The White House

The rules surrounding security around the White House have changed significantly since Jackson’s time. With violent protests, guns and other modern threats to national security, unfortunately the luxury of having an open White House is no longer available. While I was there I observed that there was a guard outside the White House gate with a loaded automatic machine gun and several other weapons and items meant to ensure the protection of the President.

o   Boeing Milestones in Flight Hall

o  The Design for the Pan-American to replace a 707 the giant Boeing 747 revolutionized long-distance air travel when it entered service in the 1970s caring 400 passengers 2 1/2 mile 2 1/2 times more than the 707. It offered far lower seat mile cost per tile by for powerful and efficient high bypass turbofan engines. It would begin a new generation of air travel.

o   Space Race

After World War II, the Soviet Union and the United States became engaged in a conflict, competing to best each other’s achievements, including in space. Thanks to the Space race, the United States was able to make advancements in technology in space and air travel that could’ve only come from competition that the space race bred. We were able to analyze and use the effects of gravity and conditions in space that otherwise would not have been able to be analyzed if this progress wasn’t made.

o   Free Choice: Technology

The invention of the airplane revolutionized in modern technology in the popular mind, the new air age became associated with adventure and African-Americans shared the widespread enthusiasm for flying. Too routinely denied access to training as pilots and mechanics but beginning in the 1920s a small number of determine black pilots changed the way society view black pilots with great effort and against all odds able to change the way African-Americans saw themselves as pilots.

American History Museum

The Star-Spangled Banner

 

By the dawn’s early light of September 14, 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner aboard a ship several miles away from the battle, and could just make out the American flag waving above Fort McHenry. When the British ships were withdrawing from Baltimore, he realized that the United States has survived the battle. The USA had stopped the enemies advance and moved by that site. He wrote the song the Star-Spangled Banner symbolizing Americas bravery and an endurance in the war of 1812 on the date of September 14, 1814.

Advances in technology

John Bull was one of the earliest steam locomotives in the United States. It was imported from England in 1831 for use on the first round link between New York and Philadelphia. The engine tended to derail on uneven American tracks but a set of guide wheels attached to the front solved the problem. John Bull and it’s cars were soon carrying passengers in between the largest cities of the nations.  

Innovators

Thomas Edison

The lightbulb played a significant role in society that developed over the course of the next half century. When the light bulb and electricity were implemented into houses. It created a networking system of wires that were already set in their homes so when other technology was introduced, it was already set in one house. One gained a complete control over light in homes and offices, independent of the time of day. Thus creating a pathway that allowed other technological advancements to be easily implemented.

 

Washington DC Monument Tour

 

The Iwo Jima Memorial

 

The Iwo Jima memorial memorizes those who fought in WW2. The memorial statues depicts an event that took place on Sulfur island as marines obtained Suribachi mountain against the Japanese forces. There was no controversy in placing this memorial.

The Statue of freedom

The Statue of freedom is the tallest building at at 19 feet nothing is greater than freedom. These measurements and restrictions were made in order to ensure that the  Statue of freedom was the First thing to be hit by the sun’s light in the morning so as to symbolize the fact that the sun’s light shines brightest on freedom.

The Lincoln Memorial

Lincoln’s words during the civil war were “Malice toward none and charity for all.” Lincoln gave the greatest speech given in American history. It was called the Gettysburg address and the president of United States was not even the featured speaker at the dedication ceremony.  At the cemetery at Gettysburg that honor went to Edward Everett he was considered one of the great orderers of his day. He spoke for over two hours that day. The president was asked to make a few appropriate remarks as well, he got up and talked for a little more than two minutes. In that time he said that with the end of slavery we will now have a new birth of freedom for all Americans. After the speech Edward Everett said, “you managed to say in two minutes what I could not say in two hours.” A reporter asked Lincoln how long it took him to write the Gettysburg address Lincoln said all my life. The lincoln memorial was dedicated to him and his ambition for freedom.

The Korean War veterans memorial

The Korean Peninsula was divided at the 38th parallel north was communist south is a democratically elected government in June 201950 the palm minutes north invaded the south and this is how we got involved with the war because of the Truman doctrine which basically said the united states would help counter soviet expansion. The Korean War was not just an American war it was the first UN war United Nations. What the veterans wanted for the memorial is 38 statues to represent the 38th parallel but with not enough money they cut that number in half to 19. 19 stainless steel statues of all branches of the Armed Forces are represented here. You can look down at your feet they’re off to the left and you can see a little curb like wall in this wall you’ll find the names of the 22 united nations it’s in combat troops or medical support to help defend Korea on the opposite side is a taller polished granite wall in this wall unit see faces actually lasered right into the granite taken from thousands of anonymous photographs of support personnel both men and women that served in Korea but also in that wall you will find the reflections of the 19 statues. 19 statues, 19 reflections that equals 38 for the 38th parallel. 38 also representing the duration or length of the war, 38 months. The pool of remembrance is dedicated to the more than 54,000 Americans killed in 38 months of fighting in Korea 54,000 in just 38 months.

Martin Luther king

The King memorial is only seven years old. At the King Memorial everything is where it is for a reason. Dr. King looks across at Thomas Jefferson‘s memorial as Jefferson is most known for the authoring the words “we hold these truth to be self evident that all men are created equal” and on the same direct line to the Jefferson Memorial and past it is the Lincoln Memorial. Dr King gave his I have a dream speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and that is why Kings Memorial is located between the Jefferson and the Lincoln. Dr. King once said out of the mountain of despair there is a stone of hope.” Dr. Kings memorial, a stone sculpture, symbolizes that stone of hope.

Newseum

Many of the newspapers outside the Newseum are from around the world. They featured stories that are important to society or shared the important stories of a few individuals. There were newspapers from what seemed like every state and from many countries to show how how news is delivered all around the world.

 

Civil Rights exhibit

If I were to give the time in which much of the civil rights movement happened 3 fitting adjectives I’d say it was symbolic, memorable and empowering change.

9/11 exhibit

Before I came to the exhibit I knew all the facts about what happened on 9/11 but it never truly sunk in with me until today and until I really watched that video. It made it more personal as the tragedy of the event truly sunk in for me.

 

 

Rosa parks is the only statue in the statuary hall that was commissioned in. She is staring across the hall at a confederate leader.

At 180 ft tall the mural represents Washington ascending after death to become a higher being in heaven.

Murals line the walls with paintings of America’s past such as the one closest to the camera on the left which depicts Pocahontas’s baptization.

The Holocaust museum

Though I had already been to the museum before I wasn’t fully able to look at everything last time and so this time I was able to focus more in depth into the details. Being there first hand really allows you to seal and truly feel the true or of the holocaust.

Mount Vernon

It is easy to understand why Washington preferred to stay in his home at Mount Vernon over working as president of the United States. His home is beautiful self-sufficient and on top of that he, himself built it from scratch. Washington made many inventions in his Mount Vernon home once such invention being his “work fan” that hung above above him as he worked. He would simply put his foot down on one of the paddles connected to if you flaps of leather that moved and created air circulation that called him down during a hot Virginia summers.

Arlington National Cemetery

 

The statement freedom is not free is ment to say that the freedom that we as Americans enjoy was not given to us on a Silver Platter, it cost lives blood sweat and tears in order to earn freedom. While walking through Arlington and visiting the tomb of the unknown soldier I felt grateful to all the men and woman who put down their lives to make sure that I have the freedoms that I have today. I think that as americans we have seen to it that we properly acknowledge and honor military members who go of to war and don’t come back or whose bodies are left unidentifiable after or during war are not able to be properly buried and that’s a harsh and almost disrespectful thing to do to someone who laid down their life for their country. It is also especially hard on family members who have nowhere to go to remember or grieve a loved one.  For these reasons we have all the memorials, cemeteries and museums that dedicate themselves to these people, their memories, their cause for fighting and their deaths and lives.