DOCUMENT RESUME ED 468 410 SO 034 240 AUTHOR Kopin, Stephanie A. The Washington Monument: Tribute in Stone. Teaching with TITLE Historic Places. National Park Service (Dept. of Interior), Washington, DC. INSTITUTION National Register of Historic Places. 2002-00-00 PUB DATE NOTE 22p. AVAILABLE FROM Teaching with Historic Places, National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service, 1849 C Street NW, Suite NC400, Washington, DC 20240. Tel: 202-208-6843. For full text: http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/62wash/ 62wash.htm. Classroom Guides PUB TYPE Teacher (052) EDRS Price MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. EDRS PRICE DESCRIPTORS *Built Environment; Heritage Education; Historic Sites; History Instruction; Middle Schools; *Presidents of the United States; Primary Sources; Secondary Education; Social Studies; *United States History Memorials; National Register of Historic Places; *Washington IDENTIFIERS (George); *Washington Monument ABSTRACT The, Washington Monument (District of Columbia) is one of the most recognizable structures in the United States. Its prominence comes because it commemorates George Washington, who remains one of this country's most admired leaders. The history of the monument reflects Washington's contributions to the development of the United States and shows how people have debated the best way to honor important citizens. The lesson is based on the National Register of Historic Places registration file for the Washington Monument, the visitor's guide to the monument, source material about George Washington, and the structure built to honor him. The lesson plan can be used in teaching units on the American Revolution, the early Federal period, or the formation of a national identity, a collective memory, and interpretations of the past. The lesson is divided into eight sections: (1) "About This Lesson"; "Getting Started" (Photograph Analysis Worksheet); (2) "Locating the Site: Maps" (Portion of L'Enfant Plan for Washington); (3) (4) "Determining the Facts: Readings and Documents" (George Washington and the Early Republic; Samuel Blodgett's Broadside; Construction of the Monument; "Visual Evidence: Images" (The Washington Finishing the Monument); (5) Monument; Robert Mills's Design for the Washington Monument; The Washington Monument during the Civil War; Alternative Designs for the Washington Monument); "Putting It All Together: "Setting the Stage"; (6) (7) Activities" (Qualities of a Leader; Designing a Memorial; Local Memorial Study); and (8) "Summary." (MR) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. The Washington Monument: Tribute in Stone. Teaching with Historic Places. Stephanie A. Kopin Fay Metcalf, Editor National Park Service (Dept. of Interior), Washington, DC. National Register of Historic Places. cf-) O O U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) (jf This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. BEST COPY AVAIABLE 0 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. '71 Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. Teaching with Historic Places 9 Lesson Plian Senies A Program of the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places The Washington Monument: Tribute in Stone the country's most recognizable structures. Its t rises tall and brilliant, its whiteness em- prominence comes also because it commemorates phasized by the green grass and colorful flags that George Washington, who remains one of the surround it. It stands at the heart of Washington, country's most admired leaders more than two D.C., near the center of a cross formed by four of centuries after his death. The history of the mon- America's most famous buildings: the U.S. Capitol ument reflects his contributions to the develop- and the Lincoln Memorial, the White House and the ment of the United States and shows how Americans Jefferson Memorial. have debated the best way to honor important But appearance and location are not the only citizens. reasons that the Washington Monument is one of Map to Enrich Featuring Reproducible Readings, Drawings, Photographs, and a Revolution, the U.S. History, Social Studies, and Geography Units on the American Nation's Capital. Federal Period, Presidential History, and the Development of the BEST COPY AVAILABLE visit the program's Web site at www.cr.nps.gov Contents /nr/twhp. Teacher Materials Where the lesson fits into the curriculum About This Lesson Plan Topics: This lesson could be used in teaching Where it fits into the curriculum units on the American Revolution and the early Objectives for students Federal period as the focus for a discussion of Visiting the site whether Washington deserved the reverence he Supplementary resources inspired. It could be part of units on the formation How to Use TwHP Lesson Plans iv of national identity, collective memory, and Student Materials interpretations of the past. It also could be used in Getting Started 1 units on art history, architecture, or urban planning. Photograph Analysis Worksheet 2 Time period: 1760s-1880s. Setting the Stage iii Locating the Site Objectives for students Map 1: Portion of L'Enfant Plan for To understand some of the reasons Washington Washington 3 was so revered during the early 19th century. Determining the Facts To describe the intentions behind the memorial Reading 1: George Washington and the to George Washington. Early Republic 5 To analyze how ideas about the best designs for Document 1: Samuel Blodgett's Broadside 7 a monument change over time. Reading 2: Construction of the Monument 8 To investigate memorials found in their Reading 3: Finishing the Monument 10 community. Visual Evidence Photo 1: The Washington Monument 11 Visiting the site Drawing 1: Robert Mills's design for The Washington Monument, administered by the Washington Monument 11 the National Park Service, is located in Washington, Drawing 2: The Washington Monument D.C., on the National Mall between 15th and 17th during the Civil War 12 Streets and between Constitution and Independence Drawings 3a-e: Alternative designs for Avenues. It is open to the public every day except the Washington Monument 13-16 December 25. For more information, contact the Putting It All Together iii Superintendent, National Capital Parks-Central, The Activity 1: Qualities of a Leader National Mall, 900 Ohio Drive, S.W., Washington, Activity 2: Designing a Memorial D.C. 20024, or visit the park's Web site at Activity 3: Local Memorial Study www.nps.gov/wamo. Supplementary resources 11'lln lio Leeson Flan AIIi©U Students (or educators) wishing to learn more about the Washington Monument may want to read: In this lesson, students study the life of George Marcus Cunliffe, George Washington, Man and Washington and the history of the most famous Monument (Boston: Little, Brown & Co, 1958); Stan memorial to him. It is based on the National Register Hoig, A Capital for the Nation (New York: Coblehill of Historic Places registration file for the Washington Books, 1990); and Louis Torres, "To the Immortal Monument, the visitor's guide to the Monument, Name and Memory of George Washington": The United and other source material about George Washington States Army Corps of Engineers and the Construction and the structure built to honor him. Materials on of the Washington Monument (Washington, D.C.: pages 1-16 are designed to be removed and dupli- Historical Division, Office of Administrative Services, cated for students. (See back page for more instruc- Office of the Chief of Engineers, 1984). tions.) Washington Monument was written by Stephanie A. Kopin, Park Ranger at the National Mall. The lesson was edited by Fay Metcalf, edu- cation consultant, and the Teaching with Historic Places staff. For information on other TwHP lessons, ii (continued on inside back cover) 4 RCAT nnpv AVA 111 Aloe F Getting Started ... .., ' i-41, ..., , .., .... I 1 1.1 I I I,. I 1 11 1, 1, 1 .. . :.... .. ,. , ,-.....-1,---r. . ... L-,..r\,...o'',....---''' , ---/ ---,. . , L' ..... _ . Why was this monument constructed? 5 Photograph Analysis Worksheet liiii = d 9 Step 1 Examine the photograph for 10 seconds. How would you describe the photograph? Step 2 Divide the photograph into quadrants and study each section individually. What details--such as people, objects, activities--do you notice? Step 3 What other information--such as time period, location, season, reason photograph was taken--can you gather from the photograph? Step 4 How would you revise your first description of the photograph using the information noted in steps 2 and 3? Step 5 What questions do you have about the photograph? How might you find answers to these questions? 2 6 Locating the Site Map 1: Portion of the L'Enfant Plan for Washington. n the years following the Declaration of Independence, the United States moved its I capital often. In 1790, Congress decided to locate the Federal Government permanently on land that straddled the Potomac River just upstream from George Washington's plantation at Mount Vernon, Virginia. Over the next year, Pierre Charles L'Enfant, a French engineer who had served in the American Army, laid out the city that would be called Washington, District of Columbia. L'Enfant set aside public spaces for government buildings, parks, and monuments. An equestrian statue of George Washington was among the monuments he included in his plan. Along the margins of his map is a key, excerpts from which appear below: A. THE equestrian figure of GEORGE WASHINGTON, a monument voted in 1783, by the late Continental Congress.... C. A Naval itinerary Column, proposed to be erected to celebrate the first rise of a Navy.... D. This Church is intended for national purposes, such as public prayer, thanksgivings, funeral orations &c. and assigned to the special use of no particular Sect or denomination. E. Five grand fountains, intended with a constant spout of water.... G. Public walk, being a square of 1200 feet, through which carriages may ascend to the upper square of the Federal house. H. Grand Avenue, 400 feet in breadth, and about a mile in length, bordered with gardens, ending in a slope from the houses on each side. This Avenue leads to the monument A, and connects the Congress garden with I. Presidents' Park. Library of Congress 7 BEST COPY AVAILABLE Locating the Site Questions for Map 1 1. After what two men was the capital named? Why do you think Congress chose to recognize them this way? 2. What does the letter "A" represent on the L'Enfant plan? What other buildings were to be located near "A"? 3. Why do you think L'Enfant placed the memorial where he did? The Washington Monument: Tribute in Stone 4 Determining the Facts Reading 1: George Washington and the Eary Republic no man in the United States commanded more When the Revolutionary War ended, respect than George Washington. Americans celebrated his ability to win the war despite limited supplies and inexperienced men, and they admired his decision to refuse a salary and accept only reimbursements for his expenses. Their regard increased further when it became known that he had rejected a proposal by some of his soldiers to make him king of the new country. It was not only what Washington did but the way he did it: Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams, described him as "polite with dignity, affable without familiarity, distant without haughtiness, grave without austerity, modest, wise, and good." Washington retired to his plantation at Mount Vernon after the war, but he soon had to decide whether to return to public life. As it became clear that the Articles of Confederation had left the Federal Government too weak to levy taxes, regulate trade, or control its borders, men such as James Madison began calling for a convention that would strengthen its authority. Washington was reluctant to attend, as he had business affairs to manage at Mount Vernon. If he did not go to Philadelphia, however, he worried about his reputation and about the future of the country. He finally decided that, since "to see this nation happy...is so much the wish of my soul," he would serve as one of Virginia's representatives. The other delegates during the summer of 1787 chose him to preside over their deliberations, which ultimately produced the U.S. Constitution. A key part of the Constitution was the development of the office of President. No one seemed more qualified to fill that position than Washington, and in 1789 he began the first of his two terms. He used the nation's respect for him to develop respect for this new office, but he simultaneously tried to quiet fears that the President would become as powerful as the king the new country had fought against. He tried to create the kind of solid government he thought the nation needed, supporting a national bank, collecting taxes to pay for expenses, and strengthening the Army and Navy. Though many people wanted him to stay for a third term, in 1797 he again retired to Mount Vernon. Washington died suddenly two years later. His death produced great sadness, and it restarted attempts to honor him. As early as 1783, the Continental Congress had resolved "That an equestrian statue of George Washington be erected at the place where the residnce of Congress shall be established." The proposal called for engraving on the statue explaining that it had been erected "in honor of George Washington, the illustrious Commander-in-Chief of the Armies of the United States of America during the war which vindicated and secured their liberty, sovereignty, and liberty."1 Though it was easy to understand why nothing happened while the government lacked a permanent home, there was little progress even after Congress had settled on Washington, D.C. as the new capital. Ten days after Washington's death, a Congressional committee recommended a different type of monument. John Marshall, a Representative from Virginia who would soon become Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, proposed that a tomb be erected within the Capitol. But a lack of funds, disagreement over what type of memorial would best honor the country's first president, and the Washington family's reluctance to move his body prevented progress on any project. That inaction would prove typical in the coming years. The Washington Monument: Tribute in Stone 5 9 Determining the Facts Reading 1: George Washington and the Early Republic (cont.) Questions for Reading 1 1. Why did so many Americans revere George Washington? 2. Which proposed monument, the equestrian statue or the tomb, do you think would have been the more appropriate way to honor Washington? Why? 3. In general, do you think it is a good idea to build monuments to people who are still alive? Why or why not? Reading 1 was compiled from Frederick L. Harvey, comp., History of the Washington Monument and Washington National Monument Society (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1903). 1 Frederick L. Harvey, comp., History of the Washington Monument and Washington National Monument Society (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1903), 140. The Washington Monument: Tribute in Stone 6 10 4