Patriotism cannot be seen; it can only be felt. Every nation builds memorials, museums, and cemeteries that honor those who died for the country, and those who played an important role in its evolution. We'll explore the top 10 patriotic places in the USA - places that honor great events, leaders, and battles.
Loyalty towards a nation, devotion to its prosperity, and pride for the honored can be inculcated in children optimally at school. The connection between the land and its men and women is the strongest there is - a connection for which people have fought, sacrificed, and killed. It is very important to know the history of your country and the men who shaped it. The patriotic places listed below are nothing but reminders of great battles, leaders, and heroes. These places take us closer to the land that today millions of global citizens call home - the land of the American dream. A superpower today, it was once just 13 British colonies across the Atlantic. A lot has happened between then and now, and these places are reminders of a few such happenings.
The places mentioned below are not listed according to their significance. Each place equally honors patriotism for the USA.
The Gettysburg National Military Park, Pennsylvania, is of high symbolic value for Americans. It includes the Gettysburg National Cemetery and most of the Gettysburg Battlefield. 3,500 Union soldiers rest here. As most Americans know, this place saw the bloodiest battle in the Civil War, with casualties rising above the 50,000 mark. The place celebrated its 150th anniversary when it entered 2013. The Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center displays several American Civil War artifacts. Not to forget, it was this place that inspired President Abraham Lincoln's unforgettable Gettysburg Address.
The Liberty Bell is not just famous in the United States, but all over the world. It is truly an international symbol of freedom. The bell was originally placed in the Independence Hall, and then in the Independence Mall. Post the Second World War, the National Park Service was given the custody of this prestigious symbol. The position of this bell has always been a famous place for protests and rebellions. Even today, it is used as a patriotic symbol on badges, flags, and even clothes during the 4th of July celebrations.
The lettering on the bell reads - Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.
A gift of friendship from the people of France to those of the United States, the Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World is an international symbol that portrays democracy and freedom. Dedicated to the entire nation by President Grover Cleveland on the 28th of October, 1886, it has since been synonymous with the image of America. A neoclassical sculpture, it is situated on Liberty Island in Manhattan. It is a National Monument - a perfect designation, given the national sentiment it holds. It's been there for more than a hundred years, and even today it holds an important place in every American's heart. The statue represents Libertas, the Roman Goddess of Freedom. On the tablet (tabula ansata) that the Goddess holds, is inscribed the date of the American Declaration of Independence.
The National Mall and Memorial Parks are home to some of the country's most significant structures. Presidential legacies, historic events, and the country's commitment to freedom - all are perfectly portrayed here. Some of the memorials that are situated here include the African-American Civil War Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, World War II Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, and Thomas Jefferson Memorial. While each of these memorials are significant in their own right, together they make The Mall - a place where citizens remember great events, military and civilian sacrifices, and contributions by great leaders.
The Lincoln Memorial is part of the National Mall but individually ranks as one of the most patriotic places in America. The memorial is home to a huge, seated structure of Abraham Lincoln in contemplation. It also holds inscriptions of two famous speeches by the president - The Gettysburg Address and his Second Inaugural Address. This was also the site that witnessed the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, on 28th August, 1963, where Martin Luther King gave his inspirational I Have a Dream speech. The 36 columns of the memorial represent the number of states that existed at the time of the president's death.
The epitaph above the statue reads - "In this temple, as in the hearts of the people for whom he saved the Union, the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever."
Just like the Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore is internationally famous for the sculptures of four presidents of the USA - George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. This national memorial educates visitors about American history, the rich heritage of the land, and the diversity of the country today. In the canyon behind the sculptures, are 16 enamel panels. These panels include the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the biographies of the four presidents, all in text. Also mentioned is the biography of Gutzon Borglum, the man behind this patriotic project.
Home of the first president of America, Mount Vernon was where the great George Washington resided. Today, visitors can see the president's study and a few other rooms of this plantation home. This is where George and Martha Washington lived; also the place where George Washington breathed his last. It is thus this place where you can see Washington's Tomb.
About this place, the man himself wrote - "I have no objection to any sober or orderly person's gratifying their curiosity in viewing the buildings, Gardens, &ca. about Mount Vernon."
The most famous cemetery in the country, the Arlington Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is the burial place of 300,000 veterans who sacrificed their lives for their country. The cemetery was established during the Civil War, and today is the resting place of veterans from the Second World War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, amongst others. It is divided into 70 sections; the 60th section is the resting place of the personnel killed in the Global War on Terror since 2001. Funerals of William Howard Taft and John F. Kennedy have been held here. There are several memorials on this site, including the USS Maine Mast Memorial which marks 266 men who lost their lives aboard the USS Maine, and the Space Shuttle Challenger Memorial that is placed in memory of the crew on flight STS-51-L.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Independence Hall is the first home of the Liberty Bell. It is here that the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution were debated and adopted. It is here that the seeds of freedom and democracy were first sowed. Today, it features on the US $100 bill and the bicentennial Kennedy half dollar. Also, the picture of the Assembly Room is featured on the reverse of the US $2 bill. Even though seeing the image of this patriotic place has become an everyday event, an actual visit to it is held in high regard.
Founded in 1838 in New York, this cemetery turned 175 years old in 2013. This is where the Battle of Brooklyn was fought; it was the first significant battle to be fought in the American Revolutionary War. The cemetery has been granted the 'National Historic Landmark' status. It is also home to many monuments, including a Civil War Memorial and a statue of DeWitt Clinton. During the Civil War, the cemetery created a place for free veterans' burial known as the Soldiers' Lot. Apart from soldiers, it is also the resting place of several Americans who contributed to the country's evolution - be it through art, education, or even music.
We have come across these places often, on currency, in textbooks, and on television. However, a personal visit to these top 10 patriotic places will definitely bring you closer to the land you live in, the enriching ideals of the people who fought for the freedom of this land, and to the never-ending dream of democracy.