By Dawn Harris
I’ve always known about the Constitution of the United States. I’ve always known about George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln. However, the history of our nation never really “came alive” for me until I stood staring at a 19-foot marble statue of our nation’s sixteenth president.
I always knew that spending time in our nation’s capitol would be fun, exciting, and even inspiring. However, I didn’t really know how it would change the way I looked at history and our nation.
The first leg of the tour began in Richmond, Virginia at the church where Patrick Henry gave his famous, “Give Me Liberty, “speech in the year 1775. He delivered the speech at the Second Virginia Convention at St. John’s Church on March 23. The same church in which Henry gave his stirring speech still stands, and hosts re-enactments of the convention. Professional actors portrayed many of the key characters in the Virginia Convention, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Harrison. As I watched each delegate give a passionate, yet articulate defense of his position, I was immediately struck by the reality of the scene.
I suddenly realized that the actors in front of me portrayed real men who had really pondered whether or not a revolution was the best, most right, course for the thirteen colonies. These great men didn’t take their decision lightly, but made the decision with care. They studied, discussed, and argued before deciding to raise an army in order to fight the British when the need arose. They were passionate, yet logical – thinking not only of the following days, weeks, or even years.
Rather, our founding fathers were thinking of the generations to come. Our founders did not make their decision lightly because they knew that they were not the only ones who would be affected by their decision. Being in the church where Patrick Henry spoke, seeing the same walls, and standing on the same ground, showed me that history is not just something to read in books – history really happened. Even though it happened long ago, in places that we might not ever see, that doesn’t change the reality of the events.
Visiting the war memorials also impacted me in a new way. Each memorial made me realize yet again that many men and women throughout the years have given their lives so that I can be free. At the World War 2 memorial, I saw a star for every one hundred soldiers who gave their lives, and I realized the amazing number of men and women who were willing to give their lives.
The Vietnam memorial personalized their sacrifice, and made me realize that not only did each soldier have a name; he also had a family, a home, and individuality. It was the first time I had thought of my freedom in such a personal way: real men and real women died for the sole purpose of preserving my freedom. The war memorials made me thankful for the freedom I have, and made me realize again that the freedom I enjoy was bought by the lives of men and women.
But perhaps the most moving sight was the Lincoln Memorial. As I read the words of President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Inaugural Address, I was struck by the simple fact that America is great, and will continue to be so for many years to come.
Throughout the history of our nation, we have been blessed with great leaders, keeping us strong economically, defensively, and morally. We have been blessed with citizens who have given their lives in times of war. Above all, we have been blessed with a nation that was “conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”
Dude, there is always plenty of stuff to do at the TEEN ZONE!
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