Monuments: National Symbols of Power, Glory, and Remembrance

You’d be hard-pressed to travel through any town in the nation without seeing at least one public monument. Most monuments commemorate a local hero or seminal event from the past, or – if you’re actor Sylvester Stallone – yourself, in the guise of a movie character. Some monuments, such as the Statue of Liberty in New York or the Taj Mahal in India, are instantly recognizable by a global audience. In fact, monuments such as these are so distinctive that they have come to symbolize an entire nation. What purpose do monuments serve in society today, and what do they tell us?

Throughout history, every society around the world has created monuments. Monuments are created in order to honor a person or important event, and are usually structures such as statues, buildings, or edifices. They tell stories of past exploits, and thus serve as reminders of local or national history and culture. At their finest, monuments serve as potent symbols that convey messages: the Statue of Liberty, for example, is synonymous with freedom, liberty, and the promise of new opportunities for immigrants to the United States. The International Peace Arch, which spans the border of Canada and the U.S., symbolizes the friendship between the two countries. Students who study public monuments can research the historical events and people being commemorated, as well as how the artistic and architectural designs reflect the monument’s message. The design of monuments also reflects the aesthetic and sentiment of the time in which they were created, and students can examine what monuments tell us about society at that time. With the upcoming U.S. presidential election upon us, images of American monuments are sure to figure prominently in the candidates’ campaign imagery.

This week I’ve highlighted three resources on monuments from the Gateway’s collection. I’ll also be featuring many more lessons, resources, and activities throughout the week on our Twitter and Facebook pages. Please read my colleague Peggy’s companion column (linked below) for additional resources and teaching ideas.

Presidential Monuments
Subjects: US History
Grade: K-12
In this grade-adaptable lesson, students learn about monuments dedicated to U.S. presidents, and design a new monument for a president. I like that this lesson requires students to conduct research into the lives of the presidents and their accomplishments in office, and to come up with a design that reflects something about these men. This lesson was produced by Education World, an Internet portal where teachers can gather and share ideas. The site includes lesson plans, columns, articles, and job postings.

A Monument to Value
Subjects: Character Education, Civics, Visual Arts
Grade: 4-6
Students discuss traits related to trustworthiness and suggest images that represent this value. They build a monument to trustworthiness to reinforce the lesson. This lesson was created by Josephson Institute Center for Youth Ethics, a non-profit organization that develops and delivers services and materials that aim to improve the ethical quality of society through commitment, competence, and practice.

A Comparison of 9/11 Memorials
Subjects: US History, Language Arts
Grade: 9-12
This lesson asks students to consider how 9/11 has been memorialized in different ways. Students will examine and glean meaning from different memorials’ mission statements and designs. They will also understand that memorials communicate different ideas about their designers and the communities in which they are situated. This lesson was produced by the National September 11 Memorial & Museum is a tribute in honor of the people who perished in the 9/11 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the area near Shanksville, PA. The site offers lesson plans, teaching guides, webcasts, and other resources to help educate children and the public on 9/11.