Why is the Washington Monument important?

Answer 1

It is so important because it took time to make it. The monument is very fragil. It has a goldish part of it because the people stopped building it for almost 30 years due to the U.S Civil War intervened. The monument is kind of old because the whole thing finished and done was on July 4th, 1884 with the starting time from 1848... It is also very tall. It rises more than 550 feet.

Answer 2

George Washington led the Continental Army to victory in the War for Independence against Great Britain in 1789. He was conferred with the title 'Father of the Country' and was also unanimously elected as the first President of the United States of America.

The Washington Monument was created with the concept of thanking George Washington for helping carve a new kind of a republic country where all men were treated as equal.

Washington National Monument Society

In 1783, the Congress approved an equestrian statue of George Washington that was designed by Pierre Charles l'Efant. This plan never took off and in 1833 that is on the 100th anniversary of George Washington's birth, the Washington National Monument Society was created by James Madison and John Marshall with the purpose of creating a monument in memory of George Washington. They wanted to construct the largest monument in the world with dimensions and magnificence that would be proportionate to the greatness of George Washington and also the gratitude that the people of United States felt towards him.

The society began a fundraising campaign to construct the monument. At the beginning, the society allowed each person to contribute only $1. By 1836 the society has been able to raise only $28,000. Although it was not enough to construct any monument, it was enough to hold a competition for the design, which is exactly what the society did.

The design competition that was held in 1836 was won by Robert Mills who was an architect by profession. As per his designs, the monument would radiate simplicity and grandeur together just like George Washington. The design was a simple obelisk that was to be built as the centerpiece of the National Mall. The Washington Monument height was proposed at 55 feet and 5.5 inches while the width would be 55 feet and 1.5 inches.

Once the estimated cost was calculated, the society removed the limit of contribution per head. The society was able to collect $88,000 quickly and the construction took off. After 152 feet of the monument was built, the society ran out of funds and the construction ceased. Construction was stopped over 20 years, the Civil War also contributing its share to the delay.

Interest in the Washington Monument was renewed during 1876, the first centennial of the United States. President, Ulysses S. Grant signed a bill approving government funding to complete the construction. The Army Corps of Engineers took over the project and completed the construction in December 1884.

The monument was officially dedicated to George Washington a day before his birthday in 1885. But it was only in 1888 that the public was allowed to enter the monument as the work was incomplete on the interior of the monument.

Interesting Facts About the Washington Monument

Here are some interesting facts about the Washington Monument:

The corner stone was laid on July 4, 1848. The same trowel was used that George Washington used to lay the cornerstone of the Capitol way back in 1793. Thousands gathered around the construction site to celebrate the moment.

The walls of the monument are 15 feet thick at the bottom and 18 inches at the top.

The walls are covered with white marble that was brought in from Maryland.

While the monument is hollow on the inside, the inner walls are set with 189 memorial stones that are carved and were presented by individuals, cities, states, societies and other countries.

The point at which construction was stopped in 1858 can be identified as the stones used above 152 feet have a darker tone of color when compared to the original ones.

The Washington Monument is surrounded by flagpoles, each flag representing a flag of the state.

The total cost of building the monument was $1,817,710.

The construction of the monument was completed 30 years after the death of its architect, Robert Mills.

I have always been an ardent admirer of George Washington and the way he led his life. I would like to end this article with this thought on friendship and valor - "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation."

By Anju Shandilya

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Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/facts-about-the-washington-monument.htmlThe Washington Monument was built between 1848 and 1884 as a tribute to George Washington's military leadership from 1775-1783 during the American Revolution. Its construction took place in two major phases, 1848-56, and 1876-84--a lack of funds, political turmoil, and uncertainty about the survival of the American Union caused the intermittent hiatus. Plans for a national monument began as early as 1783 when Congress proposed that an equestrian statue of George Washington be erected. Although the Monument was authorized by Congress, little action was taken, even after Major Peter Charles L'Enfant selected its site in his 1791 Federal City plan. Washington's 1799 death rekindled public aspiration for an appropriate tribute to him, and John Marshall proposed that a special sepulcher be erected for the General within the Capitol itself. Lack of funds postponed construction, but Marshall persevered, and in 1833, he, James Madison, and others formed the Washington National Monument Society. By 1836, the society advertised for competitive architectural designs. The winning architect was Robert Mills, whose design called for a neoclassical plan which provided for a nearly-flat-topped obelisk surrounded by a circular colonnade on which would stand a statue of Washington in a chariot. Inside the colonnade, statues of thirty prominent Revolutionary War heroes would be displayed.

In an elaborate Fourth of July ceremony in 1848, the cornerstone was laid. Lack of funds and the illegal election which placed the Washington National Monument Society in the hands of the Know-Nothings, a political party, caused delay. Although the Know-Nothings returned all records to the original society in 1858, the latter could accomplish little without funding. The outbreak of Civil War of 1861 exacerbated the society's difficulties with fund-raising efforts. When Lt.Col.Thomas L.Casey, Mills' successor, resumed work on the project in 1876, he heavily altered the original design for the monument so that it resembled an unadorned Egyptian obelisk with a pointed pyramidion. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of the War Department was charged with completing the construction, and the monument was dedicated on February 21, 1885, and officially opened to the public on October 9, 1888.

Weighing 81,120 tons, the Washington Monument stands 555' 5-1/8" tall. The walls of the monument range in thickness from 15' at the base to 18'' at the upper shaft. They are composed primarily of white marble blocks from Maryland with a few from Massachusetts, underlain by Maryland blue gneiss and Maine granite. A slight color change is perceptible at the 150' level near where construction slowed in 1854. Inserted into the interior walls are 193 memorial stones presented by individuals, societies, cities, States, and nations of the world. Attached to in independent iron framework, flights of 896 steps surround an elevator which takes visitors to the observation level, where they can gaze over the city from the monument's pyramidion windows.

In 1996, the Washington Monument Restoration Project was kicked off with Target Stores joining the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation to help restore this national treasure. Guaranteeing $1 million, Target served as the lead sponsor working with the foundation to raise awareness and an additional $4 million in donations from corporate partners. The restoration included constructing scaffolding for the entire 555-foot, 5 1/8-inch monument; sealing 500 feet of exterior and interior stone cracks; pointing 64,000 linear feet of exterior joints; cleaning 59,000 square feet of interior wall surface; sealing eight observation windows and eight aircraft warning lights; repairing 1,000 square feet of chipped and patched stone; pointing 3,900 linear feet of interior joints; and preserving and restoring 1932 interior commemorative stones. The project was completed in 2000.

Normal operating hours for the Washington Monument are 9:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.; free, timed-entry tickets are required and can be reserved for a transaction fee by calling 1-877-444-6777 for individuals or 1-877-559-6777 for large groups or by going online atRecreation.gov. Free tickets for same-day visits also can be obtained on a first-come first-served basis from Washington Monument Lodge along 15th St., beginning at 8:30 a.m. One person can obtain up to six tickets. Visit the Washington Monument homepage for more information. Metro stop: Smithsonian

The Washington Monument is the subject of an online-lesson plan produced by Teaching with Historic Places, a National Register program that offers classroom-ready lesson plans on properties listed in the National Register. To learn more, visit the Teaching with Historic Places home page.

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Overview

George Washington commanded the Continental Army to victory over Great Britain in the American War for Independence, which ended in 1783. Elected unanimously as the first president of the United States of America in 1789, he has been called the 'Father of the Country'.

The Washington Monument was created as a show of gratitude to George Washington in helping to create a new form of government espousing equal treament under the law.

Monument Facts

Year Started: July 4, 1848

Year Completed: December 6, 1884 (Officially opened to the public: October 9, 1888)

Cost: $1,187,710

Designer: Robert Mills

Style: Neo-Egyptian

What is the height of the memorial? 555 feet 5 1/8 inches

Width at base of shaft: 55 feet 1 1/2 inches

Width at top of shaft: 34 feet 5 1/2 inches

Thickness of walls at base of shaft: 15 feet

Thickness of walls at top of shaft: 18 inches

Depth of foundation: 36 feet 10 inches

Weight of the structure: 90,854 tons

What is the monuments sway in 30-mile-per-hour wind:0.125 of an inch

Material: Marble brought from Maryland

Capstone weight: 3,300 lbs (1.65 tons)

Weight of aluminum tip on capstone: 100 oz (2.8 kg)

Number of Blocks: 36,491

How many steps are in the memorial: 897

Fastest known ascent time via stairs: 6.7 minutes (in 2005)

Number of Flags surrounding the building: 50, one represeting each State.

Visitors per year: 467,550 (in 2005)

Location: National Mall

Admission: Free

Answer 3

Oh honey, the Washington Monument is important because it's a big ol' obelisk dedicated to the first president of the United States, George Washington. It's a symbol of the nation's founding and its enduring values. Plus, it's a great spot for tourists to snap a selfie and pretend they're cultured.

Answer 4

Oh, dude, the Washington Monument is like, super important because it's a big ol' obelisk that honors George Washington, you know, the first president of the U.S. It's like a giant symbol of freedom and democracy and stuff, and it's also a popular tourist attraction where you can take selfies and pretend you're super cultured. So yeah, it's kinda a big deal, I guess.

Answer 5

The Washington Monument is important because it is dedicated to our first president, George Washington, who lead us to the war with great britian

Answer 6

It was built in honor of George Washington.

Answer 7

its important because it has been in washington for over 100 yrs and it is the symbol of washington

Answer 8

It honors our country's first president who also led or nation in the Revolutionary War.