The Statue of Liberty and National Monuments: Second Grade Social Studies
National monuments and memorials, such as the Statue of Liberty, the Washington Monument, and Mount Rushmore, are monumental structures built to commemorate great leaders, ideals, and pivotal moments in American history.
What Is a National Monument?
A monument is a statue, building, or preserved historic site created to honor a remarkable person, an inspiring ideal, or an event that shaped a nation. National monuments are protected by our government so that future generations can visit them, reflect on the sacrifices of those who came before, and learn about the struggles and triumphs of our democracy.
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| FAMOUS AMERICAN MONUMENTS & MEMORIALS |
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| STATUE OF LIBERTY | WASHINGTON MONUMENT| LINCOLN MEMORIAL |
| New York Harbor | Washington, D.C. | Washington, D.C. |
| Welcomes immigrant | Giant stone obelisk| Seated marble |
| arrivals; freedom | honoring 1st Pres. | statue; equality |
+--------------------+--------------------+-------------------+
| MOUNT RUSHMORE | JEFFERSON MEMORIAL | MLK JR. MEMORIAL |
| Black Hills, SD | Washington, D.C. | Washington, D.C. |
| 4 presidents carved| Honors author of | Honors civil |
| into granite cliff | Declaration | rights peacemaker |
+--------------------+--------------------+-------------------+
The Statue of Liberty: Lady Liberty
Standing proudly on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty is an internationally recognized symbol of freedom, hope, and welcome.
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/ \ (Torch of Enlightenment)
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(..) (Crown with 7 Rays = 7 Seas)
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(===TABULA==) (July 4, 1776 Tablet)
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[==========] (Broken shackles at feet)
A Gift from France
The statue was designed by French sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, with an internal steel framework engineered by Gustave Eiffel. It was given to the United States as a gift from the people of France in 1886 to celebrate the centennial of the Declaration of Independence and honor the enduring friendship between the two nations.
Symbols on Lady Liberty
Every detail of Lady Liberty has a specific meaning:
The Torch held high in her right hand represents enlightenment, lighting the path to liberty and freedom. The Crown on her head features seven distinct spikes or rays, symbolizing the light of liberty spreading across all seven continents and seven oceans of the world. The Tablet in her left hand is inscribed with the Roman numerals for July 4, 1776 (JULY IV MDCCLXXVI), the birthday of the United States. The Broken Chains and shackles lying at her feet represent the overthrow of tyranny and the abolition of slavery.
The Mother of Exiles
For decades, millions of immigrants arriving on steamships from Europe passed Lady Liberty before docking at nearby Ellis Island. At the base of the statue is a bronze plaque bearing Emma Lazarus's famous poem, which calls the statue the "Mother of Exiles" and contains the inspiring line: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."
Monuments in Our Nation's Capital
Washington, D.C., is filled with awe-inspiring stone memorials honoring American leaders.
The Washington Monument
The Washington Monument is a towering stone obelisk standing over 555 feet tall in the center of the National Mall. Built of white marble, granite, and bluestone, it honors George Washington, our first president and Revolutionary War general. Its tall, unadorned spire symbolizes Washington's steadfast strength and integrity.
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/ \ THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT:
/ \ World's tallest stone obelisk,
| | standing over 555 feet high in
| | the nation's capital.
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The Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial honors Abraham Lincoln, our sixteenth president, who led the nation through the Civil War and ended slavery. Inside a grand Greek-style temple sits a majestic nineteen-foot-tall marble statue of Lincoln in deep contemplation. On the temple walls, Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address is carved in stone. It was from the steps of this memorial in 1963 that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his historic "I Have a Dream" speech.
Mount Rushmore
Located in the Black Hills of South Dakota, Mount Rushmore features the sixty-foot-tall faces of four American presidents carved directly into a granite mountain: George Washington (representing our nation's birth), Thomas Jefferson (our growth), Theodore Roosevelt (our development), and Abraham Lincoln (our preservation).
Exercises and Review
Exercise 1: Describe three symbolic elements found on the Statue of Liberty and explain what each element represents.
Exercise 1 Solution: Three symbolic elements on the Statue of Liberty are her torch, her seven-rayed crown, and the broken chains at her feet. The torch held high represents enlightenment lighting the way to freedom. The seven rays on her crown represent the light of liberty shining across all seven continents and seven oceans. The broken chains at her feet symbolize breaking free from tyranny, oppression, and the abolition of slavery.
Exercise 2: Why was the Washington Monument built, what unique architectural shape does it have, and whom does it honor?
Exercise 2 Solution: The Washington Monument was built to honor George Washington, the general who led the Continental Army to victory in the Revolutionary War and served as the first President of the United States. It has the architectural shape of a massive stone obelisk—a tall, four-sided stone pillar that tapers as it rises and ends in a pointed pyramid top.