The 12 Most Amazing American Monuments and Symbols
TABLE OF CONTENTS The American Flag 4 The Statue of Liberty 6 American Bald Eagle 8 The Star-Spangled Banner 10 The White House 12 The Liberty Bell 14 Mount Rushmore 16 Uncle Sam 18 The Washington Monument 20 The Great Seal of the United States 22 The Lincoln Memorial 24 The US Capitol 26 Fact Sheet 28 Glossary 30 For More Information 31 Index 32 About the Author 32
1 AMERICAN FLAG REPRESENTS UNITY PATRIOTISM Only one country’s flag flies on the moon US astronaut Buzz Aldrin planted the American flag in 1969 during the first moon landing Here on Earth American flags have been flying since June 14 1777 On that day the Continental Congress approved a design with 13 stars and 13 stripes They represented the 13 colonies which became the first 13 states in the new union The first American flag left on the moon was blown over during takeoff but five flags from later missions are still standing 4
No one is sure who designed the first flag According to one popular legend George Washington asked seamstress Betsy Ross to make it Francis Hopkinson a member of the Continental Congress also took credit for the design He even asked Congress for payment The flag design has been altered over the years but it still has 13 stripes to represent the colonies The number of stars has grown as new states have joined the United States The flag now has 50 stars The last star was added for Hawaii in 1960 EARLY FLAGS During the American Revolution many different symbols were used on flags flown by the colonists who were fighting the British The soldiers flags represented ideas such as home freedom or bravery One flag featured pine trees Others had animals such as beavers or snakes One version had an anchor on it 5 The 50-star version of the flag has been in use for more than 50 years 3,000 Weight in pounds 1,400 kg of the largest US flag In 1996 it was hung across the Hoover Dam Flag design approved on June 14 1777 Inspired Francis Scott Key to write The Star-Spangled Banner in 1814 National Flag Day is celebrated on June 14 Nicknames Stars and Stripes and Old Glory
