US history: national simbols - Essay Example

US HISTORY Introduction This paper discusses the 10 best sites that must be visited by tourists who are exploring American history and culture.Following are those sites that will enlighten our visitors of the rich American history Grand Canyon The Grand Canyon, located in the U.S. state of Arizona, is a major tourist attraction. It caters to everyone who has a thirst for adventure or scenic beauty or research. It is home to numerous landmarks and monuments, both natural and manmade, that stand out to be of utmost beauty and considerable historical importance. The Grand Canyon is 277 river-miles long, about 10 miles wide and nearly one mile deep. It is indeed a wonder of the natural world. It is a matchless mixture of geography and color and is sure to overwhelm anybody's senses (Park). Major John Wesley, with a team of nine, was the first person to accomplish a successful boat trip down the Colorado River. And by 1900s, the attractiveness of this place had drawn visitors in large numbers. (The Grand Canyon) Lincoln Memorial The Lincoln Memorial, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., was built to honor the 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. It was modeled after the Greek Parthenon by architect Henry Bacon. It is a must see for the tourists and the residents of Washington D.C. it consists of 36 Doric columns that represent the 36 states that were there at the time of Lincoln's death. A statue of Lincoln is contained inside the memorial that was built by Daniel Chester French. The memorial enlightens its visitors about the legendary president Abraham Lincoln and is a major attraction for the tourists who are fond of American history. Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is of great historical importance for America. On December 7, 1931, approximately 8:00 A.M. in the morning, the Japenese Imperial Navy attacked the United States at this very place on the Island of O'ahu, Hawaii. Conceived by Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, this surprise attack with a force of 353 Japenese aircraft was led by Mitsuo Fuchida (December 7). It shocked the Americans as there was no prior declaration of war by Japan and resulted in a major loss of life and resources for the Americans. White House It took about 8 years, from 1972 to 1800, for this mansion to be built. Since John Adams, this exotic mansion has been the official residence and workplace for every President of the United States of America. It comprises of six stories, the Ground Floor, State Floor, Second Floor, Third Floor and a two-story basement and is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. The White House was heavily damaged during the war of 1812 by the British Army. Both the exterior and interior of the building were damaged and were reconstructed. Today, the white house is opened for general public for tours but bookings have to be made months in advance. Statue of Liberty The statue of Liberty National Monument represents the friendship between France and America. It celebrated its 100th birthday on the 28th of October 1986. Over one hundred years ago, the people of France gave this statue to the people of the United States to acknowledge their friendship during the American Revolution. It is now a symbol of freedom, democracy and international freedom and is indeed of great value and historical importance for both the people of America and the France. (history) It was agreed upon that the American people were to take care of the base of the statue while the French people were to undertake the assembly in the United States. So the statue was actually a joint effort between France and America. However they were both faced by lack of funds and resources and various forms of entertainment, lottery and other methods were used to raise funds for this project. The National World War II Museum Dr. Stephen Ambrose, a professor of history in the University of New Orleans, founded the National World War II Museum Foundation in New Orleans in 1991. This stands to be the only museum in the United States that concentrate on all of the amphibious invasions of World War II. It opened on june 6 2000, and pays tribute to the more than one million Americans. (Museum) It is located in New Orleans, Louisiana because the landing craft used in the amphibious invasions was built in New Orleans. This was the very landing craft that President Eisenhower believed won the war for the Allies (Museum). The museum preserves a huge amount of material for research purposes for tourists and other researchers. Paying a tribute to the hundreds of thousands of men and women who made the European and African invasions possible, it presents their stories to an international audience inspiring the future generations Valley Forge There are ineradicable images of suffering and patience associated with the Valley Forge story. This is a story of the Continental Army of the newly formed United States of America in which the army underwent encampment under the command of the renowned leader General George Washington, a few miles from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Avery) Even though there was no battle or war fought during December 1777 to June 1778, but the way that elements and low morale was overcome on this sacred ground gives it a great historical importance. (Avery) The Freedom Trial The Freedom Trial is a 2.5 mile red-brick walking trial that covers 16 sites of great historical importance, each of which holds greats value in the eyes of Americans. This is where the tourists can indulge themselves in the rich history of America's Revolution covering the events the lead to the historic break from Britain. These historic sites have been preserved by the people of Boston in 1958. It includes a number of churches, meeting houses, burying grounds, a ship, parks and historic markers that enlighten you of the tale of the American Revolution to the hundreds of school children, teachers, citizens and international visitors and researchers paying a visit. (trial) Beaufort National Cemetery The National Cemetery was established by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. It is the burial ground for the brave soldiers who lost their lives in the civil war. Over 7500 Civil War heroes rest here which includes 4019 unknown Union and 117 known soldiers. It also rests 6500 warriors from other wars such as the American War, Vietnam and Korean Wars. (Cemetery) This is without a doubt, a place worth seeing. Hundreds of local citizens and foreigners come here to thank or research on the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the well being of the country. THE LIBERTY BELL The first public reading of the Declaration of Independence by Colonel John Nixon was held on July 8 1776 with the ringing of the Liberty Bell out from the tower of Independence Hall. The bell was a call for the citizens of Philadelphia to hear this public reading. The bell was ordered in 1751 as a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of William Penn's 1701 Charter of Privileges, Pennsylvania's original Constitution. Works Cited 1. Avery, Ron. "The Story of Valley Forge." www.ushistory.org. 20 may 2008 . 2. Cemetery, Beaufort National. "Beaufort National Cemetery." www.beaufortusa.com. 20 may 2008 . 3. December 7, 1941. "December 7, 1941." my.execpc.com. 20 may 2008 . 4. history, statue of liberty. "statue of liberty history." 28 june 2006. www.nps.gov. 20 may 2008 . 5. Museum, The National WWII. "The National WWII Museum." www.nationalww2museum.org. 20 may 2008 . 6. Park, Grand Canyon National. "Grand Canyon National Park." www.ohranger.com. 20 may 2008 . 7. The Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA. "The Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA." www.greenwichmeantime.com. 20 may 2008 . 8. trial, the freedom. "the freedom trial." www.thefreedomtrial.org. 20 may 2008 . Read More