the memory of President Roosevelt and the era he represents. I chose this memorial because of the fact that water played a significant role in Roosevelt’s life. Roosevelt was an avid sailor having been born and raised on the edge of the Hudson River, and was at one point in his early political career the Assistant Secretary of the Navy. Thus, water is a very important symbolic component of his memorial. There are four areas or “rooms” that represent his four respective terms in office, each of which containing a waterfall. As one walks from room to room, each waterfall increases in complexity, which is symbolic to the increasing complexity of Roosevelt’s presidency that was marked by economic depression and world war. There are five water areas, the first of which is a waterfall that has a single large drop-off. This is symbolic of the crash of the economy that led to the great depression. The next is a series of stair-step waterfalls, which was designed to be symbolic of the Tennessee Valley Authority dam building project and the rebuilding of the economy. The third is a group of chaotic waterfalls that fall at varying angles, which is representative of World War II. Here, each waterfall can be looked at as a separate nation with its own unique motives that clash and/or combine with other nations. Ultimately all the waterfalls lead to the same body of water, which is symbolic of many nations in a worldwide war. The fourth body of water is a still reflecting pool that is accompanied by a bronze frieze or “Funeral Cortege” that was designed by Leonard Baskin. Both of which are representative of Roosevelt’s death. Baskin portrayed the effects of FDR’s death by saying, “The great bronze piece is mirrored in a reflecting pool, and just as the bronze depiction memorializes FDR’s death, the mirrored image in the pool symbolizes the profound reflective effect the president’s death had on the American people.”. Because the water is stagnant, this room is a much more quiet area than the others, creating a sense of peace and allowing people to reflect and pay tribute to the life and death of FDR. Finally, the last water area is a combination of the four previous water areas, a retrospective of Roosevelt’s presidency. Each of these water areas clearly represents a major event in each of Roosevelt’s four terms, creating a historical timeline that can be used to teach or simply remember the time that was so important to United States history.

The National World War II Memorial opened to the public in April 2004 in honor of all Americans who served in the armed forces and home front during World War II. Located on the eastern end of the reflecting pool, between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, The World War II memorial is another monument in which water plays a significant role in portraying US history. In the center of the memorial, there is a Rainbow Pool, which is located in between two pavilions. One pavilion is inscribed with the word “Atlantic” and one inscribed with “Pacific”, each having a fountain at their base to represent the two major Theatres of battle. This is symbolic of how the war took place all around the world. Even more symbolism occurs in the center rainbow pool itself, where the circular fountains represent the free individuals of America, and the way that they come from the same pool symbolizes national unity. Furthermore, the architects of the WWII Memorial gave it a mostly light and celebratory feeling in order to reflect how the United States won the war. The Rainbow Pool and its unified fountains contribute to this celebratory atmosphere of the memorial, in that the fountains are similar in nature to fireworks. Also, In contrast to quiet memorials such as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which is designed for grieving, the noise that the fountains emit gives a sense that visitors are allowed to talk freely. In contrast, there is a still pool of water that sits in front of the “Freedom Wall” containing the 4,048 gold stars that each representing approximately 100 American soldiers who died in the war. This still water is a mechanism to allow visitors to remember the fallen ones in a peaceful manner. Also, the water gives off a reflection of the stars, presenting a sense of greatness to the stars and those who they represent. Thus, the United States used water in the National World War II Memorial in order to remember the power of unified free people with a just cause, celebrate its victory, and to remember that war is never without sacrifice.

The element of water is not incorporated into all memorials, but in the ones that do, it is usually not arbitrary and has a specific purpose. This was seen in the National Japanese American Memorial where water was used to cherish Japanese heritage in America and promote peaceful reflection, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial where water was used to portray the events of Roosevelt’s presidency, and the National World War II Memorial where water was used to set different moods of environment. Even though its relevance is often overlooked, the use of water is undoubtedly a significant aspect in how memorials reflect the United States’ desires to remember and present its history.

Link to Flickr Photo Set

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-249352731048492593&q=westboro+baptist+church&hl=en

I believe that there are also some freedom riders in this video.

Lets begin at the Lincoln Memorial. What meets the eye is a sculpture of Abraham Lincoln. Simple Enough. But lets examine further. Look at his expression of his face. Stern and serious. Considering that Lincoln was a very serious man who endured much pain in his life, this seems fitting. THe lighting used creates an ominous view of the former President as if he was almost to be worshipped. The words behind him describe what kind of a President he was, while the giant panels of words to his left and right are words spoken by him. Although delivered over 100 years ago, Americans this day are supposed to view the words as symbols of a great America and live by these words and use them as a guide to live. Now, look at where Lincoln views from his seat. By looking out from his area, you can see the rest of the monuments out through the pillars. Just like he saw over the country when he served as president, the architects of the monument made sure he can still watch over the country today in symbol.

Next up was the World War II memorial. The World War II memorial was by far the most complicated memorial we saw. Look at the way it is designed. Pillars, fountains, wreaths. There are more parts to this memorial than any other. And why shouldn’t there be. More people, not just Americans, were affected by World War II. Because of the amount of people affected, not just a single American, it is most fitting to be able to reflect as accurately as possible. Each pillar represents a state, such as Iowa, Utah, etc. The wreath placed on each states pillar represents an honor to the dead from each state. However, the states are not the only ones honored. America’s dependents, such as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, also have pillars. The dead of Europe are also honored with pools to reflect upon their dead, although they are not Americans.

Lastly, there is the Washington Monument, the most famous of all monuments. Across from the reflecting pool, a long pool which can reflect the entire Washington Monument, and the lighting ensures that it is reflected at any time. This is a spot that was popular for protests because it is a place where Americans are supposed to go to reflect on their own lives and duties of Americans. Some like what they see, some do not. Then comes the tall white structure. Although it does not serve any type of true purpose, it is still extremely symbolic. One symbol that I believe I found is the uniform design. Every side is the same, smooth, simple, no decorations. I believe this is because all accounts of Washington as a man was simple and consistent, much like the monuments design. The Washington monument is also, by rule, the tallest structure in D.C., because Washington is the most important figure in our history. Also surrounding the monument are 50 American Flags, one for each state in the country, none of which would exist without George Washington.

All these monuments are so full of symbols that most people do not realize. The architects and planners clearly had an idea that often go unnoticed. The National Mall is a great spot to go to explore symbols in American structure to honor our greatest heroes. Hopefully, this small essay did something to help open your eyes to the symbols you may have not noticed before when you visit the National monuments of Lincoln, Washington, and World War 2.

http://flickr.com/photos/54456036@N00/

                The first memorial I visited was the Vietnams Veterans Memorial. The Vietnam memorial is consists of three parts, the wall, the soldier’s statue and the woman’s memorial.  The most well-known is the wall with all the names of the 58,256 names that have now recently included woman. One thing that I noticed when I was there were little symbols around all the names. I found out that those symbols have meaning to each one. The missing is denoted with a cross; the confirmed dead are marked with a diamond. If the missing return alive, the cross is circumscribed by a circle, and if their death is confirmed, a diamond is superimposed over the cross. The vast amount of names show how many people died in that war and by the style of the memorial, the larger part towards the middle has an impact when you reach it. There was a newer part to the memorial called The Three Soldiers that created some controversy. It consisted of a White American, Black American and a Hispanic. They were deigned to look over at the wall from a distance but not be a part of the wall but and addition.
                The second memorial that was along the way was the Korean War Memorial. The style of this memorial is a open triangle with 19 soldiers including, 15 Army, 2 Marines, 1 Navy Corpsman, and 1 Air Force Forward Air Observer. If you look closely at each of statues facial expression, they are all unique and show the emotion one could have felt being in that war. Looking at the memorial you could see the Asian influence with the juniper bushes at there feet to show the harsh conditions the soldiers were faced with. There was also a wall similar to the Vietnam wall, but very different. It was made of granite, so when you looked at the murals you could also see your reflection. At the very end of the memorial near the tip of the triangle there was a peaceful fountain, The Pool of Remembrance.  It has inscriptions of the numbers killed, wounded, missing in action, and held as prisoners of war. Near that pool engraved in a granite wall, is the message “Freedom Is Not Free”, which has a great impact when you first read it.
                The last memorial that I saw was the newest, The World War II Memorial. It was open in 2004 to the public and dedicated to President George W. Bush. The monument consists of 56 pillars the have the names of the states, districts, and territories that surround the fountain in the middle. There are two arches at the ends of the memorial, Atlantic and Pacific. On the outsides of the memorial you can find carving of scenes from the war, you can also find quotes from presidents all around the walls. There was some controversy about the memorial when it was first built. In the past the area that the memorial was built upon was used for protests and demonstrations. The National Coalition to Save Our Mall opposed the design and the location of the memorial because of the location in-between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.
                Even though there were controversies with all three memorials I think that if it was not there some in the future may not remember the past. With the impact of the statues and all the names on a wall some can connect with the memorials in a different way then they could with a textbook. We learn from the past to have a better future and what better way to remember the past with memorials.

Sources :

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Korean War Veterans Memorial

National World War II Memorial

Flickr:

Pictures

A real life example was recently by the Clock Tower of the JC. There is a gentleman that is constantly there that preaches his faith, not sure which one, but he sits there screaming off passages out of his bible. Who is he to say what he believes in is the correct faith. He even directed a statement towards me asking me if I had “accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior.” When I told him that I believe that there is a god out there that looks over all of us, he exclaimed that I was going to hell. My automatic recriprocation to his thought was, “Is anyone that doesn’t agree with you and your version of the bible, essientially going to hell?” His answer was a Stern “Yes, but I can still save myself, by accepting Jesus Christ in to my life and calling him my savior. It was at this point that I did not was to start a holy war and walked away.

I actually ended up going home and as much as I didn’t want to think about it, I kept replaying the situation in my head, over and over again. It was a few days later, that I finally came up with a paradox to his statement so to speak. If I recall correctly, A person who claims to be Aethist, is a person that does not believe in God, heaven, hell, or any of the usual religious proceedings. They believe that once a person dies, his body and flesh is recycle in to the earth, just like any other living thing. So technically here he would be wrong as of so far because while he is taught that Jesus Christ is his savior and Jesus will save anyone that belives in him. Well if Aethists dont believe in heaven or hell, then even if they dont accept Jesus Christ as their savior, where exactly is it that they go when they die? Can’t be heaven or hell because those two technically don’t exist in that persons mind or faith.

What I’m ultimately trying to get at here is not debunking religion. I just believe that Religion has taken a stray road from what it may have originally been. Now a days its all about spreading your faith to those that do not know it, in order to convert them to your way of thinking. I’ve heard of stuff like that before, but it was rather difficult to understand because it was in GERMAN! It seems that Churches are now one of the biggest ‘business’ schemes on the planet. Have you ever seen how lavish some of the churches that are being constructed these days are? I’m sure that god listens to the poor just as much as he does the rich, so what is the use of having golden angel fountains that spit water in to a pool? Does that allow the practitioners of that lavish church more liberties than those of less fortunate churches? If you have a strong belief if your own faith, than it shouldn’t matter if everyone else around you believes in it too. If you can’t see that than you might not be as faithful as you think.

This post was not meant to offend anyone or make fun of any religions, yet it is a touchy topic, so feel free to go rampant with comments. While I do not necessairly have a designated faith, I was raised under a Buddihst ideal by my father and mother. Personally, I am not a practicing buddhist, nor do I adhere to all of the paths to enlightenment that are set forth, yet. I do however try to instill some of the views and teachings in my everyday life. I believe in the teachings of reincarnation of the soul in multiple forms, let it be person, animal or and living species and that every living object has a soul. I don’t believe in killing anything unless it is for survival, let it be for food or protection. You never know if that hamburger you are eating was your uncle who may have passes away years before. Lastly, Karma, it plays a huge role in our lives and screams that old saying “Do unto others, as you would like done unto you.”

A real life example was recently by the Clock Tower of the JC. There is a gentleman that is constantly there that preaches his faith, not sure which one, but he sits there screaming off passages out of his bible. Who is he to say what he believes in is the correct faith. He even directed a statement towards me asking me if I had “accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior.” When I told him that I believe that there is a god out there that looks over all of us, he exclaimed that I was going to hell. My automatic recriprocation to his thought was, “Is anyone that doesn’t agree with you and your version of the bible, essientially going to hell?” His answer was a Stern “Yes, but I can still save myself, by accepting Jesus Christ in to my life and calling him my savior. It was at this point that I did not was to start a holy war and walked away.

I actually ended up going home and as much as I didn’t want to think about it, I kept replaying the situation in my head, over and over again. It was a few days later, that I finally came up with a paradox to his statement so to speak. If I recall correctly, A person who claims to be Aethist, is a person that does not believe in God, heaven, hell, or any of the usual religious proceedings. They believe that once a person dies, his body and flesh is recycle in to the earth, just like any other living thing. So technically here he would be wrong as of so far because while he is taught that Jesus Christ is his savior and Jesus will save anyone that belives in him. Well if Aethists dont believe in heaven or hell, then even if they dont accept Jesus Christ as their savior, where exactly is it that they go when they die? Can’t be heaven or hell because those two technically don’t exist in that persons mind or faith.

What I’m ultimately trying to get at here is not debunking religion. I just believe that Religion has taken a stray road from what it may have originally been. Now a days its all about spreading your faith to those that do not know it, in order to convert them to your way of thinking. I’ve heard of stuff like that before, but it was rather difficult to understand because it was in GERMAN! It seems that Churches are now one of the biggest ‘business’ schemes on the planet. Have you ever seen how lavish some of the churches that are being constructed these days are? I’m sure that god listens to the poor just as much as he does the rich, so what is the use of having golden angel fountains that spit water in to a pool? Does that allow the practitioners of that lavish church more liberties than those of less fortunate churches? If you have a strong belief if your own faith, than it shouldn’t matter if everyone else around you believes in it too. If you can’t see that than you might not be as faithful as you think.

This post was not meant to offend anyone or make fun of any religions, yet it is a touchy topic, so feel free to go rampant with comments. While I do not necessairly have a designated faith, I was raised under a Buddihst ideal by my father and mother. Personally, I am not a practicing buddhist, nor do I adhere to all of the paths to enlightenment that are set forth, yet. I do however try to instill some of the views and teachings in my everyday life. I believe in the teachings of reincarnation of the soul in multiple forms, let it be person, animal or and living species and that every living object has a soul. I don’t believe in killing anything unless it is for survival, let it be for food or protection. You never know if that hamburger you are eating was your uncle who may have passes away years before. Lastly,  Karma, it plays a huge role in our lives and screams that old saying “Do unto others, as you would like done unto you.”

http://flickr.com/photos/89344046@N00/sets/72157600184448628/

The first memorial I visited was the World War II Memorial. Just by walking up from where I parked my car, I could see how great the memorial is just by its pure size. It is huge! However, most people did not seemd fazed by how large this memorial was, but seemed to flock near to where the numorous water features were. When you approach the memorial, you can hear the roaring of water fountains from a good distance away. This made the already bustling atmosphere (due to the large groups of people standing everywhere) even more chaotic by adding this loud sound of water. People did not seem to want to stop their conversations to take a look around and pay attention to the massive amounts of detail that were clearly put into this memorial, for example, the name of every state being engraved into a smaller pillar surrounding the memorial itself. The overall lighthearted feeling could have been due to the gorgeous weather on this particular day, but I do not think so. If one looked closely at the fountains, you could see that thousands of pennies had been thrown into the water over the years. The idea of throwing a penny into the water symbolizes making a wish, a task people usually take on when they are in a happy, more spirited mood, which could only be contributed to by the atmosphere at the World War II Memorial.

The second memorial I visited was the George Washington Monument, with its Reflecting Pool. The atmosphere here starkly contrasted the overall feeling one gathered from the World War II Memorial. Although there were large, loud crowds of people standing near the streets and behind the relecting pool, there were few people standing right next the the reflecting pool, and the ones that were, did not seem to make much noise. The water involved in this memorial was also very different to that of the first memorial I visited. There were no flowing fountains creating noise, in fact, there was no extravegance at all, only a long, rectangular, still pool of water. One thing that really struck me about this memorial was the Reflecting Pool itself. When you stand completely centered across from the monument itself, you see its entire reflection in the pool, and it honestly is quite a site. It makes this already huge monument seem twice as tall. I do not know if people were shy due to the pure height of the monument, or if the still water had a calming effect on the people at the memorial there that day, but the atmosphere was much more quiet and subdued than the first memorial I visited.

The third and final memorial I visited was the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial. This memorial was by far the quietest regarding people making noise, but was also the loudest in terms of water. As soon as you walk into the memorial, you see the first waterfall of many. Although by itself it is a rather demure waterfall, combind with the other waterfalls, the overall effect is a great one. This memorial is also built very differently than the others, in that it is more of a maze shape, and you more proactive in experiencing the memorial, much more so than the George Washington Monument, or the World War II Memorial for that matter. Most of the engravings on the walls and the waterfalls themselves are on almost the same level as you are, making the experience much more intimate. There were few people evn walking around the FDR Memorial that day, which makes me question whether or not I got an accurate feel on what people act like at this memorial, but from what I was able to observe, people were very quiet, barely speaking to eachother. There is a picture in my photo essay of several statue men standing in a row, that at the time I did not realize represented people during the Great Depression, but once I researched it more, it all seemed to make sense. Their glum faces and shabby clothing were very symbolic of the times during the period that FDR was president. The waterfalls also seemed to capture the idea of that time as well, in their small and understated stature, there was nothing overly flashy or intimidating about this memorial, but much more like something people can actually relate to.

Overall, my experience at the National Mall was an excellent one. I had never really been there for a school project, and clearly needing to pay attention to small details made the experience that much different. I had never really stopped to think about the atmosphere surround the memorials before, including that of how people were acting in certain areas, or the role that water played in each of the memorials. I chose these specific memorials because they all used water in their overall design, and I wanted to see how that effected the mood that surround the memorial. As a general rule, I observed that when the water was avtive and loud, so were the people, and visa versa. The way people acted coincided with the way the water behaved more so than I had ever noticed before, and it truly did bring an entire new perspective to the National Mall.

Although it was through a crazy chain of events that I ended up going to the national mall at night, it was a very awe inspiring time. I wasn’t expecting the refreshingly quiet introspection I was greeted with. I recommend to anybody that truly appreciates these monuments and the history associated with them to go and take a visit at night. The aura of night greatly enhances the architectural and emotional effects of each monument.

National Mall Photo Essay!

The Washington Monument is the most prominent, and one of the oldest memorials in Washington D.C., as well as the tallest building in the entire city. Completed in 1885, the Washington Monument stands erect in the West end of the National Mall at 555 feet. The structure is overwhelming in size and it is extremely hard to take in the entire view in a simple gaze. The Washington Monument was built in honor of George Washington, who led our country to independence and was later our nation’s first president. At the base of the monument are fifty flags, representing the fifty states. I find this to be odd since when Washington was president, there were not fifty states. Perhaps the flags show what an accomplishment his nation has become and how it has flourished. Washington achieved much greatness as a single man, and in honor of him, a single astonishing structure is placed in his honor. The monument is too much to take in at one glance, and there is more to acknowledge about George Washington in a single thought. The Washington Monument seems to tower over everything, and in fact it is still the tallest building in the District of Columbia. There is a rumor that a law states that nothing is allowed to be created taller than the Washington Monument, however, I discovered that the law states that a building’s height cannot be made more than 20 feet greater than the width of the adjacent street. I enjoyed the thought that no building was allowed to be taller, it put more power into the Washington Monument. There is much more though that makes this monument powerful. There Washington Monument can be seen from thirty to forty miles (on a clear day). That means that even outside of Washington D.C. one can remember our first president. No other memorial on the Mall is like that. In fact most require you to actually be up close and in the memorial to really see all that it has to offer.
 

Both the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial, require you to be inside the structure in order to take in the awe of the memorial. Even though the Lincoln Memorial building can be seen from the Washington Monument, it is mysterious and pulls you to walk the distance to see what it is. Once inside the columns you are blown away by the enormous statue of Abraham Lincoln hidden from the outside. The statue is nineteen feet tall and is very intimidating, however inspiring. Lincoln is depicted sitting down and has a serious look on his face that demands respect from onlookers. One hand is clenched and the other is open. Could this be showing the strong, forceful side of Lincoln on one hand and the calm fatherly side of him on the other. Above the sixteenth president is the dedication, “IN THIS TEMPLE AS IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE FOR WHOM HE SAVED THE UNION THE MEMORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN IS ENSHRINED FOREVER.” These words are visible over Lincoln’s head, however they do come secondary to the main highlight of the memorial, Lincoln. The exhibit’s atmosphere is quiet and respectful. Whenever I think of Abraham Lincoln, I think of the phrase “honest Abe” and when I was in the memorial, I remembered that and was very respectful and just took in all of the surroundings. On the south wall is Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is inscribed and Lincoln’s second inaugural address is inscribed on the north wall. It is nice to be able to read the powerful words spoken by Lincoln in his presence. The exterior of the Lincoln Memorial is more relaxed and there are steps where one can relax and gather your thoughts as you gaze at the reflecting pool. Lincoln was known as the Great Emancipator and preserver of the nation during the Civil War. Being at the end of the reflecting pool and sitting in both its presence and Lincoln’s allows for one to think about those events and the fact that without this man and his work, the world would be a different place.

The Jefferson Memorial has a little bit of a different vibe. The Lincoln Memorial is complemented by the reflecting pool, and the Jefferson Memorial is complemented by the Cherry Blossom Trees, however only visible in March and April. The Cherry Blossoms are celebrated with a festival announcing their arrival, and Thomas Jefferson is celebrated with his work on the Declaration of Independence, which is celebrated with many Fourth of July festivals. The exterior feeling of the Jefferson Memorial is that of a celebration, but the interior of the Jefferson Memorial is peaceful and respectful.
The Jefferson Memorial is located in West Potomac Park on the shore of the Tidal Basin of the Potomac River, across the street and part of the river from the other monuments. Like the Lincoln Memorial the main component of the Jefferson Memorial is hidden in the shadows until one steps foot inside the columns. Once inside, you are greeted by a nineteen foot, ten thousand pound, bronze statue of the third president, Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson is depicted standing tall and proud. Under the stature is a sentence taken out of one of Jefferson’s letters, “I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.” This phrase fills one with pride for our country and gives you the feeling of triumph, freedom, and everything our country stands for. I associate this feeling with the same feeling you get on the fourth of July. Also located in the Jefferson Memorial is an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence, for which Jefferson was known for drafting.
 

Even though each of these memorials are different, they are also very alike in which they honor the men for which they stand. The Washington Monument is a single structure with more power than a thousand little structures. The Washington Monument will forever be known for its records and everything will appear tiny in comparison, and Washington will forever be known for his achievements and all presidents compared to our first. The Lincoln Memorial commemorates a man known for changing the world and also gives you a chance to sit and reflect on this. One is intimidated by the size and look on his face and can not help but be respectful in his presence. The Jefferson Memorial calls for respect and patriarchy, and even though one feels respect, you also cannot help but be proud and feel free. It is hard to believe what power and emotion can come from stone.   

National Mall Monument Photos

World War II memorial is the youngest memorial in national mall. World War II memorial opened to the public on April 29, 2004, and was dedicated on May 29. As it opening, thousands of people visited the memorial from all parts of country. The memorial consists of 56 pillars, each pillar about 17 feet tall, and you can 56 states name on each pillar. 56 pillars symbolizing national unity represent the states, territories, and District of Columbia that comprised the United States during the World War II.  Between pillars there are two big memorial arches at the north and south entrance to the memorial plaza, those two arches commemorate victory from Atlantic to pacific. Walk into plaza, there is big fountains in the rainbow pool. The rainbow pool will be restored to their historic configuration. Most people visit World War II memorial, every time when I go there, and I can see people are setting there with their family. Children are running around the rainbow pool, and some kids are playing water with other people. Every one is looking so happy. I think people like to visit World War II memorial, because the United States didn’t lose war, they had big victory during World War II. However, whoever designs this memorial really wants to us remember those people who were fighting for untied states, who lost their lives during the World War II.

After walk short distance you can see Korean War memorial on your left side. The memorial is in the form of triangle intersecting a circle. Walk in to the memorial, there are 19 stainless steel statues stand in middle of memorial. When I walk close to the statues I can see how they look on their face, from their looking I can really tell what they were doing during the Korean War. After I saw those statues I can imagine how the war was. Behind the those statues there is 164 foot long black granite wall with photographic images sandblasted into it depicting soldiers, equipment and people involved in the war. I really like this war, because you can see how those soldiers looking during the Korean War.  People are so happy in World War II memorial, but people walk into Korean War memorial they are really act differently. They are so quit no one talking, they just walk along the war, look at the images on the war. I am sure they are really respectful in this memorial. “Freedom is not free” now I know what is really mean. Freedom is not free you really have to fight for it.

Vietnam War memorial is right cross reflection pool from Korean War memorial. The memorial wall is made up of two black granite walls, those walls are very similar. However, the different between those two walls is the Vietnam war wall has all veterans name on the memorial walls who dies during the Vietnam War. When a visitor looks upon the wall, his or her reflection can be seen simultaneously with the engraved names, which is meant to symbolically bring the past and present together. I am really amazing the silence in memorial, I even can hear wind blow. People just walk along with wall, and look at wall with soldiers name. people also can find book, which it has all soldiers name who die during the war.

After visited three memorials, and I really learn a lot. Also I really respect those people who die during the war. each memorial bring out three different emotions. Though people feeling and emotion, they find personal connection to each memorial. People are taking tour to those three memorial, they can find two different sides to war. so people can really respect soldiers respect what they done for their country.

 world war II pictures

http://www.flickr.com/photos/81646935@N00/487681071/#comment72157600190676565

http://www.flickr.com/photos/81646935@N00/487681157/#comment72157600190693957

http://www.flickr.com/photos/81646935@N00/487681163/#comment72157600190704265

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korean war pictures

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The Washington Monument can be seen from just about anywhere in Washington D.C. If your high enough up. The monument greets you when you are entering Washington D.C. from Virginia. It reminds you of the history of the great city every time you pass it but it does not show its true potential until you see it in person. When seeing the Washington Monument and looking to the sky surrounded by American Flags, you feel a sense of meekness and empowerment at the same time. Was this what the builders had imagined the monument to do? How does the monument bring about so many emotions when it is just a building? The Washington Monument is not an elaborate building but it is high. It towers over you to make George Washington seem larger than life. I do not think it just stands for George Washington any more. The feeling I received from the monument was that it stood for not only the first president but the city as well as the country. The height and strength of the building is what makes emotions soar when visiting, unlike the World War II Memorial.

The World War II Memorial evokes a sense of reflection and humble thinking. It made me feel small while being there. I felt as if I have not done enough in my life compared to the people that fought and died in the war. I could not figure out why I felt that way at the memorial but not while learning about World War II. The memorial was so large in proportion that it makes you feel small and insignificant. I walked through and there was so much to look at compared to other monuments. What other monuments have in sheer size this monument has in size and remembrances. The World War II Memorial has the potential to make you spend the day looking at everything that is there. The memorial may not be tall and overpowering but it is large. The memorial also has huge fountains which drown out noise that helps you concentrate on what you are looking at. The pillars at each side look small in comparison to the memorial but the fact that twenty people can stand inside comfortably does not do the pillars much justice. The pillars are extremely large and empowering from the inside, exactly like the Lincoln Memorial.

The Lincoln Memorial and its grandeur is incredible. From far away it somewhat resembles the White House. I thought the statue of Abraham Lincoln was going to be life-like and that the building would not be that big on the inside, I was completely wrong. The Lincoln Memorial took me aback. It was hard to believe how strong it mad me feel standing on the stairs looking out onto the Washington Monument. The memorial made me feel differently when I walked in. I felt very small and humbled in front of the Abraham Lincoln Statue.

The Lincoln Memorial, World War II Memorial, and the Washington Monument humble you just by the way they are built to make you feel insecure standing next to them. The monuments make you feel as if you are not as good as the people they are made after. They make you feel as if you are small in comparison to the people the monuments were made after. The monuments evoke a lot of feelings which no text book could possibly bring about.

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The second monument I visited was the recently completed World War II
memorial.  The monument is a fitting tribute to those who gave their lives
for their country and again size, placement and detail represent the
ultimate sacrifice these soldiers had to make.  Initially one will notice
the size of this monument.  Although it does not dominate the skyline like
the Washington monument, the shape and width of the memorial represent many
people rather than just one.  The placement of this memorial is quite
significant as it stands in line with the Washington Monument and the
Capitol building.  Not only is the placement of the monument important on an
emotive level, it is also highly aesthetically pleasing to see the structure
in line with the Washington Monument.  When one takes a step back and takes
in the memorial in front of the Washington Monument, there is really no more
powerful sight in the whole of Washington D.C.  If the Washington Monument
is remarkable because of its size, the WWII monument is most certainly
impressive for its detail.  The first aspect of detail one may notice is the
symmetry.  The angles and shapes involved in this structure look almost too
perfect to be real.  This symmetry could represent each and every member of
the military during WWII equally as every man who served risked dying.  The
52 columns outlining the monument represent another impressive aspect of the
monument.  Each column is exactly the same height except for the two big
columns at either side of the memorial that represent the Pacific and
Atlantic oceans.  These columns show the individual states that supplied
troops to fight in the world’s biggest war and represent how unity as
opposed to division won the war.  The pool in the middle of the monument is
another important detail and is the most popular part of the memorial for
visitors, especially in the summer.  This pool represents eternal sacrifice
of the troops as the pool is constantly full and is another way of saying
that we will never forget.  The field of 4,000 gold stars is possibly the
most significant part of the entire memorial.  Each star represents a
thousand of the 400,000 who died during the course of the United State¹s
involvement in the war.  The feeling this wall generates in the many
visitors is one of deep sadness but also one of appreciation to those who
served and died fighting for freedom and their country.  The WWII memorial
represents the more than 400,000 Americans who died fighting for what they
held sacred.  From the positioning of the monument to the extreme detail
taken by the architect, this memorial helps us to remember those brave men
and women who lost their lives during World War II.

The last monument I visited was the Lincoln memorial.  This memorial was
completely different to the first two I had visited and as it exhibited a
human form in the shape of a seated Abraham Lincoln.  This monument’s size
is its distinguishing feature much like the Washington Monument.  The size
represents the significance and importance of Lincoln in American history
and his role in the Civil War to keep the country united and to free the
slave.  Lincoln was also a great orator and two of his famous speeches are
inscribed on the inside of the “temple”.  The Gettysburg Address and
Lincoln’s second inaugural address represent two of the greatest speeches in
the history of the United States and the sheer size of the inscriptions on
the inside of the memorial highlight the effect those words had on the
course of events during and after the Civil War.  Again placement is a major
aspect of the memorial and is part of the reason I chose to visit this
particular memorial.  The positioning of this memorial in line with the
Capitol, the Washington Monument and the WWII memorial represent just how
significant Lincoln’s presidency was and is.  It seems that memorials and
monuments on the National Mall are to those who had the greatest influence
on this relatively young country’s history and it is a great testament of
Abraham Lincoln’s presidency and life that his memorial would be put on the
same level as these monuments. Finally, detail on this monument was a key in
adequately memorializing this great American president. Everything about the
statue of Lincoln is accurate from facial characteristics to the scale of
his frame.  The 36 columns at the entrance represent the 36 Union at the
time of Lincoln’s death and this is highly significant as there may not have
been a Union at that time had Lincoln not been president.  The placement of
this monument signifies Abraham Lincoln’s importance and place in American
history.  Details such as the two inscriptions on the inside of the monument
as well as the 36 columns at the entrance to the memorial show visitors just
how important Abraham Lincoln was to the United States.

The three monuments I visited all had a similar location and significance in
American history.  Lincoln and Washington were two of the nations most
important and influential president’s while World War II
represented one of the costliest wars America has ever participated in.  I
chose these four monuments because I felt that each one remembered either
great achievement or remembered great sacrifice. Each memorial evoked
entirely different emotions and the size, placement and detail of each
monument effected how I perceived and thought about each one.
Monument Photos

]]> http://clioweb.org/courses/history120/spring07/an-in-depth-look-at-the-characteristics-of-the-national-mall-monuments.html/feed http://clioweb.org/courses/history120/spring07/personal-connection-to-memorials.html http://clioweb.org/courses/history120/spring07/personal-connection-to-memorials.html#comments Tue, 08 May 2007 03:26:48 +0000 akostka http://clioweb.org/history120/spring07/national-mall-essay/akostka/personal-connection-to-memorials/ Touring the National Mall was something I have always wanted to do (being a history major and just generally loving to visit museums and the like), so I was very excited when we were assigned to do this project. I expected to find memorials, plain and simply. However, as I moved from one to another, I realized that you cannot help but feel different emotions. Walking through and around the monuments, the most prominent feature I noticed about each was the intention to make you feel personally connected to each place and story. Most notably, the fact that at each of the monuments I chose, the Vietnam War Memorial, the World War II Memorial, and the Lincoln Memorial, seeing your reflection was specifically used in different ways. Designers of each of the monuments includes an aspect of reflection in order to make the viewers feel personally connected to what the monument represents.

The Vietnam War Memorial is one of the younger memorials, constructed in 1982. It was designed by Maya Ying Lin and consists of two black, granite walls. This specific type of granite was chosen because of its reflective quality. While I was standing amongst all the people who were visiting the memorial that day, I was amazed by the utter silence. I felt a sense of deep respect and I believe everyone who was looking at the wall was feeling very similar. I think this memorial comes across as, not necessiarly anti-war, but there is more of a feeling of loss here than at some other memorials, most likely because you can corralate the names to actual people and their families. Standing in front of the Vietnam War Memorial, you can understand why the designer felt it was so important for the viewer to be able to see themselves among all the names. While looking at your own reflection, not only does it cause you to think about all these men that gave their lives, but also makes you feel as though the past and present are undenialbly connected to one another. This feeling is just as prevalent when you take the time to look at each of the items left by family and friends under the wall. It is obvious to any that the Vietnam War has and continues to affect thousands of people, and the reflective nature of the granite helps to show this.

While the Vietnam War Memorial provides a somber atmosphere, there is of course a memorial that brings out a happy, carefree feeling. The National World War II Memorial, while still a war memorial, evokes something completely different than the Vietnam War Memorial. The World War II Memorial is the youngest on the mall, just having been completed in 2004. Designed by Friedrich St. Florian, the memorial is a circluar structure with 56 pillars, each with the states and territories of the United States at the time of World War II. The middle holds a huge fountain pool, with the fountains shooting high into the air. Here, reflecting is mostly done in a celebratory manner. Children are running around and the area is much louder, with people talking and laughing, than at any other memorial. Why this memorial is depicted this way is a bit unanswered. Perhaps it is because of the portrayed success and victory of good triumphing evil throughout World War II. Perhaps because it was built so recently, events like the war in Iraq were beginning to loose favor and this could remind people of the feeling of winning a war. I believe it is a bit of a combination of both, and I’m sure other things depending upon who is interpreting the memorial. Whatever the reason for the difference in design style, I think the atmosphere is good and needed, especially if you have already visited the more somber memorials.

Leaving the World War II Memorial, you automatically come upon the Reflecting Pool, which lies between the World War II Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial. The Reflecting Pool is not really a memorial of any sort, but definitely has its own atmosphere and connects up to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. As it name implies, this is a place where many people sit and have lunch or just some peace and quiet. It is shallow, only about 3 feet deep, and has a natural calming effect. Walking from the World War II Memorial, this calm is needed as you approach the Lincoln Memorial. Approaching the Lincoln Memorial is a sight in itself. It was designed by Henry Bacon to mimic a Greek Doric temple, for example the Parthenon. Climbing up the steps, you can’t immediate see the huge statue of Abraham Lincoln. However, one you walk in past the columns, the first time you see the statue, it is a bit breathtaking. The statue sits 19 feet tall and immediately causes you to feel a sense of authority. Looking up at the huge man, instead of feeling the need to relate yourself directly to the people or situation, you simply marvel at the wonderful reputation this man must have had to deserve something so grand. On the walls are two of his most well known speeches, the Gettysburg Address and his second inaugural address. Looking at these, especially the Gettysburg Address, you get the sense of how important these were in his time as president. While it may not be a personal reflection, the Lincoln Memorial still evokes certain emotions that cause a personal connection and strong apprecation to a great president.

While each memorial definitely brings out three different emotions, each causes the viewers to reflect on the memorial and look inward. If you are open and receptive to the emotional aspect of the memorials, anyone can find a personal connection to each monument, whether you and your family has been directly affected by any of the events or historical figures. I believe in order to appreciate history and learn from it, we MUST feel personally connected to events that have happened in our country’s past. Taking a tour of war cites like the World War II Memorial and the Vietnam Memorial can show you both sides to a war. The Lincoln Memorial can give you a sense that many great people have led our nation to allow it to become something great and all hope is not lost (if you so happen to feel that way with current issues). Each memorial gives a new, different reflection than the next and it is important to take the time to investigate each of these.

National Mall Photo Essay Pictures

Sources:

Lincoln Memorial

World War II Memorial

Vietnam War Memorial

The Jefferson Memorial is unique in that it does not actually have water in the monument, but it uses water as part of its message. The memorial is separated from all the other monuments by a large body of water. When you stand on top of the monument, you can see the whole city and when it is sunny, the water makes the whole scene sparkle. It suggests that Jefferson is watching over the capitol city and more generally the entire country. It is like looking at a utopian civilization. The monument is a tribute to the way he viewed America. He envisioned a new and beautiful country with unlimited possibilities. From the top of the monument, you can only see the pretty parts of America; you cannot see the any of the country’s problems. That is what the artist most likely intended. In addition, when you look at the monument from the other side of the water, it stands alone and resembles a Grecian temple. In fact, the monument is constructed using Greek type architecture. The artist likens Jefferson to a Greek god. This is a symbolic analogy because Greek Gods were revered by their people as creators and saviors. Jefferson can be thought of in that way in America. Jefferson was one of the founding fathers of our country. He authored the Declaration of Independence, assisted in the development of the Constitution, and almost doubled the size of our country with the Louisiana Purchase. He is one of the creators of our country and the artist did a good job in remembering him.

The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Monument, on the other hand, uses water extensively within the monument. The water symbolizes the different degrees of turbulence and conflict during his four terms in office. The first waterfall, which signifies his first term in office, is just one huge waterfall. The waterfall symbolizes the Great Depression. It was the one huge hurdle that FDR knew that he needed to tackle, and starting his New Deal was the only thing he needed to focus on. The second waterfall, which signified FDR’s second term, is different than the first waterfall because it has steps. It is more bumpy than the first one. This symbolizes how the economic and social problems which FDR had to deal with became more complicated in his second term. Not only did he have to continue dealing with the Great Depression, but he also had to start dealing with the war abroad. Although we were not in the war for the majority of his second term, we still could not help but to have some involvement in the conflict. Things were staring to get more turbulent for him. The third waterfall, which symbolizes his third term, is different than the previous two because it is made up of more than one waterfall. The waterfalls are made up of many broken rocks upon which the water crashes down. These multiple waterfalls and high pressure water is symbolic of the multiple problems that FDR faced during his third term. Pearl Harbor had been bombed at the end of his second term, and we had no choice but to enter the war. The depression was starting to get a little better with the war effort, but there were still many things which needed to be fixed. Lastly, the fourth waterfall, which symbolizes FDR’s fourth term, also consists of more than one waterfall, and even more waterfalls than the previous one. The waterfalls in this set are also have water crashing down on an array of rocks at the bottom. The reason there are even more rocks in the fourth set is because by FDR’s fourth term, there were even more problems to be solved. The world was in disarray during this time. The debate of whether or not to drop the atom bomb was going on, parts of Europe were completely destroyed, Americans had lost many family members to the war, and troops were still fighting. The economy was doing better, but that was largely a result of the war and the need for increases in production. People did not know if things would downshift again once the war was over and the additional jobs were not necessary. FDR had a lot of decisions to make and a lot of problems to grapple with during this time, and the multiple waterfalls, and rocks represent this state of turbulence.

The third monument I picked was the World War II Memorial. This one also uses water within the monument to help convey its message. In this monument, there is a huge pool of water in the middle called the rainbow pool. There is a pillar on each side of the water, one is inscribed Pacific, and the other is inscribed as the Atlantic. The American states and territories are then arranged in a circle around the water, somewhat in their geographic relation to the corresponding ocean pillar. In the middle of the pool of water, there two large flowing fountains and various littler ones. The two main fountains symbolize the Allies and the Axis powers, and the littler ones most likely symbolize the countries who made up these two sides. The two fountains are far apart to symbolize how far apart the two sides were in their thoughts ideologies. In addition, water is used in another way in this monument. In the back of the monument there is a wall with 4,000 stars, and each star symbolizes 100 lives which were lost during the war. Under the wall is a small reflecting pool. Looking at the stars on the wall in conjunction with the stars in the reflecting pool gives you a sense of the magnitude of the loss. Also seeing the stars reflecting in the water gives you the sense that they will live on forever in our nation’s memory.

monument pictures

            At the World War II Memorial one walks straight into a tourist mess. There are kids running everywhere, people talking in loud voices and the occasional couple seated along the fountain enjoying a romantic afternoon. The Memorial has a lighthearted feel to it, one of comfort more than anything else. Even the fountains are loud; you can hear the water rushing into the air before clapping against more water. The Memorial expresses the feeling of brotherhood that drove many soldiers to fight for the man next to them. The loud and rambunctious pride many WWII movies try to capture almost carries into those attending the Memorial. Most importantly one does not get the feeling of disrespect from the running kids and loud families, it is almost as if that is how the “Brothers-In-Arms” would have had it.

            The District of Columbia War Memorial is in stark contrast to the before mentioned. Walking up to the Memorial it is almost like walking into an ancient ruin, there are trees among trees and just before reaching the site there are hundreds of perfectly kept flowers. There is not much talking to be done here and whispering comes completely natural. While listening to the area you can hear nothing but scurrying squirrels and rustling leaves, it is mostly serene and deep thoughts are certainly not hard to capture. Unlike the WWII and Korean War Memorials, the stone is not flawless slate, it has cracks and chips and it does not reflect; the plant life makes it easy not to notice though.

            The last Memorial I chose to use was the Korean War Memorial. There were a lot of people here, most of them were looking down more often than not and all were near silent. The Memorial puts an immediate weight on one’s chest, a burden almost; it is not a feeling of deep thought like the War Memorial but more a feeling of sadness. The statue soldiers frozen in mid action are standing on unkempt, almost dead grass growing between bits of gravel. I thought it was interesting that the stone was flawless and the water was seemingly drinkable as it reflected the sun, flowing perfectly over edges. Looking into the reflecting stones depicting those lives lost you can faintly see your own face, blending among those who died; it is hard not to get lost in the image appreciating everything those soldiers have done for us. The last picture I took I felt like summed up all the Memorials, “Freedom Is Not Free”.

            The most faint things easily sway our moods, feelings and actions. I think it is amazing how things as simple as flowers or water or even the cracks (or lack of cracks) in stones can affect the image we portray through our actions. I find it fascinating that it is not disrespectful to talk loudly or run through the WWII Memorial but you really wouldn’t dare do the same at the Korean War Memorial, at least not without some pretty mean stares. It is all to easy to get lost in thought at these Memorials, especially when provoked by an assignment like this and that is what I think the intention truly was for the designers. To provoke thought, and to provoke emotion.

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History portrays Roman culture as a very sophisticated nation. In school, we are taught about towering figures in history, like Augustus, Nero, and Marcus Aurelius. In literature, Shakespeare immortalizes the best know leader of the Roman Empire, in the play Julius Caesar. History will forever have Rome be synonymous with greatness. While visiting the U.S capitol, it is impossible to not see the towering pillars, large domed buildings, and statues canonizing American figures. I believe, in an attempt imitate the Roman Empire, the United States used a Roman designed architecture to be seen as great. For history to remember the U.S. in a positive light, it must attempt to be seen as elite, and embracing an aspect of the Roman Empire into our culture, it helps perpetuate that sense of greatness.

The buildings and monuments throughout D.C. are not considered one distinct architectural style. However, many of the buildings that imitate Roman culture are very similar to a style called Beaux-Arts. It can be characterized by two distinct designs: “Symmetry and hierarchy of spaces, from “noble spaces”—grand entrances and staircases—to utilitarian ones.” There have been some adaptations to the style, but it has remained consistent since its creation in Paris, during the 17th century. The style naturally conveys sensations of being elite, which helps the U.S. be seen as a great nation.

The First monument I choose to look at was the Jefferson Memorial. Of the three structures I choose, I realized that it looked most like classic Roman and Greek Temples. The monument is also interesting because of its location. Located in Washington D.C West Potomac Park, near the shore of the Potomac River Tidal Basin, it suggests how important roman architecture is to the U.S.. Created during the early 20th century, the monument could have been built using a more modern design, but instead, it continued a tradition of building monuments like Roman temples. The circular pillars, dome on top, and marble bricks are all part of classical Roman structures. With further exploration I learned, the designer of the monument, John Russell Pope, used the Beaux-Arts style. Thomas Jefferson, our third president, was also fascinated with Roman architecture and used the style to design Monticello and the Rotunda after the Pantheon of Rome.

The Lincoln Monument was the second I realized looked very similar to the classic examples of Roman architecture. After researching the structure, I found out it was not designed in the Beaux-Arts style, but it contained the symmetric and “higher spaces” design functions. One of the most famous locations in the National Mall, I thought that it was very important and consistent that the monument look similar to the Roman architecture. All of the monuments were designed with specific purposes and functions. I believe the purpose behind creating the Lincoln Memorial, was to be a symbol of power and prestige. Abraham Lincoln was one of the most progressive presidents to ever serve in off. He created a movement that began to change the way slavery was looked at in the United. States. Every aspect of the monument continues the theme of power and prestige.

The last monument I looked at, the District of Columbia War Memorial, I found by accident. The memorial commemorates the citizens of the District of Columbia who served in World War I. The memorial is located in West Potomac Park slightly off of Independence Avenue in a grove of trees. The design is very similar to both the Lincoln and Jefferson monuments, with giant pillars, “higher spaces”, and Symmetry. I think of the three monuments, this one was the most important. Very few people have every heard of the memorial or even know where it is located. Nevertheless, the memorial still adhered to the classic Roman style. Since the memorial commemorates the soldiers from D.C. who faugh in World War I, I thought it was closest to the military battles fought by the Roman Empire. Just as gladiators and commanders were glorified in Roman times, the D.C. War Memorial commemorates the soldiers who fought for us.

Many people dispute the assumption that the United States and the Roman Empire are similar. Regardless of the debate, looking at the structure of the buildings in D.C., suggests the U.S. is trying to emulate the former world power. The United States wants to be seen as a great nation, and what better way to be seen as great, than imitate the Roman Empire. A famous quote by Charles Caleb Colton explains best the United States’ actions best; “Imitation is the sincerest of flattery.”

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