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.
The statistics are truly mind-numbing as more than four hundred thousand people have been buried at Arlington National Cemetery since the 1860s. There is an average of thirty funerals a day, and more than four million people
One of those things is the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. A young soldier with a face as solid as steel, hands as strong as iron takes twenty-one steps as he crosses in front of the white tomb. The words etched into the tomb are “Here Rests in Honored Glory An American Soldier But Known To God.” Americans from all walks of life watch, tears clouding the eyes as a young Boy Scout lays a red, white and blue wreath at the foot of the tomb. The soldier stopped and announced that all in attendance were to stand in silence, with their hand laid across their heart. All Veterans or current military personnel were encouraged to salute. I was fascinated by the young family beside me who was visiting from France. As they all placed their hands over their hearts I realized that American soldiers don’t just fight for America, they fight for the world. The patriotism swelled in my already overfilled
But those people have never been to Arlington National Cemetery. It doesn’t matter that our country is faced with humongous issues and that Washington is more divided than ever. What matters is those men and women who gave their life for this country. Every man, woman, child, white, black, straight, gay, Republican, Democrat, rich or poor, should pay their respects to those who rest in eternal peace at Arlington National
I felt this morbid and realistic presence of the soldiers and for a mere second felt the gloom and menace of the war they were in. I walked around the site to gather more information on what the memorial was dedicated to. I walked past the mural wall and as I did, I paid particular attention to the various images of people and equipment on the wall. All of the facial expressions of the people on the wall gave the memorial a very real presence to it. I continued walking down the granite walk
The crowd moves quietly to the seats. The area is silent except with the click of the guard’s shoes. The relief commander walks out and announces The Changing of the Guard ceremony is about to commence; as he is talking, a new guard walks out ready to take the place of the guard on duty. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier contains three men: a testament to all of the unknown fallen soldiers. The tomb continues to honor these soldiers through the ceremonies and symbolism behind the guards’ movements.
Our veterans helped make our country the best country, which is known for fact.Today, because of our veterans I’m proud to say that every citizen has the right to speak and share their voice no matter what their race is. In some countries, there are still racial conflicts and all races.I am also proud to say that every child in America,no matter what their race is, they can have a free education. Most children in other countries are not allowed to go to school because they can’t afford it instead, they go to work
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has struck my interest for the past few years. I have always been interested in historical events that impacted many lives. The Holocaust, the Berlin Wall, and World War I and II have always been something I take very seriously and I am very interested in learning about America’s history. The backstory behind the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is fascinating and after researching it more I learned new things that made me more motivated to write this essay in hopes that I get the honor of laying a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The museum on the property allows visitors to view many achieves, objects, and library collections. The Stones River National Cemetery located on the property is open to the public. There are more than 6,100 Union soldiers that were laid to rest here. Of these, 2,562 graves are of unknown soldiers. There are also 1,000 veterans that have served in the last century, and family members of soldiers buried in the cemetery. Many of these soldiers were reburied here after a year long task of finding fallen Union soldiers, and relocating their remains from the battlefield to the cemetery. This task fell to the African American Union soldiers. The park offers talks, tours, and special events that are open to the public. This includes reenactments of the battle. The park also offers a look into the stories of the Thirteenth United States Colored Infantry. The story of William Holland and his struggle for freedom shed light on one of the most important results of the Civil War. The story allows visitors to follow his story to
Continuing on, the Tomb of the Unknowns is the next stop on the journey. An extravagant white marble sarcophagus symbolizes the resting place for patriotic fighters who could not be identified during the time of war. Guarding the stunning sarcophagus are Tomb Guard sentinels. These sentinels are considered the best of the elite in the United States military. The elite soldiers stride back and forth in such a beautiful rhythmic motion that it is spectacular. A wonderful feeling is aroused knowing the brave unknown soldiers are being honored for giving their lives in a terrible time of war.
The African Burial Ground located in the Lower Manhattan section of New York City is a National Monument dedicated to the thousands of African slaves who were forcibly taken from their native homelands into a life of servitude by Europeans. These slaves were brought to New York before it became the great city that is now today and forced to work to build it into a stable colony without any compensation. Approximately 15,000 are estimated to be buried within the burial ground. The remains of men, women and children of all ages were found at the site and their remains provide further proof of the cruel and violent injustices slaves had to face at the hands of their slavers.
This gathering to honor the American Veteran is a tribute to their glory and their devotion to duty.
With a strong 150 year legacy, Crown Hill Cemetery is one of the historical sites in Indiana that reflects upon the heritage of its citizens. This cemetery is the nations third largest non-government cemetery. During the Civil War back in 1863 was the when Crown Hill cemetery was founded. It is a very unique site for its historical context and size. It serves many families in Indiana with funeral homes services and historical backgrounds. If visited you will begin to notice and understand how the cemetery is a great place of reflection and education for thousands of its visitors who attend the cemetery every year. The few words that could describe the atmosphere of Crown Hill would be beautiful, articulate, reverence and peace. No other cite in Indianapolis offers such high level of serenity and great historical architect such as Crown Hill Cemetery.
For the past two decades, roads became more than a medium of transportation. They turned into places that hold symbolic meaning to certain families in the form of roadside memorials. Roadside memorials are stone markers that serve the purpose of honoring the lives of those killed in automobile accidents. They usually take the shape of a Christian cross, whereby the name of the deceased is carved in the cross’s horizontal line. Normally surrounding the memorial are flowers and other gifts to illustrate grief. This stone is situated at the location of the person’s death. Roadside memorials are put there by the family and relatives of the victim as a method of immortalizing their memory. It reassures them that although the person has died, their memory continues to live. However, roadside memorials create a lot of controversy. Some believe they are a noble act keeping drivers reminded of the dangers of reckless driving. Yet others believe they should be banned for being a source of distraction on the road, as well as a violation to laws, specifically the one stating religious symbols should not be in public grounds. However, with the application of some restrictions, roadside memorials should not be banned because of their benefits.
Burying those who have passed is a sacred thing and should choose a suitable location in doing it. For example, the bones of Pallet and other pioneers are buried at Savannah Memorial Park and there are people who want it moved for future development (Source D). It could cost them millions of dollars to move the graves somewhere else. The cemetery is filling up and residents want it moved because it causes bad luck. If the El Monte Cemetery chose a more suitable location for it, they would not need to spend millions of dollars. Another example would be the Christopher Columbus statue in Riverside Park Easton, Pennsylvania (Source B). This is a good location for the statue because it is in open view to everyone in the park and there is no need for it to be moved. In order to create the best possible monument or memorial, a suitable location must be found for
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.
Indeed, America celebrates heroic people and just wars to commemorate their achievements and honor their deeds, so an exceptional and honorable monument generates an aura that stirs an emotional response. As an example, an iconic memorial that pays tribute to the 16th president is the Lincoln Memorial that gazes out over the Reflecting Pool and symbolizes the American doctrine of democracy. To honor the man who reunited the country, Congress “provided a commission to secure plans and designs for a monument or memorial to Abraham Lincoln” (Source F). In 1911, the “Arts and Progress Journal,” the author (name unknown) described the tremendous amount of money that had been apportioned: $2,000,000 for the erection of the monument. The writer explains that this constitutes the largest sum spent to date, due to the monuments combination of “grandeur and beauty” (Source F). As a result, Americans' witness how the creators built a “pure representation” that engenders in any visitor to sustain an “experience [that] marks it as extraordinary and authoritative” (Document A). With the use of marble as the material, the memorial was built with the viewer recognizing that this exceptional monument will endure the ravages of time. The sheer enormity of the tribute evokes feelings of awe and the
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
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.