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Educational Tours Presents Washington, D.C. Our Nation’s Capital (800) 343-9003 www.edtours-us.com TABLE OF CONTENTS Washington City................................... 1 United States Capitol ............................... 2 FBI Building...................................... 3 Library of Congress ................................ 3 Bureau of Engraving and Printing....................... 3 Museum of Air and Space ............................ 4 Museum of History................................. 4 Museum of Natural History ........................... 5 Museum of the American Indian........................ 5 Rock Creek Park (the National Zoo) ..................... 6 Naval Museum.................................... 6 Alexandria, VA.................................... 6 Embassy Row .................................... 6 Washington National Cathedral ........................ 7 National WWII Memorial............................. 7 Ford’s Theater.................................... 8 Peterson House................................... 8 Mount Vernon .................................... 9 The White House .................................. 9 Cedar Hill .......................................10 Hains Point ......................................10 Arlington National Cemetery ..........................11 Kennedy Grave Sites ...............................11 Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers ........................11 Lincoln Memorial ..................................12 Washington Monument..............................12 Jefferson Memorial.................................12 Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial.....................13 Grant Memorial ...................................13 Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima)...................14 National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial...............14 Vietnam Veterans Memorial...........................15 Korean War Veterans Memorial ........................15 National Archives..................................16 Washington City When President Washington decided it was time this young nation had an official capital, Congress began looking into areas which were regionally neutral-neither purely southern nor purely northern. The choices were boiled down to two: Alexander Hamilton preferred the area near the falls of the Delaware River and Thomas Jefferson would vie for the Potomac River near Georgetown. Jefferson would ultimately sway Hamilton thereby helping him acquire enough votes to place the capital along the Potomac below the Little Falls. Once the area was selected, the two neighboring states of Maryland and Virginia, gave up some of their land in order to create a territory of 100 square miles. Perhaps representative of this new nation's diversity was the survey team itself which was made up of Andrew Ellicott and his assistant Benjamin Banneker, a free black man. The project gained international flavor when the French architect Pierre L’Enfant was chosen to design this first planned city in America. Building a grand city for a new nation would present some challenges. L’Enfant was basically building in swamp land, yet he began by selecting the two highest points in the area: Jenkin’s Hill would be the site of the Capitol (later called Capitol Hill); and on the second hill, he envisioned the President's residence. He would connect these two buildings with, the now famous, Pennsylvania Avenue. Just as the capital was growing into a thriving town, the War of 1812 brought almost complete destruction to Washington at the hands of the British. While we did get our national anthem from this tragedy, the city was so ravaged by fire and plunder that some felt the government should leave. As is obvious, calmer thinking won out and today Washington D.C. has grown to include over half a million residents, scores of government buildings, hundreds of statues, and dozens of museums. 1. Washington D.C. was created from a donation of land from what two states? 2. What body of water forms the border of Washington to the south? 3. Who designed the city of Washington? 4. Who was Benjamin Banneker? 5. What is the name of the avenue which connects Capitol Hill with the President's home? United States Capitol -1- “The Capitol is the best loved and most revered building in America. It is history, the major symbol of the nation, the spirit of America in stone” Allen Nevins President Washington and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson had very specific ideas of how they wanted the Capitol to look. As a new nation born of liberty and justice, this building would come to house the national legislature. This would be serious business for the very success of this new land would depend upon the law making process. It could not use images of pagan gods as the Greeks did for Jefferson would make it clear, "This would be the first temple dedicated to the sovereignty of the people”. Borrowing from Roman architecture, Dr. William Thornton submitted the winning design for the capitol which featured a grand entry-way and saucer-like dome which was heavily influenced by the famous temple, the Pantheon. Construction began in 1793, with President Washington acting as host for the cornerstone ceremony. Over the next ten years, with many financial and political delays, the government moved from Philadelphia to the beautiful white halls of the Capitol which saw completion under the presidency of Thomas Jefferson. The heart of the Capitol is the Rotunda with its ornately detailed sandstone walls displaying panels of historical artwork and beautifully capped off by The Apotheosis of Washington painted by Constantino Brumidi. As the main circulation space, the Rotunda links the House and Senate sides together and receives thousands of visitors each day. Because of its dignity and beauty, the Rotunda is where citizens who have served in public office are honored upon their death. Abraham Lincoln, General MacArthur, as well as Florida Senator, Claude Pepper, have all lain in state here. South of the Rotunda is the Old House Chambers. Now called Statuary Hall, it presently houses statues that individual states have donated honoring local state heroes who may or may not be nationally known. 6. Who laid the cornerstone for the Capitol? And in what year? 7. Name the tallest statue in Washington D.C. and where it is located. 8. The Rotunda Dome weighs_____________________pounds. 9. What special event occurs in the center of the Rotunda when a very important American dies? 10. The four paintings by John Trumball located in the Rotunda depict what part of American history? 11. Why is Statuary Hall also known as the ?Whisper Chamber”? 12. Name the two legislative bodies that meet in the Capitol Building. 13. Describe the contribution to the Capitol Building by Constantino Brumidi. FBI Building -2- Across from the Justice building, the J. Edgar Hoover Federal Bureau of Investigations Building looms over 9th street and Pennsylvania Avenue with all of its hideousness. Hoover himself declared it the “ugliest building I've ever seen”. But this huge structure was built not to beautify but to be a secure facility. Today you can see exhibits of past cases which illustrate the Bureau's fight against organized crime, terrorism, espionage, and bank robbery. You can even see a live ammunition firearms demonstration. Library of Congress The Library of Congress houses the largest collection of books, music, photographs, and other documents in the world. In fact, their collections include items like those used by Harry Houdini in his magic acts. In order to contain all of these materials, the Library has grown to include three separate buildings. The Jefferson Building features documents of civilization, culture, and American achievement. Within its walls are 9 reading rooms among them the incredible Main Reading Room, a huge and richly decorated circular reference area where you may pick up the works of Thomas Jefferson who donated parts of his own extensive volumes to the library. The Adams Building named after the President who signed the law making the Library possible, is the center for all collections and references in science, technology, and business. The James Madison Memorial Building is the 3rd largest building in Washington, housing reading rooms for collections such as maps, motion pictures, and photographs, as well as, the Law Library and Copyright Office. Bureau of Engraving and Printing What does $800,000,000 look like? At the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, you can actually watch as eight hundred million dollars in US currency, Treasury bonds, bills, notes, and certificates are printed every day. Since 1872, all paper currency issued by the U.S. government has been designed, engraved, and printed at the Bureau. Additionally, items like food stamps, postage stamps, and customs stamps are all made here. The total yearly value of the Bureau’s production is $300,000,000,000. That's three hundred billion! The Smithsonian -3- Museum of Air and Space Opened in 1976, the Museum of Air and Space is the most visited museum in the world attracting 12 million people each year. Suspended from the ceiling are dozens of aircraft telling the story of aviation in America. There is the “Wright Flyer” which Wilbur Wright piloted at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Charles Lindbergh's “Spirit of St. Louis”, as well as, Chuck Yeager's X-I rocket- the craft which allowed him to break the sound barrier-are all here. Representing our advancements into space flight, astronaut John Glenn’s Friendship 7 maintains a steady orbit In this museum, as well. 14. What did Charles

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