Hello friends! Today, we’re going to explore the Lincoln Memorial. It’s a special place that helps us remember an important person in American history. Let’s dive in and learn more about it!
In towns all over the United States, you can find parks with monuments, statues, and memorials. But what exactly is a memorial? It’s a special structure or piece of art that helps people remember someone or something important. Memorials are often built many years after the event or person they honor. They remind us of talented people, important places, or significant events from the past.
Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, is home to many famous monuments. There are over 200 historical monuments there! These monuments honor famous Americans like Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr., and even events like the sinking of the Titanic. Monuments help us remember and learn about history.
One of the most famous monuments in the U.S. is the Lincoln Memorial. Abraham Lincoln was an amazing person. He grew up as the son of a poor farmer and worked hard on the farm. Even after a long day, he would read books by candlelight. As he grew older, he worked different jobs like being a store clerk and a river trader. People knew him for being honest, hardworking, and funny.
In 1837, Lincoln became a lawyer. He married Mary Todd in 1842, and they had four sons. In 1846, he was elected to the House of Representatives. Interestingly, Lincoln was present when the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid. The Lincoln Memorial is located across from the Washington Monument.
Abraham Lincoln became the 16th president of the United States in 1860. He is best known for the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed enslaved people. He led the country through the Civil War and helped reunite the North and South. Sadly, Lincoln was assassinated in 1865 during his second term as president.
After Lincoln’s death, Congress wanted to create a memorial to honor him. It took a long time—43 years—to pass a bill to start building it. Finally, in 1910, work began, and it took another 12 years to finish. In 1922, the memorial was officially accepted by President Harding and Chief Justice Robert Taft. Lincoln’s only surviving son, Robert Todd Lincoln, attended the ceremony.
Even though many African Americans attended the event, they were placed in a separate area. This showed that racial discrimination was still a problem, even after Lincoln’s efforts to end slavery.
Today, the Lincoln Memorial is more than just a tribute to President Lincoln. It stands for civil rights, racial equality, and justice for all Americans. Millions of people visit this famous memorial every year. It reminds us of the American ideals of democracy, freedom, and social justice.
Let’s see what you remember!
True or False: The Lincoln Memorial took a long time to build.
Answer: True! It took 43 years to start and another 12 years to complete.
What is the purpose of memorials?
Answer: Memorials help us remember talented people, places, or events.
Which word best describes the Lincoln Memorial? A) boring, B) insignificant, C) symbolic, D) enormous, E) freedom.
Answer: C) symbolic. Great job!
We hope you enjoyed learning about the Lincoln Memorial. Visit us at learn.org for more fun and educational resources!
Create Your Own Memorial: Think about someone or something important in your life that you would like to remember. It could be a family member, a pet, or a special event. Use clay, paper, or any materials you have at home to create a small model of a memorial. Share your creation with your family and explain why you chose to remember this person or event.
Memorial Scavenger Hunt: With the help of an adult, visit a local park or public space to find different types of memorials. Look for statues, plaques, or monuments. Take a picture or draw a sketch of each one you find. Discuss with your family or friends what each memorial represents and why it might be important to the community.
Imagine a Day with Lincoln: Write a short story or draw a comic strip about spending a day with Abraham Lincoln. What questions would you ask him? What activities would you do together? Think about what you learned about his life and legacy, and try to include those details in your story or comic.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hello friends! Today we’re going to talk about the Lincoln Memorial. You can read along with us by downloading this lesson plan from our website, learn.org. Ready to get started? Let’s go!
Every town in the United States has parks and recreation areas containing monuments, statues, and memorials. A memorial is usually a unique structure or artwork that reminds people of a person or event. Most are built many years after the person or event occurred. Memorials are designed so that people will remember the talented individuals, places, or events that took place. Monuments, like statues, are not only pieces of artwork but also represent something unique to everyone who sees them. Monuments have meaning and significance to the people visiting them.
Although there are thousands of monuments across the United States, many of the most famous ones are in our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C. There are more than 200 historical monuments in Washington, representing everyone from famous Americans like Abraham Lincoln to Martin Luther King Jr., and even one dedicated to José Artigas, the father of Uruguayan independence. There is also a monument dedicated to the victims of the Titanic. As you can see, monuments are essential ways we remember people, places, and historical events.
One of the most famous monuments in the U.S. is the Lincoln Memorial. Abraham Lincoln is a true American success story. He was the son of a poor farmer living on the frontier. When young Abraham finished long days of work on the farm, he read books borrowed from neighbors and friends by candlelight late into the night. As he grew older, he worked as a store clerk, river trader, and rail splitter. Lincoln earned a reputation for being a hard worker, honest, and having a great sense of humor.
In 1837, Lincoln worked hard enough to earn a law degree. In 1842, he married Mary Todd, and together they had four sons. In 1846, he was elected to the House of Representatives. An interesting historical fact is that while in Washington, Lincoln attended the opening ceremonies to lay the cornerstone of what would later become another famous monument, the Washington Monument. The Lincoln Memorial sits across from the Washington Monument.
By now, you know the rest of the story. Abraham Lincoln was elected the 16th president of the United States in 1860. He is best known for the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed enslaved people. Under his leadership, Lincoln steered the country during the Civil War, leading the Union to victory over the Confederacy and ending enslavement in the United States forever. His calm demeanor and willingness to compromise helped to heal the war-torn nation and reunite the North and South into one country.
Unfortunately, Lincoln was assassinated in April 1865, in the middle of his second presidential term. Congress began work to create a memorial to remember his patriotism. Two years after Lincoln’s death, in March of 1867, Congress created a commission to design and build a memorial. It would be another 43 years, until 1910, before a bill passed Congress to begin work on the Lincoln Memorial. It took another 12 years to complete the project. On the day of the design and construction, in 1922, President Harding and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Robert Taft officially accepted the memorial on behalf of the American people. Robert Todd Lincoln, the only surviving son of Abraham and Mary, attended the ceremony at the age of 78.
Ironically, though many African Americans were invited and attended the event, they were moved to a segregated area near the monument. The people Lincoln had dedicated his life to help still faced racial discrimination nearly 60 years after the Civil War ended in 1865.
Today, the Lincoln Memorial stands for more than just a tribute to the memory of President Lincoln. It has become a monument to civil rights, racial equality, and justice for all Americans. Millions of people visit this famous memorial in Washington every year. The monument commemorates one of the most outstanding leaders in American history and is now an enduring symbol of the American ideals of democracy, freedom, and social justice for future generations.
Wow! We just learned a lot of interesting information about the Lincoln Memorial. Let’s review to see what you remember.
True or false: The Lincoln Memorial took a long time to build.
True! It took 43 years before Congress passed a bill to begin work and another 12 to design and build the monument.
According to the author, what is the purpose of memorials?
Memorials are designed so that people will remember talented individuals, places, or events that occurred.
Choose the word the author would say best describes the Lincoln Memorial: A) boring, B) insignificant, C) symbolic, D) enormous, E) freedom.
If you said C) symbolic, you’re correct! Excellent job, Memorial Masters! We hope you had fun learning with us. Visit us at learn.org for thousands of free resources and turnkey solutions for teachers and homeschoolers.
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