Symbols of the USA

American Flag The United States Flag has had many names and many designs since it was first made in The most popular name is the Stars and Stripes. The flag stands for the land, the people, the government and the ideals of the United States. The first flag represented the 13 original colonies but had the British flag in the upper left hand corner. After the Declaration of Independence was written the British flag was replaced with 13 stripes and 13 stars representing the 13 colonies. As more states were added to the union more stars were included. The 13 original stripes remain on today's flag, but there are now 50 stars for the 50 states.

Statue of Liberty The Statue of Liberty was given to the United States by France in It was a symbol of friendship and liberty that both countries shared. France and the United States both shared its expense. A French sculptor, Fredric Auguste Bartholdi, designed it and chose its location. The Statue of Liberty is a symbol that expresses freedom to people all over the world. Her crown bears seven spikes representing the light of liberty on the seven seas and seven continents. In her left arm she holds a tablet with the date of the Declaration of Independence. A broken chain at her feet represents the brokenness of a dictatorship.

Liberty Bell The Liberty Bell is a treasured remembrance when America was fighting for its Independence. It was rung on July 8, 1776, for the 1st public reading of the Declaration of Independence. It weighs over 2,080 pounds. Today the bell hangs in a shelter, just north of Independence Hall in Philadelphia. For nearly 100 years, the Liberty Bell rang on many special events. The Bell cracked in 1841, so it is not rung anymore. Although, it is struck with a mallet on special days.

White House The White House is the home of the President of the United States. Whoever is President lives and works there until someone else becomes President. It is located in Washington. President and Mrs. John Adams became the first family to live in the White House in The British burned the mansion down during the War of 1812, but it was rebuilt. Throughout the years, 43 presidents have made some of the most important decisions in history while living in the White House.

Thomas Jefferson Memorial The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is a shrine to honor the third President of the United States and author of the Declaration of Independence. President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke at a ceremony at the start of construction in On the 200th anniversary of Jefferson's birth (April 13, 1943) it was dedicated.. The design of the building, which is circular, was introduced to the United States by Jefferson, himself. A Statue of Thomas Jefferson and four of his famous quotes are located inside the shrine.

The Lincoln Memorial The Lincoln Memorial is a monument in Washington D.C. that recognizes a powerful leader of our country during the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln. It took 4 years to build. The building, designed by Henry Bacon and styled after a Greek Temple, has 36 columns representing the states of the union at the time of Abraham Lincoln's death. Inside are two murals, two tablets with the Gettysburg Address and the Second Inaugural Address, and a heroic statue of Lincoln.

Mount Rushmore Mount Rushmore is in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It show the faces of the four American Presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. It is a memorial designed by an American sculptor, Gutzon Borglum. It is taller than the Great Pyramid of Egypt and is the world's greatest mountain carving.

Official Flower The rose was designated the official flower and floral emblem of the United States of America in The rose has been around for about 35 million years and grows naturally throughout North America. The petals and rose hips are edible and have been used in medicines since ancient times.

Great Seal of the United States On July 4, 1776, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson were given the task of creating a seal for the 13 United States of America. The delegates of the Constitutional Convention believed an emblem and national coat of arms would be evidence of an independent nation and a free people with high aspirations and grand hopes for the future. Symbolically, the seal reflects the beliefs and values that the Founding Fathers attached to the new nation and wished to pass on to their descendants. The number 13 denoting the 13 original States. The olive branch and the arrows denote the power of peace and war. The constellation of stars symbolizes a new nation taking its place among other sovereign states. The motto E Pluribus Unum expresses the union of the 13 states.

The reverse, sometimes referred to as the spiritual side of the seal, contains the 13-step pyramid with the year 1776 in Roman numerals on the base. At the summit of the pyramid is the Eye of Providence in a triangle surrounded by a Glory and above it appears the motto Annuit Coeptis (approved of our undertakings).

Eagle The American bald eagle was adopted as the official emblem of the United States of America in The bald eagle was chosen because of it's majestic beauty, great strength, long life, and because it's native to North America. In the wild, an eagle will live years (up to 50 years in captivity). A full-grown Bald Eagle has a wingspan of up to 7 foot. They fly up to 30 miles an hour and can dive at 100 miles an hour!

The Motto In 1956 the President approved a Joint Resolution of the 84th Congress declaring IN GOD WE TRUST the national motto of the United States. Most Americans are only familiar with the first verse of Francis Scott Key's 1814 poem The Star Spangled Banner, but the fourth verse includes: And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."