Education Resource Area: Teaching US History - National Monuments

On January 1, 1892, Ellis Island Immigration Center opened in New York Harbor. The first people processed were Europeans who had come to America on ships Nevada, City of Paris, and Victoria. By the time Ellis Island was closed in 1954, more than 12 million immigrants had walked through its gates to make a fresh start in the United States.

A scholar, writer, architect, and statesman, Thomas Jefferson was one of the most important early leaders of the United States. The author of the Declaration of Independence and our third president, Jefferson may well have been one of the most brilliant men of his age. The Jefferson Memorial is located on the National Mall in Washington, DC.

George Washington led the Continental Army to victory in the American Revolution. He later presided over the meeting at which the US Constitution, our system of government, was written. After Washington's death, many people agreed that a monument to his life should be built. The story of the Monument reflects the story of our nation.

In 1929, sculptor Gutzon Borglum started an ambitious project: carving the likenesses of four of America's greatest presidents out of a granite mountain in South Dakota. Mount Rushmore is a national treasure. The four presidents chiseled from the rock represent different ideals.

A guide to the monuments, memorials, museums, and gardens on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

On July 8, 1776, the bell in the Philadelphia State House began to ring, calling the citizens of the city to hear an important announcement. From Independence Hall, a statement was read. The statement, the Declaration of Independence, would lead to the creation of the United States of America.

The U.S. Capitol houses both the Congress and Senate, but do you know its history? This building, which stands as a symbol of freedom and democracy, took more than 30 years to build. It has survived through wars, and has had many changes and additions. Join a tour guide and learn more about the U.S. capitol.

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Spanning Golden Gate Strait, the Golden Gate Bridge is both an engineering wonder and an artistic feat. Kids learn about both as well as Californian history and the history of the west.