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Plymouth Rock
Legend has it that the Pilgrims first landed upon a boulder -- it came to be known as Plymouth Rock. That enduring symbol of America’s early history now sits under this granite canopy, built in 1921, at Pilgrim Memorial State Park https://www.history.com/news/the-real-story-behind-plymouth-rock -
The Liberty Bell
This iconic symbol of American independence carries the words, “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.” Historians believe the copper bell was one of many bells rung to mark the public reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 8, 1776.
http://www.ushistory.org/libertybell/ -
Cesar Rodney Statue
This statue of Delaware’s most cherished patriot stands in downtown Wilmington, Delaware. On July 1, 1776, Caesar Rodney rode horseback to Philadelphia -- the very next day, the American lawyer and politician from Dover, Delaware, cast a crucial vote that paved the way for the passage of the Declaration of Independence.
https://www.aoc.gov/art/national-statuary-hall-collection/caesar-rodney -
Portland Head Light
In 1787, George Washington ordered the construction of this lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Two people had died that same year in a shipwreck, a tragedy heightened by the lack of lighthouses on Maine’s rocky coast. Today, the lighthouse remains a towering beacon, standing 80 feet above ground.
https://portlandheadlight.com/what-to-do/the-lighthouse -
Fort McHenry, Maryland
The star-shaped Fort McHenry was built to defend the port of Baltimore against enemy attack. That moment came in September 1814 when the British continuously bombarded the fort for 25 hours. American forces successfully defended Baltimore Harbor -- a move that inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
https://www.civilwar.org/learn/war-1812/battles/fort-mchenry -
The Alamo
The Alamo is the most enduring symbol of Texas independence. In 1836, Mexican forces waged a 13-day battle on the grounds of a former church. In the end, Mexican forces killed 190 men, including frontiersman Davy Crockett. Soon the battle cry “Remember the Alamo” led Texas forces to victory at the battle of San Jacinto -- a move that secured Texas’s independence. https://www.history.com/topics/alamo -
Washington Monument
The Washington Monument stands as the tallest structure in Washington, D.C. Shaped like an Egyptian obelisk, it is 555’ 5/8” high and made of marble, granite, and blue stone gneiss, it took 36 years to complete. From the top viewers enjoy 30 to 40 miles visibility in clear weather. And when it was completed in 1884, it was the tallest building in the world. It stands in memory of our first president, George Washington. https://washington.org/DC-guide-to/washington-monument -
Fort Sumter
The election of Abraham Lincoln in November, 1860 brought to a head the issue of slavery in the United States, which lead to the attack on Fort Sumter. In the early morning hours of April 12, 1861, Confederate forces opened fire on Fort Sumter. They fired continuously for the next 34 hours, setting off the Civil War. https://www.civilwar.org/learn/civil-war/battles/fort-sumter -
Gettysburg, PA
The Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point in the Civil War, the Union victory that ended General Robert E. Lee's second and most ambitious invasion of the North. It was the Civil War's bloodiest battle and was also the inspiration for President Abraham Lincoln's immortal "Gettysburg Address". https://www.civilwar.org/learn/civil-war/battles/battle-gettysburg-facts-summary?gclid=CjwKCAiA24PVBRBvEiwAyBxf-ezwgKvMq-zi12RuABtE_HNttlOGqznkPkOjWYAt7k7Jy6UCNj1u4RoC7rwQAvD_BwE -
Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial is a monument to the 16th President. The memorial stands 190 feet long, 119 feet wide, and almost 100 feet high. It is surrounded by a peristyle of 36 fluted Doric columns, one for each of the thirty six states in the Union at the time of Lincoln's death, and two columns in-antis at the entrance behind the colonnade.
https://washington.org/DC-guide-to/lincoln-memorial
