Bald Eagle The bald eagle is a large

Bald Eagle • • • The bald eagle is a large, powerful, brown bird with a white head and tail. The term "bald" does not mean that this bird lacks feathers. Instead, it comes from the word piebald, an old word, meaning "marked with white. " The bald eagle was made the national bird of the United States in 1782. The image of the bald eagle can be found in many places in the U. S. The Founding Fathers wanted to choose an animal that was unique to the United States. For six years, the members of Congress engaged in a dispute over what the national emblem should be. As a result of the debate, the bald eagle was chosen because it symbolized strength, courage, freedom, and immortality and that it would look much better as our national symbol. When Europeans first arrived on the North American continent in the 1600's, there were an estimated 25, 000 to 50, 000 bald eagles, but populations have since dropped for many reasons. Many eagles were captured for getting too close to poultry or fishing nets; some were captured for falconry; and many eagles were poisoned by pesticides. In 1967, the bald eagle was included on the Endangered Species List. Federal laws, such as the Bald Eagle Protection Act, protect the bald eagle and have led to the recovery of bald eagle populations, such as on the Great Seal, Federal agency seals, the President's flag, and on the one-dollar bill.

U. S. Flag • • The U. S. flag has undergone many changes since the first official flag of 1777. On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act, which said that the flag would be made up of thirteen alternating red and white stripes and thirteen white stars on a blue field. Stars have been added to the flag as new states join the union. Currently, the flag contains 50 stars. Ever wonder why the flag is red, white, and blue? While the flag's colors did not have a specific meaning at the time, the colors were significant for the Great Seal of 1782. White: Signifies purity and innocence Red: Signifies valor and bravery Blue: Signifies Vigilance, perseverance, and justice Why stars and stripes? Stars are considered a symbol of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun. :

The Great Seal • • • On July 4, 1776, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson were given the task of creating a seal for the United States of America. The delegates of the Constitutional Convention believed an emblem and national coat of arms would be evidence of an independent nation and a free people with high aspirations and grand hopes for the future. The Great Seal was finalized and approved six years later on June 20, 1782. The seal reflects the beliefs and values that the Founding Fathers wanted to pass on to their descendents. In the center of the seal is an bald eagle, our national bird. It holds in its beak a scroll inscribed E pluribus unum, which is Latin meaning "out of many, one" and stands for one nation that was created from 13 colonies. In one claw is an olive branch, while the other holds a bundle of thirteen arrows. The olive branch and arrows "denote the power of peace and war

The Liberty Bell • Cast in London, England in 1752, the Liberty Bell rang when the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence and has become the symbol of freedom in the United States. The bell weighs about 2000 pounds and is made mostly of copper (70%) and tin (25%). Made for the Pennsylvania State House (now Independence Hall), the Bell was ordered by the Pennsylvania Assembly in 1751 to commemorate the 50 -year anniversary of William Penn's 1701 Charter of Privileges. Shortly after its arrival in Philadelphia the Bell cracked. Local craftsmen recast the bell using the metal from the old bell, but this one also proved defective. A third was cast by John Pass and John Stowe. On June 7, 1753, the bell was hung in the tower of Independence Hall; however, during the American Revolution, in 1777, British troops captured Philadelphia. For safekeeping, the bell was moved to Zion's Reformed Church in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It was returned to Philadelphia in 1778.

The White House • • Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC, the White House is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country. The White House has been the official residence of all the presidents of the United States with the exception of George Washington served from 1789 to 1797. By the time the White House was completed in 1800, John Adams was President. The house was rebuilt and restored after it was burned by the British in August 1814. The White House has six floors--two basements, two public floors, and two floors for the First Family. Visitors who tour the White House are able to see the most beautiful and historic rooms in the house including the East Room, the Green Room, the Blue Room, the Red Room, and the State Dining Room. These rooms are used by the President and First Lady to entertain guests and to receive leaders of other countries. The Oval Office is where the President does the business of the country--signing bills and Executive Orders and meeting with staff, visitors, and guests.

Mount Rushmore • • • In the Black Hills of South Dakota, stands the national memorial, Mount Rushmore, created by Gutzon Borglum. It was designed as a testament to the growth of the country and its great leaders. This magnificent rock carving depicts the 60 -foot high (18. 3 m) faces of four great U. S. Presidents. They are: George Washington Thomas Jefferson Theodore Roosevelt Abraham Lincoln Borglum started drilling into the 6, 200 -foot mountain in 1927; however, he died in 1941 before it could be completed. The head of Washington was completed first, followed by Jefferson and Lincoln. Roosevelt's head was unfinished when Borglum died. The memorial was finished later that year by his son, Lincoln. Borglum's original design was a sculpture of the four presidents to their waists, but time and money only provided for their heads. A similar memorial honoring Crazy Horse, the Oglala Sioux chief, is currently under development nearby.

The Statue of Liberty • ` • • • Located in New York, at 151 feet (46 meters) tall (305 feet including base and pedestal), the Statue of Liberty symbolizes freedom throughout the world. Its formal name is Liberty Enlightening the World. The Statue was actually a gift from the people of France. The statue, made of copper sheets with an iron framework, depicts a woman escaping the chains of tyranny, which lie at her feet. Her right hand holds aloft a burning torch that represents liberty. Her left hand holds a tablet inscribed with the date "July 4, 1776" (in Roman numerals), the day the United States declared its independence from England. She is wearing flowing robes and the seven rays of her spiked crown symbolize the seven seas and continents. Near the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor is Ellis Island. This island served as an immigrant station and a temporary shelter for people coming to the U. S. from other countries. Between 1892 and 1954, approximately 12 million people passed through Ellis Island seeking refuge, freedom and opportunity. The main building on Ellis Island is now a museum dedicated to the history of the Ellis Island Immigration Station.

The U. S. Capitol • • Built on a hill popularly called Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, the U. S. Capitol has been the home of the House of Representatives and the Senate since 1800. In March 1792, a design contest was announced to design the U. S. Capitol. All of the 16 plans submitted were rejected. A late entry by William Thornton, amateur architect from the British West Indies, was accepted in fall 1792. President Washington liked it because of its "grandeur, simplicity and convenience. " The iron dome, also white, is surmounted by a statue of a woman representing Freedom, by the American sculptor Thomas Crawford. The height of the Capitol from the baseline on the east front to the top of the statue is 287. 5 ft (87. 6 m). Take a virtual tour of the U. S. Capitol from the U. S. Senate. You can learn more about the history of the Capitol from the Architect of the Capitol.

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