Monuments to Freedom: The Heart of the Nation, traces the history of Washington, D.C. and the Capitol. Once a semi-rural backwater town, Washington has become one of the most important cities of the world. The story of that transformation is truly remarkable.

Vocabulary

• Alexander Hamilton
• Pierre L'Enfant
• Jeanette Rankin
• Benjamin Latrobe
• Louisiana Purchase
• nationalism
• Independence Hall
• Henry Clay
• Joseph McCarthy
• Davy Crockett
• John Quincy Adams
• pacifism

Discussion Questions

1. What products did the people of the region around Georgetown and Alexandria produce in the early 19th century? What sort of labor did they depend on?
2. What role did African Americans play in the building of the Capitol and the city?
3. What was the capitol city before Washington, D.C.?What factors helped to determine the location of the city on the banks of the Potomac River?
4. The English author, Charles Dickens, visited Washington in the 1830's. What were his observations about the city?
5. How was the building and rebuilding of the Capitol instrumental in establishing the idea of nationalism?
6. What development in architectural engineering allowed for the construction of the Capitol's magnificent dome?
7. Why was the House of Representatives so crowded by 1920? How many representatives to Congress are there today?

Extended Activities

1. Imagine that you have won a contest for designing a new capitol. Draw a map of your plans and explain your ideas for transportation, government buildings, housing, schools, and parks.
2. Research the career of Jeanette Rankin and the difficult stance she took against war. What were her beliefs? Do you agree or disagree? Why?
3. Imagine you are one of the World War I veterans marching on Washington, DC, in 1932 during the Great Depression.Write a journal entry that explains why you are upset with the government, what you hope to accomplish through your protest march, and what occurred while you are in Washington.