Arlington National Cemetery is significant to the American people for several reasons. The most famous cemetery in the country holds a long history of hero's from every American battle. Arlington cemetery is also the second largest military cemetery in the United States. Within this beautiful and historic resting place are many monuments and memorials that hold tribute to a diverse number of individuals and events. America has held this burial site close to it's heart for hundreds of years and will for more to come. The first military burial at Arlington dates back to 1864. During the Civil War the number of casualties outgrew the Washington D.C. based cemeteries which ensued the need for more burial grounds. The 200 acre property was formally
Ever take a midnight train to Georgia? No, well ever drive through Georgia? When driving through Georgia on State Road 49, there is a little town called Andersonville that is very easy to miss. To many it is just another town. Yet this town has its own trail. The Andersonville Trail is a small brown dirt road that leads visitors to the Andersonville National Historic Site (Roberts xi). This National Historic Site looks like a “well- tended” national cemetery. On closer examination, this cemetery is nothing like Arlington (Roberts xi). “In this national cemetery, the marble headstones are so close together, they almost touch. The markers appear to be one long head...
In Five Days at Memorial, Fink depicts the deadlock that went on at Memorial Medical Center for five days as several individuals were caught in the hospital without electricity.
The memorial grew out of a need to heal the nation's wounds as America struggled to reconcile different moral and political points of view. In fact, the memorial was conceived and designed to make no political statement whatsoever about the war. The Memorial is a place where everyone, regardless of opinion, can come together and remember and honor those who served. By doing so, the memorial has paved the way towards reconciliation and healing, a process that continues today.
The location should have a powerful connection with the person or event being memorialized. The location of the monument should not be a random site that has no correlation to the subject. In the instance of Crazy Horse the monument that memorializes the great Sioux leader was carved out of the mountain side in the Black Hills of South Dakota. This is significant because the Sioux tribe originated in the Black Hills (Source C). The location also represents the original inhabitants of South Dakota and pays honor to them and their leader. Whereas in Washington, D.C. the Lincoln Memorial was resurrected on a site near the Potomac River. Though the specific location does not have a direct connection to Abraham Lincoln, the district is the core of the United States government and Lincoln was a profoundly important president in U.S. history. The selection of Washington, D.C. for the memorial is meaningful because is provides a communal opportunity for U.S. citizens to gather together to bring honor to Lincoln (Source A). When establishing a monument the other key consideration is the type of materials used in construction. In the Lincoln Memorial the marble used and the grand scale of the statue conveys the importance of the man. It’s not just the materials chosen, but the intricacy of craftsmanship and refinement of these “lavish materials” that
In the midst of one of the busiest cities in the world there lies a sanctuary. There lies an area where all men are equal, where poverty is non-existent, where all men are united under two things; the first being death and the second being America. Arlington National Cemetery is a tribute to all of the fallen heroes, the patriots, the soldiers, the pioneers, all who have cried American tears. I have been forever changed since visiting Arlington National Cemetery and it is a visit that every American should make.
As the birds are singing their sweet melody, the terrain of Arlington National Cemetery is filled with sadness. Although the brilliant rays of sun are shinning through the thick colossal treetops, there is a chill in the air. While watching the mourners, the feeling of their sorrows is all too real.
For years the burial ground was a forgotten part of American history until it was rediscovered in 1991. The site was then designated as historical landmark and later a national
One of the most sacred places in America is the Arlington National Cemetery. Each year heroes are laid to rest here. Families from across the nation visit Arlington throughout the year to pay respect to their love ones. Many American hero families who visit the Arlington Cemetery may have been mourning at the wrong grave.
Roadside memorials are seen on the side of a street or highway often times after the passing of a loved one in a car accident. While a grave marks where a body is finally laid, the roadside memorial marks the last place where a person was alive. The memorial is usually kept up by family and close friends and is decorated with flowers, messages, and a cross or plaque. However, often times controversial, these families believe that their moral authority to remember a loved one trumps any governmental regulations set in place.
‘…the characters’ strength was a direct result of their necessary stoicism in the face of so much hostility.’ Discuss the role of women in Burial Rites.
Why do sentinels guard the tomb 24/7? Why is the tomb so sacred to America? There is no specific way to answer all these questions that so many American’s ponder, but there are many possibilities to consider. The tomb of the Unknowns has a special place in many American’s hearts. Since the remains in the tomb are unidentified many mothers, fathers, wives, and other family members feel a strong connection with the tomb. The families that lost soldiers that never returned after these wars connected with the tomb because they felt that the tomb may contain their sons, husbands, or brothers. What if you were somehow related to one of the four soldiers in the tomb? John Eisenhower wrote a newspaper article about the significance of the tomb. In his article he states, “Its significance is staggering going to the very core of how democracy defends itself in a perilous world.” This quote reveals that the tomb represents America’s fight for democracy in this dangerous world. After every war America remains a democracy even when the world around may not agree. Eisenhower thought this monument was different from any other because it honors soldiers. Most monuments honor men that are high up in the military, but this one honors those who are simply the soldiers. The soldiers in the tomb signify all the other soldiers that have lost their lives at war. The tomb of the unknown soldier is found in many other countries
In the U.S, a day to remember the deceased soldiers was created by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966. “Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service of the United States of America.” Now it is observed in almost all of the states on the last Monday of May, so the population can have a three day weekend. We can see during this period people decorate graveyards with flowers and American flags (Hernandez,
The Vietnam War Memorial. It is a wall, but it is also a monster that many avoid, and many are nervous to visit. In truth, all it is though is facts. It lists the names of all the soldiers that died in the conflict that was staged in a small country in Asia. All the names. There are so many names. Names that go on and on. There are over fifty-eight thousand of them, and every single one of them is a real person. A real man. A real woman. A real person. A real soldier. A real American. It was probably a man who considered whether or not to even serve his country. He probably left his crying mother behind, and when he arrived in the hell that would serve as his home for many miserable days, months, years. A hell that eventually would serve as his funeral home. Maybe he came back in plastic, or maybe he did not come home at all, as several thousand GI's turned into MIA's or POW's, which then changed into names on the wall. Those brave boys, not men, boys who gave their lives for a cause that they didn't understand were reduced from ambitious citizens in the greatest country in the world to names on a wall.
The Civil War was one of the bloodiest and deadliest conflicts in U.S History. In Gettysburg there were three consecutive days in July, were the most soldiers were hurt. There were a total of 51,000 soldiers who were missing, wounded, or dead (Goodheart 1). There was no place to bury all the dead. There were about 7,000 bodies of the soldiers left in the battlefield. Some were buried in shallow graves and had very little identification (Goodheart 1). With the heat and rain the town started to smell like decaying animals mixed with the odor of human bodies (Borrit 5). The governor decided to make a National Cemetery were all of the dead soldiers would have a place to be honored. This is where one of the famous addresses
As we enter a cemetery, we might be filled with fear. We may think of dark nights and ended lives. What is a scary and dreadful place is a very meaningful place for me. This place is so meaningful to me because my grandparents on my father's side are buried there. Cemeteries are important to bringing perspective and serenity, because they bring us a connection to where we came from, help us realize the delicacy of life, and they help us to relax a little bit through their calmness. I have had so many things impact my life and they all seem to end up in the same place. Cemeteries are not the dreaded and scary things of superstitions. They are holding places for memories and faith.