(4th journal alternative) Celebrating Our Heritage
The USS Constitution was a commissioned ship in the USS Navy that fought in the War of 1812. It was set to be scrapped in 1830 as being "unfit for service." In an attempt to save this national treasure, the prominent poet Oliver Wendell Holmes dashed off a poem memorializing the ship. It was published throughout the land, arousing so much emotion that the Navy decided against its original plans.As an alternative assignment to the #4 journal Responding to Emily, you may respond to this prompt: Talk about a historical place, monument, museum, etc. that you visited. Tell a little bit about its history. Tell me about your visit, especially the impression that was left on you. Hopefully you can speak to the sense of history, bravery, or patriotism that you felt during your visit.
I might write about my visist to Ben Franklin's grave or my midnight hour trip to see the Liberty Bell on December 31, 1975.
posted by JTF @ 8:58 AM
51 comments
51 Comments:
In 8th grade my entire class went to New York City on our class field trip. While there, we visited Ellis Island. When I researched my moms maiden name I saw that her grandparents came over from Italy to the United States through Ellis Island. At the museum it showed what the people who came over to America went through with pictures. I realized how hard it must have been for my great grandparents to come to a new country without anything, except their family. Some of the pictures depicted families who were unable to be welcomed into our country because of disease. I found my family lucky to have had the opportunity to start a life in America. My great grandfather spoke only Italian. But he worked hard and eventually began to speak English because he wanted to be excepted by the American people. Ellis Island was opened in 1892 and was originally 3.3 acres of land. It was expanded to 28 acres and allowed over 12 million people enter the United States.
When I was 11 I went with my mom mom, her friend, and her grand daughter to Lancaster for a weekend. It was very special and fun to me because I got to learn alot about how Amish really live. We went on tours of people's houses, and they showed us how they lived and did simple everyday things without electricity. What was the most interesting to me was when we went to a normal school house. It was so much different from the schools I've been too. It was so old fashioned looking and everything was made of wood. Also we got to learn about how they traveled, and we even got to ride on a horse and buggie. It was amazing to get to live like an Amish person for a day because it is so much different from my life. It taught me alot of valuable lessons to learn from such kind and religious people. They don't take anything for granted and God and religion is their number one priority. Their life could be so much easier but they prefer to keep it as simple as they can.
When I was about nine years old, my family and I took a trip to Washington D.C. to visit all of the museums, monuments, and statues. It was a very interesting trip that taught me many new things and made me understand more about our country. While we were there, we visited the Lincoln Memorial. It was a monument built to honor our 16th president Abraham Lincoln. The monument, which was designed by Henry Bacon, was really something that I wanted to go to because I have always seen Abraham Lincoln as the best president the United States has even seen. I think he was strong, brave individual who really wanted the best for our country. When we got to the monument, I was in awe when I saw the massive columns and the enormous statue of our determined president. We walked around and looked at all of the things in the building, which was truly inspirational. I saw the names of the thirty-six states at Lincoln’s time etched onto the thirty-six columns. This made me see that at one time the united country we have today was not united at all. The Gettysburg address and Lincoln’s second inaugural speech are also ingraved on walls within the building. When I saw those patriotic words carved into the walls, it made me think of all the inspiring speeches that also took place at the Lincoln monument. When we left the monument, I was filled with a feeling of pride and determination that America can do anything. The only thing we need is one person who wants to make a difference, and we can achieve anything!
My eighth grade class traveled to New York City for our end of the year class trip. One of the places we visited was Ellis Island and the museum located there. The Ellis Island museum was very interesting and had a huge impact on me. Both my grandmother and grandfather's parents immigrated to the United States from Italy. They traveled through Ellis Island on their way to a new life. It was surreal to actually be in the place where millions of immigrants began a new life. Millions of people trudged through this very same place, most accepted and some even denied. When I was in the museum, my mom and I went to the list of names and found my grandfather's parents name from when they came over from Italy. The name Sparacino was on the list, and the date and time they were accepted into America. We saw the process in which one had to go through in order to be let through to America and the tests they had to pass. We learned a lot of information about statistics and how many people traveled through Ellis Island. It was an exciting and memorable experience to see my family's acceptance into America and how they started a new life for us all.
A place that I have visited that has had a great impression on me was the historical city of Washington D.C. When I visited this city I was over joyed with seeing all the monuments and buildings. It inspired and raised my spirits to know that i was standing on grounds that great movements, political figures, and speakers have come. There is were great changes were made. I visited every monument that was open to the public and read almost all the inscriptions. My favorite part of the trip was sitting on the top of the stair case of the Lincoln monument and looking out at the Reflection Pool. I just loved the feeling of knowing that once a great speaker stood here looking out and multitudes of people that came to here him say what he had to say. That trip gave me my first real thought of how history was important and got me to start writing more and speaking aloud.
For the journal (4th journal alternative) Celebrating Our Heritage I have decided to write about the time that I went into Philadelphia to see the Liberty bell. When I saw the liberty bell I wondered why it was so important to have that many guards and be that protected. I learned why it was so protected, I learned that people have tried to destroy it before and they were trying o keep it still in recognizable form so that future generations could see it and remember the sacrifices that their ancestors have made to keep this country great and protect it. Then I went through the mini museum that was there and I realized how important a symbol the bell was for our country. It was from the end of the revolutionary war and it helped by being one of many defining symbols of our country. When I entered the museum I saw the all the heroic things that people have done just because there was a symbol (the bell).
When I was about twelve during seventh grade, I went on a class trip to Gettysburg, New York. I thought it was amazing. The monuments I saw were breathtaking. When I was walking the streets of Gettysburg, I actually imagined what it would be like to live there during the war. One monument I really enjoyed about Gettysburg was the Friend to Friend monument. It was amazing to see such a monument. It was so sad how two friends were on different sides of the war, and how they saw each other at the time of one of their deaths. Another monument I really enjoyed was the Jennie Wade House. Jennie Wade was the first person to get killed in the Battle of Gettysburg. She was hit in her house and died from a stray bullet. The weird thing about her house was it was really creepy. After I left, one of the moms were looking at her photos she took of the house, and she took a picture of the mirror and behind her you can see a little outline of a woman. It was a really weird experience. But Gettysburg was definitely my most favorite historical monument.
The most historical place I have ever gone to was Plymouth Massachusetts. I wasn’t necessarily the most fun vacation but it was definitely the most historical. English separatists known as pilgrims founded Plymouth. They landed here in 1620 and a key player was William Bradford. He was a leader for the Pilgrims and he wrote a journal known as The History of the Plymouth Plantation. I went to Plymouth in sixth grade with my family. We went on a tour about the history of Plymouth and hoe the Pilgrims made their living. We went to see the Plymouth Rock. It was in a giant hole surrounded by 4 walls. I assume this is to prevent the rock from being disturbed. One thing that was also very interesting was we got to board one of the ships Christopher Columbus and his settlers came to on. I believe the ship was the Santa Maria. We were able to board the ship and see what life was like living on a ship. It was very interesting how people survived with what they did. This helped me to realize how hard life was back in the 1600’s. It showed me that just surviving back than wasn’t a simple task.
When I was in 8th grade, my class took a field trip to New York City. For the first part of the trip, we went into the city area and looked at Time Square and went into some shops. During our last hours in our trip, we visited Ellis Island. Opened in 1892, Ellis Island welcomed many new people whom were fleeing from oppressive or plighting countries. This place housed many immigrants and rejected some because of diseases. When I first got here, I was amazed of how big the main room was. Then, I read some of the information tables that told me how it was just a small place when it first opened(3 acres), but then expanded to over 28 acres. I also read that it greeted and accepted twelve million immigrants into the U.S. I checked to see if my family had made this journey, but they had not, they had come here before the place opened. This trip helped me realize a part of my country's history.
Almost every year, me and my family take a Saturday and go to Washington D.C. We go to all the major attractions and monuments. The main monument that always sticks in my mind is the Lincoln Memorial. The memorial was designed by Henry Bacon. It is the syle ancient Greek temples and stands 190 feet long, 119 feet wide, and almost 100 feet high. The actual statue "sits" 19 feet high. Construction began in 1914 and was finished in 1922. When I go and walk up those stone steps and look at that giant marble man, a indescribable feeling of admiration comes over me. Abraham Lincoln was such an important man to America. He influenced the States so much that the men and women decided to make a statue you of him. And the statue was not small, it was so big, it took 8 years to finish it. It just show the determination of Americans and how they recognize the major idols of the past. The Lincoln Memorial makes me proud to be an American.
When I was in eight grade I went on a school trip to Gettysburg. It was a fun trip because there was a lot to see and learn about. We got to go see the places where all the battles were fought and where the soldiers were lined up. We got to learn how the guns were fired and how to line up like the soldiers. We also learned how the they helped the hurt soldiers. It helped me to realize how much history is in America and to be at a place where so many men died it really made you think how good we have it.
The most moving and informing historical place I have ever been to would most certainly be Gettysburg battlefield. It was the winter of my sixth grade year when our class trip took us to the legendary battlefield. Throughout the brisk day my class walked the grass and visited many of the infamous spots were soldiers were unfortunately killed. The entire day was filled with a surreal understanding of what each of the men that gave their lives was fighting for. I found it sad to realize that many of the men that died were of the age I am now, that fact made me wonder if I could deal with the trials that they went through. People of all ages visit Gettysburg each year and experience the same thing that I did when I visited. The chill and chapped lips of that cold day are etched in my mind so clearly that I believe I have no need to visit the site again to understand any more what those soldiers gave for their countries and ultimately what they did for me. In all going to Gettysburg was the most eye opening experience that I have ever had and I look back on it knowing I learned a great deal about life from it.
During the summer before 7th grade, my family took a cross-country trip to Mt. Rushmore. The idea came about in 1923 to Doane Robinson, who just wanted more people to come to Black Hills, South Dakota. Robinson called Gutzon Borglum to help with construstion. Carving was supposed to take place in hte Needles area, but the granite was too thin. They then looked to Mt. Rushmore. The setting was perfect: it faced Southeast so it would get good light. And it was very durable, only eroding 1in. every 10,000 years! Carving began in October, 1927, and ending sometime between 1941 and 1942. It contains the faces of presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Thordore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln, and stands tall in Rapid City, SD. It was remarkable to visit this outstanding memorial. There is a path of all the states' flags leading up to the sight. There are so many ways to view Mt. Rushmore, from actually going to the sight to just driving by on a road. We visited a lot of other historic sights that summer, but this was probably the best. I would definately love to go back and see it again.
A few years ago my family, along with two other families, took a day trip into Philadelphia. We saw tons of historical places such as the Betsey Ross house, the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and the Constitution Center. My absolute favorite part of the trip was our tour of Independence Hall. Everything is set up to look like it did back in the 18th century. It was amazing to be standing in the same room as some of our founding fathers had. It was hard to imagine all of the historical people that had been there and events that had occured. They signed a document in Independence Hall that completely shaped the country and allowed it to be what it is today. It was one of the most memorable things I have done and I can't wait to go there again.
When I was in eigth grade, my family went to Williamsburg and Jamestown in Virginia. Williamsburg was an early eighteenth century town, where one of the first colleges emerged, William & Mary. The Williamsburg site is preservation of the old town including a blacksmith, shoe store, tailor, and city hall. All of the old buildings are still standing as well as the streets' stone. Of course, there were also touristy parts to buy souvenirs. This place was so much better than Jamestown, which was where the English first settled in America. I actually learned a lot from Williamsburg, such as how people lived day to day back then. I even went to see a witch trial, which was the highlight of the trip besides Busch Gardens. When my family and I went to Jamestown, I was bored to tears. First it was so hot, so it really took away from the whole experience. Second, everything was remade and kind of cheap, unlike Williamsburg. So overall, Williamsburg was nice and Jamestown stunk.
In 8th grade, my class went to Boston, Massachusetts for a week. While we were there, we saw many memorable things, but one of the historical things that I remember seeing most was the New England Holocaust Memorial. This memorial was made in memory of the Holocaust, and it is a really interesting thing to see. They are six large towers made of glass, that are each fifty four feet high. In the glass six million numbers, representing the six million Jews that
were killed, are etched in the glass. I remember when my class and I walked under the towers. We saw a different names of the Nazi death camps engraved into the glass. Visiting the Halocaust memorial site was a very memorable experience, and our 8th grade trip to Boston is one that I will never forget.
I think that my favorite national and historic place is the National Mall in Washington D.C. My 8th class visited there for our class trip. This was the highlight of my entire career in grade school, the rest pales in comparison to this trip. Aside from the monuments, and tremendous values of history there, the bus ride to and from, and the people were one of the best things I have ever experienced. After being with some of these people for nine years, and our time together drawing to a close, we remembered our own history, and the history of our great nation. We went around to all the monuments, including my personal favorite, the Washington Monument, and saw how different people, mostly presidents, left their mark on our world. We saw monuments that reminded the world of wars, like the WWII memorial, and the Vietnam Memorial. We saw a monument to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and the monument to Lincoln, which reminds us of the reforms they brought to our country. We remembered how much we owed these men and women for defending our country, and for reforming our country, how much they sacrificed and strived to serve us and to change our great country. The trip brought a sense of history and how it is important to us all.
In fifth grade, I went to see Gettysburg on a class field trip. When it comes to American history, that is the most historic place I have ever gone to. The weather was horrible and rainy, but it was worth it. We took a bus tour to explore the battlefields and see some of the leftover houses. The biggest impression of that tour was a house with a cannon hole in its wall. Apparently the story is that a lady was sewing in the room when a cannon ball blasted through the wall of that house and beheaded her. Besides the tour, the Gettysburg Cemetery left a huge impression on me as I saw the graves of the people who died in the bloodiest war in American history. It made me realize how proud we really are of this country. I also learned about the military equipment used in that time period and I got to practice shooting a rifle (fake one, of course). I will never forget that trip and I hope to go back there someday, maybe for the Haunted Night bus tour.
In my 7th grade year, my class took a trip to Gettysburg to learn about the battle and explore the battle fields. They taught us what it was like at the time of the battle, and what the men had to wear and the weapons they used. They took us on walks through the battle fields teaching us history about them. As we were walking, it was very weird because it felt like i was walking on top of hundreds of dead men who gave up their lives for me. Also we saw the cematary, which was interesting, but very upsetting at the same time. I will never forget though, the coolest part of the trip was getting to actually fire one of the guns they had, and learning to load it. Over all the trip was fun, the bus ride was fun because i was with all my friends, and we happened to learn a lot that day.
In eighth grade I went on a field trip to New York City. Although most of our day was just experiencing this great city, my class did make a visit to Ellis Island. I was actually very excited to visit this historical place because my great grandfather and his brother came to America from Italy when they were just fourteen years old. When I was at Ellis Island I felt so many emotions. I was in awe at how many people immigrated to America in such a short amount of time. I was also very sad because my Pop Pop had just died a few months before my trip. When I was in the building and in that room where all of the immigrants passed through, I felt really close to him because I saw a huge part of his past. I really never knew much about him because he didn’t like to talk about his past and I never knew why that was. I know now that it must have been an extremely difficult experience and brought back bad memories. I know now that he went through many hardships on the journey to America and also starting a new life in a strange place. Just by looking at all of the pictures I could see the determination for thousands of people to make a better life for themselves and their families. I am so appreciative of all that I have been given. I am also thankful to them for sacrificing everything so that their families could have a better life.
When I was in 6th grade my parents took me down to Williamsburg, Virginia for the first time. When went down during spring break and stayed in a great hotel. The first day we went to Jamestown, which is the first settlement in Virginia. I learned all about how the English had landed there and made a settlement that was not very successful due to insects, indians, and the colonists inablity to find food for themselves. Jamestown was still very interesting and we learned alot about the hard lives of the colonists. The next day we went into Colonial Williamsburg. It was a shock to me when I saw the all the building that looked like they were from ancient times. We first started with a tour of the House of Burgesses. This was very intersting and we learned about many of the famous Virginian politcians at the time. Next we went to the blacksmith, the tailor, and the bakery and we learned how tough it was to make all the things in the stores. Then we visited a few other places in the town and made our way to the Governor's Place. This building was huge compared to all of the other ones and it was very nice in its time period. We took a tour and learned about all the things that occured in this building. One of those things was a party that include many famous people, like George Washington. The last place we visited was a tavern where we ate like the people in Colonial Williamsburg ate. It was suprisingly good even though it did not look too apetizing. At the time I had more fun at the parks and these historic sites bored me but as I look back I realise the effect these places had on me
I have been to a few historical places. None of these places had as great of an effect on me then the Holocaust Museum. This museum is about the Holocaust. The Holocaust happened at the time of Hitler’s ruling. He forced all the Jewish people into concentration camps where many people did not survive due to lack of food, disease, and murder. This was known to me when I arrived at the museum. I figured it would be just like an ordinary museum with historical facts and such. Little did I know it would affect me more then I knew it would. My family and I spent a lot of time walking through and reading facts about this devastating incident. Along the way there are many stories of individuals and the suffering they had to do. This was very heart-breaking, especially the many stories of the children who passed away. Up to this point of the museum I was very much moved in a sense of respecting what I have. Then we went a little further toward the end of the exhibit and it was a room of what seemed like a million shoes. Some where big, some where small and most of them were very beat up and worn-down. The information was given about these shoes and it explained that these were the shoes of some of the people who were admitted into concentration camps. This is what impacted me the most. Though through-out the museum I was reading about these stories of people, I never really thought of how hard it would be to be in their shoes. This historical place gave me a different out look on what I have today and being thankful that I do not have to go through something as terrible as they did.
When I was in sixth grade, I went to Washington D.C. and visited the Holocaust museum with my family. The Holocaust refers to the systematic planned extermination of about six million European Jews and millions of others by the Nazis under the leadership of Hitler between 1933 and 1945. At the time when I visited, I remember being bored with most parts of it because I was not old enough to appreciate it. Looking back on it now after reading more about the holocaust, I wish I could go back and visit the museum again so I can experience it in a different mindset. It was terrible what the Nazis did. Around six million Jews were killed during the Holocaust, not including all the other people that were murdered. The museum was quite long, taking my family and me about three hours to get through. I didn’t understand what the holocaust was at the time, even after it being explained to me by my parents. This is probably the reason why I was bored throughout most of the museum. I hope to someday go back and revisit the museum so that I can appreciate it and understand the Holocaust with better knowledge.
Celebrating Our Heritage
My most memorable historic trip was in the 8th grade. Although that is not the best place to go on your 8th grade trip it was still very interesting and cool that I actually got to see the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, which are very historical in out country and are even in some movies. I must say when I saw the Washington Monument I could not believe how big it was, there were tons of people taking pictures and trying to look to see how high it went. George Washington built the Monument and it is shaped like an Egyptian obelisk, 555’ 5/8” high, and averages 30 to 40 miles visibility in clear weather. It was finished on December 6, 1884. After seeing it I felt small and honored that I got to see such an historic monument. Next our group walked to the Lincoln Memorial and walked along the path next to the water filled with birds on a nice spring afternoon. As I walked the infinite steps I finally reached the gigantic Lincoln Monument. It was very memorable and something I will remember for a while. The following is just some extra information about the Lincoln Monument; designed by Henry Bacon, after ancient Greek temples, stands 190 feet long, 119 feet wide, and almost 100 feet high. A peristyle of 38 fluted Doric columns, one for each of the thirty-six states in the Union at the time of Lincoln’s death, and two columns in-antis at the entrance behind the colonnade surround it.
Our entire 8th grade year history class was mostly spent on studying the Civil War. When we visited Gettysburg, PA I understood a lot about what the tour guide was talking about. I thought that it was incredible that my class was walking on the same ground that people in the United States had died for on country on. The tour guide helped us understand how the soldiers fired cannon. We were set up in different stages to act out the firing of the cannon. We learned the precautions that the soldiers had to remember. You have to stand in a certain place when fireing a cannon otherwise the Heavy cannon will knock you over and almost kill you. Visiting all of the statues in the town of Gettysburg made me remember all the important people that contributed their time and talent into that war. My favorite statue is the "Friend to Friend" statue in the cemetery. The "Friend to Friend" Statue is a statue of two soldiers one from the North and the other from the South helping each other. The Yankee is lying on the ground injured and the Union soldier is offering help. I thought that Gettysburg was an important field trip because it helped me understand my past.
One of my eighth grade field trips was to New York City. While in the Big Apple, we visited “the symbol of America’s immigration heritage”: Ellis Island. Twelve million immigrants landed on Ellis Island to be processed before trying to achieve the American dream. Just standing outside of the great building and looking at the Statue of Liberty made me proud to be an American. Touring Ellis Island gave me an appreciation for what my great grandparents endured in coming to this country. I felt overwhelmed by the great hardships that they endured including the loss of loved ones on the journey here. My great grandmother lost her sister during the long voyage. Even once they arrived, some were kept in quarantine for long periods of time, separated from their loved ones. Many took these risks, knowing they may never see their family again in order to make a better life for themselves and their children. I enjoyed viewing the large book of names. My great grandmother’s name was listed on one of the ship’s logs. Many massive stones carved with the names of the immigrants stood outside of the building. I loved the experience of looking at the old photographs and the statistics of approximately how many people immigrated there. During my visit to Ellis Island, I felt a sense of history and patriotism.
KB Yellow
In 7th grade we had a school trip to Fort McHenry. Prior to this we had learned about the war of 1812. The day before we saw a video about the people who fought and way the battle was fought. From this battle came our nation anthem by Francis Scott Key. The poem he wrote during the battle was later put to song and is now sung with the tune of a old British drinking song. Every time i heard the song i felt very patriotic and was moved by the words. When I went there and saw where it was written i could only imagine how he felt at that moment. I enjoy the anthem even more after being to the site of its birth. I get a better sense of the way he was feeling when he wrote it. Also, i feel that being there and knowing what happened there i felt closer to the history. Thus, i feel more patriotic and i feel prouder to be American after standing in the same spot these great American heroes fought.
I believe that my grandparents are like a modern “Thoreaus”. Every summer, my family and I vacation at my grandparents’ beach house. We visit there often, especially during the July and August months. Each morning, my grandmom and grandpop awaken around six and sit on their screened porch to appreciate the sunrise. They read quietly and simply enjoy the warm, beautiful morning. They enjoy their quiet and solitude until someone else wakes up and joins them. Luckily for them, the rest of us are not morning people. Outside of their beach house is a sign saying “Do not feed the ducks”. One rainy morning, my nature-loving grandmother decided to be a bit of a rebel and completely disregarded the command. She thought the ducks looked hungry and decided to share some of her Cheerios. Within the next couple of minutes, about fifteen geese had climbed the steps leading to the door of the beach house with more sounding the food alarm. Just as the ducks finished the last Cheerio, a passing neighbor was surprised by the great number of ducks on the deck. He spotted my grandmother after the ducks had left. He told her about the strange behavior of the ducks at her door. She pretended to be amazed and she said that she could not believe that she had missed that. Her neighbor still has no clue. In the evening, my grandparents listen to the soft chirping of the crickets and the sounds of birds around the lake. My grandparents also own a birdfeeder, which is always kept full. They enjoy watching the birds (and squirrels) flock to the birdfeeder. Nature and all of its creatures can always find a friendly face and a spare Cheerio at my grandparents’ house.
When I was in seventh grade, I went on a field trip to Ford McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland. Fort McHenry was built during the War of 1812. The British attacked Fort McHenry on September 13, 1814. This was the only attack on Fort McHenry. The British had to pass through this fort in order to get to the Baltimore Harbor. After 25 hours of heavy warfare, America claimed victory. This is because Great Britain’s weapons could not fire far enough to reach the fort. Francis Scott Key wrote “The Star Spangled Banner” at Fort McHenry.
Fort McHenry is my favorite historic place because not much has changed since the war. There is still the same flagpole that Key viewed as he wrote our national anthem. The canons are still in place; the walls still standing. You can just picture the history that took place there. During the field trip, we were given a presentation on the history of the fort. This presentation really helped me understand some of the things in the fort. I felt honored to be in such a historic place. Just to think that a hero like Francis Scott Key had stood on the same ground as I did, sent chills up my spine.
when i was in 8th grade my family went to Washington D.C. We saw many historical things while we were there but the one i loved most was the Holocaust Museum. My whole family didn't go to this museum, just my mom and i did, because my mom didnt thing my brother would like it and she thought it would scare my sister, who was only seven at the time. I had been learning about the Holocaust in school at the time and so I was excited to go. I find the Holocaust to be very intresting. I know some people think history is so boring, and for some of the topics i can agree. The Holocaust is not on of those topics. I thought the most moving part of the Holocaust Museum was the piles of shoes, or walking through the archway like you were actually walking into Auschwitz. I think it is so terrible what happened during the Holocaust and i feel everyone should visit this museum. People need to realize the effects of what happened and we need to make sure it doesn't happen again, like what is going on in Darfur currently.
I have been to some very cool historical places. My favorite one that I have been to is where the Red Sox play baseball, Fenway Park, in Boston. Most people might not think of it as a historical monument, but it really is. It has stood in Boston for decades and decades and is an amazing place. It has landmarks inside itself like the Green Monster, which looms over left field. Watching a game in Fenway Park is a great thing too. There is a waiting list just to get tickets to see a single game there. There is even a waiting list to run the scoreboard. a 70 year waiting list. The Red Sox won a recent league championship there, it was thier first in 80 years. Fenway Park is an amazing historical landmark, at least in the sporting world but also in the rest of the world.
When I was younger my parents took me into Washington D.C to visit museums and monuments. One of the places we went was the theatre in which Abraham Lincoln was shot in. This theatre was famous for this event, and gave a tour. We went on the tour and not only learned about the assasination and the night of the murder, but the life of Abraham Lincoln as well. This adventure left a very big impression on me, and until this day I can remember many details vibrantly. I believe that Abraham Lincoln was a extremely diverse and unique president, and surely one of the most popular. I saw the seat in which he was shot and killed. It was on the upper floor of the theatre, almost as if he was in a V.I.P section. It was almost uncomfortable to be in that same room and you could feel the awkwardness of the killing. I will never forget the day we took that trip, and to this day am interested in that time period/Abraham Lincoln because of it.
When I was fourteen during my eighth grade year I went to Ellis Island for a field trip. While there I found that my grandmom from my moms side of the family had come over from Ireland. Then we went to The Statue of Liberty it was real amazing to see just how big it really was. We were allowed to go inside The Statue of Liberty but only as high as the Pedastal because of how high the terrorist level was. We were still lucky though because the week before you were not even allowed in the pedastal of The Statue of Liberty. This was really a historical moment for me just to be inside of something as old and historical as the statue. Finally,
This year, my family and I went to Ellis Island over Christmas break. Ellis Island is an island right by New York City and is where millions of immigrants from foreign nations went through when tney arrived in America. It is a very famous and historical place. That morning while everybody was getting ready, my father and I looked at the website. We researched some of our family and found records of multiple family members that came across the ocean from Europe. Before we went, I was not exactly sure what Ellis Island really was and I was not excited for the trip. It turned out to be very interesting and a great experience. I learned a lot about immigration into the United States. It was exciting to see how my family members were excepted into America, and how probably most of America's family members were accepteted into America also. I learned interesting facts too, for example, when the foreigners walked into the building, they were given a 3 to 5 second body health check. One of the main parts they checked were the eyes, because there was a disease related to the eyes that I don't clearly remember that was very popular at the time. If they didn't pass that, that person and there family would have to go stay in the hospital for the amount of time it would take for him to heal, or they would have to be sent home. Some family members were even split up going through this sometimes horrifying process at Ellis Island.
Vietnam was one of the most gruesome wars in the history of the world. The monument commerating the men who died stands to day in Washington D.C. My grandfather was deployed to Vietnam. Twenty minuets before a ship was scheduled to leave for the war he was changed to another ship to do patrols elsewhere. Of the hundreds of men on the ship only a handful survived. At the memorial i looked for names that my grandfather had said he knew. I found too many of them. It saddend me greatly that so many men were killed for almost no reason. But it makes me happy that my grandfather was not one of those men. He has told me stories of the times he spent with some of the men whose names are written on the wall. It was a very humbling experience for me, and I enjoyed learning more about the war.
Drew Mink Red
I have been to many historical places in my 16 year career of life, but the place that has made the greatest impression on me even though it wasn't a good impression, was the Holocaust museum. I went there in the eighth grade on a field trip. The Holocaust museum depicted the horrible things that the Nazis did to the Jews, and gave me a whole new understanding of just how horrible those things were. Although the Holocaust museum is very gruesome and sad, it is also very education. It is educational in both the academic manner and the lifestyle manner. It shows that absolute power corrupts absoluetly. A dictatorship cannot be successful, and we all must work together to make the world a peaceful place.
When i was younger my family and I took a trip to New York City. While we were there we visited Ellis Island with my grandparents. Even though I was young I still remember the day very well. I had been very excited to visit the Statue of Liberty. We went up to the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. The views from the Statue of Liberty were breathtaking even for me, as young as I was. But the views were'nt the only things I experienced that day. I learned alot about the history of the Statue of Liberty. My Poppop knows alot of American history so he enjoyed telling me all about where the statue came from and other interesting facts. I learned how the statue was given to the Americans from France during the American Revolution. I'm proud to say I've visited somewhere so important in American history.
tvyellow
When I was in 5th grade my father traveled out to Indianapolis, Indiana for work. Over the Easter Holiday my mother and I went to visit him. I found out very quick that Indiana was flat as a pancake, cold, and really boring. But to make up for this my parents baught me tickets to a motorcross show, and went through a tour of the Indianapolis 500. The food there was amazing. The waffle house we went to had waffles I'll never forget. The motorcross show was pretty amazing too. But the coolest thing was the race track. The meuseum in the track is very interesting. They have a replica of every car that has ever won, and a complete history of the track. Plus, you get a comlimentary lap around the track with your visit. Therefore, this trip to Indianapolis turned out to be a fun and historical event for me.
During my seventh grade year at Holy Angels my whole grade, which was about sixty students, went to Washington D.C. A few teachers came a long, and most parents did as well. While we were there we went to museums, the White House, and many other impressive, important, historical buildings. The place that I remember most though is the Holocaust Museum. Out of all the places we went to this one affected and influenced me the most, and stuck with me more than all the others. The Holocaust Museum displays facts, artifacts, pictures, etc. from the Holocaust, which is when Hitler killed the Jewish people. This museum was one of the most serious and saddest places I have ever been to. The thing that stuck out the most was the display of all the shoes. I remember standing on a small bridge and looking down to the shoes of the people who died in the concentration camps. The shoes were all sizes, and they were the shoes of adults, teenagers, and even young kids. I will always remember the Holocaust Museum.
The historical place that has had the biggest effect on me is Gettysburg. When I went there with my classmates for an eighth grade field trip,it was atonishing how much history was covering the land where the Battle of Gettysberg took place during the Civil War. We got to see the distance of the longest known sniper headshot in the civil war which was more than a mile. We learned a lot of cool facts like that, but there were also times where one would have to be reverent because of the huge number of people that died on the ground we were walking on. As we walked by a river, our guide was explaining to us how soliers who drank out of it would sometimes dies because of all the blood in the river from dead bodies close to it. It made me stop and think about how many americans were killed by other Americans in places that I was looking at. When you are there it is almost unbelievable. Gettysburg also sparked a belief that I never thought would come across my mind. This trip made me belive in ghosts. While we were in a historical house, the guide explained to us how it belonged to a single woman who was killed by a stray bullet. The guide said that her spirit still filled the house and I thought she was joking. I did not even believe her when she showed me very creepy pictures of families in the house with a ghost-like figure in the background. It was only when I saw that girl's spirit in the background of a picture I took there with my friends when I started believing in ghosts. To this day, Gettysburg is reason I believe in ghosts and is also the most amazing historical place I have ever been.
When I was in seventh grade, I went to Washington D.C. and visited the Holocaust museum and the White House with my classmates. The Holocaust museum was very interesting and disturbing at the same time. The Nazis under the leadership of Hitler between 1933 and 1945 started the Holocaust. The museum showed horrible examples of torture and even experiments used on the Jews. When I visited, I eventually got tired of looking at all of those terrible images. I wondered why they would want to have a museum about the Holocaust back then. Around six million Jews were killed during the Holocaust. I realize now we need that museum to remind us what we shouldn’t do, and to remind us what people are capable of. I hope to go back and revisit the museum so that I can appreciate the Holocaust with a better point of view on things. Going through the White House would have been fun, but it was pouring rain, when we walked in the nice building I felt like I didn’t fit in with my drenched clothes. The building is very nice, I got to see the different rooms, each named after a different color, and it was pretty cool. Hopefully I can go back and enjoy it, instead of worrying about slipping in the water, in a lot nicer weather.
When I was about ten years old my family and I went to Plymouth, Massachutest. I know it wasn't the most exciting trip but it definitly was the most historical. I remember walking through the old town and seeing how people really lived, it was amazing. They had to do everything by hand, everything. They had nothing to help them. Everyone in the town had jobs they had to get down so that the town would be able to sustain itself. I also remember seeing Plymouth Rock. You really think it would be a little bigger. It's a fair sized rock surrounded by four walls. It's not the most breath taking sight but if you think of what it represents than you can't help but be awed. We also got to board the Santa Maria which was extremly inspiring. I don't think I would sail accross an entire ocean on that. But that's how our country came to be and I have great respect for those who started it.
One of the most memorable trips I have ever taken was my trip to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers, a monument in Arlington National Cemetery. This monument is dedicated to the American servicemen who have died without being identified. On the western panel of the white marble tomb are the words: “Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God.”
The most unforgettable part of my trip were the Tomb Guards. It is considered one of the highest honors to serve as a guard for the Tomb of Unknowns. The guard follows a meticulous ritual while watching over the graves. It includes twenty-one steps across the Tomb and a gun salute. On the twenty-first step, the guard turns and faces the Tomb for twenty-one seconds. This ritual is continual until the guard is relieved at the Changing of the Guard. The Changing of the Guard, which takes about ten minutes, is very symbolic. On my trip, I watched these guards patriotically safeguard these tombs. When the guards walked up and down the mat across the Tomb, I realized their loyalty to their great job of protecting the unknown soldiers and to their country. It made me realize the great sacrifice our soldiers have made for America. My visit to the Tomb of Unknown Soldiers gave me a better understanding of the soldiers’ great bravery and patriotism. My visit left me with the impression that the American soldiers will risk anything, even their lives, to keep America protected.
When I was nine years old I went on a trip with my mom and my sisters to Washington D.C. The trip was very interesting and informative, and my favorite monument was the Washington Monument. It was built between 1848 and 1884 as a memorial to honor the first president of the United States, George Washington. The monument was proposed to Congress by Major Pierre Charles L'Enfant. It stands about 555 feet tall and weighs 90,854 tons. There are 897 steps that lead to the observation area in the monument. It is made of white marble, granite, and iron. The Washington Monument was dedicated on February 21, 1885, and it was opened to the public on October 9, 1888. I would really like to go back to Washington D.C. someday to see the monument again.
In May of my 8th grade year, our history teacher took the entire class and some parents to Washington, D.C. for a day. Our first stop of the day was the Holocaust Museum. At first, when you walk in, you're given a ticket with a name on it. The guides explained to us that it was an actual name of a prisoner put in German concentration camps, and at the end of the tour we would be told if we "survived" or not. The most interesting part of the museum was its layout. The tour started in a room modeled like a little Jewish girl's room, and you could see what sort of belongings she was forced to leave behind when she was taken to a concentration camp. After we left the room, we went down a hallway and entered a room that made us feel like we were in an actual concentration camp, with horrible pictures of victims all over the walls. After we left that room, we handed our tickets with the names on them back to the tour guide one by one, and he told us if we survived or not; I did not. It may very well have been the most interesting museum I have ever been in, making it enjoyable to learn about one of the most terrific tragedies in the world's history.
I remember in April of my 8th grade year my entire class planned a 2 day trip to Williamsburg VA. Before we went on the trip I had pictured it as being a fun 2 days not at school and a waste of my time because I had no interest in actual colonial Williamsburg. When I arrived on our first day there at a real life war site my opinion completely reversed. It was as if I was there when the fighting had been going on. For a part of me felt thrown back in time. I immediately fell in love with the whole town. I can’t think of any other place that is more historical or left a better impression on me than Williamsburg. Hopefully in the near future I can go again and visit the place where we had stayed. It seems that place is stuck in time so nothing can affect it.
Two years ago in eighth grade my whole class took a trip to Philadelphia to see all of the historical sights that the city held. Philadelphia is jammed packed with historical monuments, buildings, and documents that were very important in the 18th century, and still have much impact on society today. We visited the Liberty bell, a perfect symbol of the freedom that we have today because of what happend long ago, and Independence Hall, where the Declaration was discussed and eventually adopted. These memorable sights from historic America help me to appreciate all the things that they did to help the United States become what it is today. They helped to shape our country so that we could live in freedom. Many heroic people fought and died to preserve and protevt our country so that future generations would live in a free, indpependent world.
Two years ago in eighth grade my whole class took a trip to Philadelphia to see all of the historical sights that the city held. Philadelphia is jammed packed with historical monuments, buildings, and documents that were very important in the 18th century, and still have much impact on society today. We visited the Liberty bell, a perfect symbol of the freedom that we have today because of what happend long ago, and Independence Hall, where the Declaration was discussed and eventually adopted. These memorable sights from historic America help me to appreciate all the things that they did to help the United States become what it is today. They helped to shape our country so that we could live in freedom. Many heroic people fought and died to preserve and protevt our country so that future generations would live in a free, indpependent world.
When I was in the eighth grade, i went on a field trip with my grade to new york city. While we were there, we visited many important sites including Ground Zero, Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, and the Empire State Building. But my favorite part of the trip was visiting Ellis Island. The big museum showed you pictures of what immigrants had to go through when they came to America. It showed you what it was like traveling on the ships for months to come to America. Food was scarce and many people died of disease. Not many new babies that were born were able to survive. Many people were even turned away at Ellis Island because they had contagious illnesses. It made me realize how lucky my family was to have made it to America from Italy. They had to go through so much to start a new life. While I was there, I even got to look up my ancestors' names and see when they came to the United States.
When they began letting people tour the battleship New Jersey it was a big deal. There was so much history sitting right in the Camden harbor for us to vistit. The first time i went on it, me and my family slept on the deck of the ship overnight along with many other people. People told stories from what the had heard from thier elders. Going to see the ship was a big deal for me and my family because my great grandfather served on it.
Well I would like to start by saying that I live in Historic Old New Castle. And if its history you want I would only have to walk down the street. My town is full of old historic buildings and ivy covered town houses. Some of the oldest buildings such as the George Reid House, the Amstel House, the Dutch House, and the Courthouse have been turned into museums fit for knowledge hungry students and tourist from around the world. Sometimes it surprises me that people travel a great distance to come here. Over to years I have just become accustomed to the bumpy brick sidewalks and the cobblestone streets. I could probably tell any tourist anything they would want to know about the historic locations in my town. Sometimes I catch myself imagining what life must have been like back in the 1600s and 1700s. It amazes me that the town has been around for that long. When you think about all the lives that went into making the town a better place and all the people born here who fought with bravery to protect it you could really just get lost in it all. So if you are looking for a historic place to visit look no further than Old New Castle. It has all you could ever hope for in a small town in Delaware and more.
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