The United States is home to some of the most impactful historical monuments and memorials in the world but sometimes their significance gets overlooked, forgotten or left in the classrooms we once sat in as elementary, middle and high school students. Consider this article a refresher on some of the key symbols that define American history.
Lincoln Memorial
Designed by American architect Henry Bacon, the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C stands at 100ft tall, 119ft wide and 190ft long. The structure is a masterpiece based in Greek design with breathtaking details. Built with stones from Massachusetts, Colorado, Alabama, Indiana, Georgia and Tennessee, the Lincoln Memorial was a mass undertaking that took 8 years to build and the variety in stones was meant to represent the unification of a country torn apart by war.
Daniel Chester French was the lead sculptor of Lincoln’s statue and included some significant nuances. Lincoln’s two greatest qualities as said by many of that day was his strength and perseverance, but also his compassion and empathy. French sculpted Lincoln’s hands to depict this with one hand being opened to show compassion while the other is clinched to represent his strength and determination.
There’s no secret in the Lincoln Memorial’s main purpose as it is one of many monuments constructed in reverence to one of our nation’s impactful presidents. The memorial has also been the scene for many iconic gatherings such as the “I Have A Dream” speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
The sacrifice and impact of our past and present freedom fighters is something that can never be truly measured – but it is something that can be honored and commemorated and that is exactly what the Vietnam Veterans Memorial has accomplished since its completion in 1993. Located in the National Mall in Washington D.C., the memorial includes 4 main elements, the memorial wall with names of our veterans, the Three Servicemen statue, the Vietnam Women’s Memorial statue and the In Memory plaque.
Over 1,400 design submissions were received for the architecture of the memorial wall and Maya Lin, a student from Yale University was selected with the winning design. With one end pointing towards the Washington Monument and the other towards the Lincoln Monument, the two 200ft long walls contain more than 58,000 names. The overwhelming number of names and the way in which they are displayed (a circle that has names beginning and ending at the center) is meant to convey the gravity of all the lives lost but also the completion to the war.
The Three Servicemen statue unveiled in 1984, honors those who fought and returned from Vietnam and also serves as a symbol that the wall is being watched over and protected. The three men are also of three different races, African American, Hispanic and Caucasian, all ethnicities heavily represented in the war.
On Veteran’s Day of 1993, the Vietnam Women’s Memorial statue was unveiled honoring almost 11,000 women who volunteered. The statues show three nurses helping a wounded soldier and displaying three different emotions to represent the dispositions of women as they had to fulfill their duties.
In 2004, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial added the In Memory plaque to honor soldiers who passed as a result of war but were not eligible to be included on the Memorial Wall.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a lasting reminder of the contributions of our military men and women that will always tell a story of sacrifice, service, values and valor.
The Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial
Officially authorized in 1996, and unveiled in 2011 the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial lives in West Potomac Park in Washington D.C. The memorial is the first to honor an African American on the entire National Mall.
More than 900 applicants spanning 52 countries submitted their bids for the project, but Chinese artist Lei Yixin won the selection. Yixin used Shrimp pink granite to carve out Dr. King’s face and body, something he had to consult hundreds of photos of Dr. King to create. Yixin along with the help of Nicholas Benson took 2 years to complete the structure’s final carving.
The statue of Dr. King sits 30ft and 8 inches tall, carrying the name “Stone of Hope” and serving as a lasting reminder to the indescribable impact he had on all nationalities that freedom, equality and justice is not a privilege but a right, a right worth fighting for.
Hopefully this article accomplished its goal of putting back in the forefront some of the lasting impacts of some of these monuments and if we are lucky, inspires you to plan a trip to visit one of them soon! For information on trips to these and more destinations, visit our website.
If you are planning a field trip and want a personalized experience tailored to your students, please don’t hesitate to call Student Adventures at 1.877.873.7550 or email us at info@studentadventures.org!